There was drama in Bugiri district as angry mourners turned guns against the clergy accusing them of sharing the loot of Speaker of Parliament, through under fire area MP Solomon Silwany.
The events unfolded at the send-off of veteran National Resistance Movement( NRM) cadre, Mzee Bakabinze Mutwalibi on Tuesday, May 16th at Bwaluula village, Nankoma Sub County, Bugiri.
Mzee Bakabinze was the NRM District Secretary for the Elderly.
The send-off was attended by multitudes from within and without the district, including some of the district’s political bigwigs.
Area Member of Parliament, Silwany and Woman MP, Agness Wejuli Taaka, weren’t physically present but were represented by Busoga Parliamentary Chairperson and Bunha South MP, Hajji Iddi Isabirye, while former East African Legislative Assembly MP, Benard Mulengani represented General Duties Duties Minister, Hon Justine Kasule Lumumba.
Nankoma Sub County District Councillor, Hon Ngobi Robert carried the condolence message for District Local Council Five Chairman, Davidson Kasajja Mulumba.
Dramatic scenes started emerging when former District LCV Aspirant, Mr Mulengani David picked up the microphone to speak.
The veteran politician bluntly told off clerics who he accused of turning into “shameful puppets” of politicians who feed them with ” blood money”.
Mulengani’s outbursts followed a call from the District Kurd, Sheikh Adam Musoga to the people to appreciate area MP, Silwany who he said had done well in serving the area, something that Mulengani interpreted as clergy turning into tools of political moblisation.
” You the clergy ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Instead of doi.g the work of God, you have turned into petty political mobilisers because of the blood money you are being given.” He charged amid deafening cheers from the owners.
Mulengani also slammed the embattled area MP for buying popularity with ” blood money” whose sources have since been established to be evil.
He also charged religious leaders whom he accused of being perennial beggars which he said has cast their effectiveness in nursing schools into jeopardy.
Mr Silwany has been a very popular figure among religious leaders in district to who he has been dashing cash at any given opportunity. The MP is reported to have procured a brand new Toyota Premio for the District Deputy Kurd while also repairing one for the District Kurd. He also procured cars for the Archdicons of Muterere and Buwunga Archediocese. This, some claim has widely impacted on the effectiveness of the men of God who are expected to be impartial and non partisan.
The bold remarks by Mulengani were clearly interpreted by the congregation to be a thinly veiled missile to the Member Parliament who has in the recent months under fire for a string of graft allegations. Silwany whose money splashing antics in Bugiri has always bred debate faces a tall order in silencing public concerns amid rising anger.
Similarly, Silwany is a subject of an ongoing petition by MPs to kick out a section of MPs who fraudulently directed Shs. 1.7 Bn to themselves in a situation that has since raised public concern.
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