Censure Motion In Suspense After Court Upholds Shs1.7bn Service Award

The Former Leader of Opposition, Rt Hon Mathias Mpuuga who is now a commissioner of Parliament  has welcomed the court ruling that upheld the Shs1.7Bn Service Award, saying the MPs leading the censure of the Commissioners are clueless about Parliament rules and practices and are thus a burden to taxpayers, because the Court Ruling, has vindicated his team’s argument that the Service Award was legally approved in Parliament.

Mpuuga made the remarks in the media interview where he asked Ugandans to not just use their mouths, but also brains and ears, saying had they effectively used all the parts on their heads, they wouldn’t have orchestrated an 8month attack to taint his image and reputation over the service award.

"All those people that have been backstabbing me, I wait to see what they are going to tell the nation about me, but in all this, I will continue fulfilling my responsibility and I won’t waste my efforts on people that have been wasting my time. They have harmed me for the past 8months focusing all their energy on me as an individual but that is how things are now, I will be informing the nation of my next step," added Mpuuga. 

This followed the High Court  upholding the Shs1.7Bn Service Award given to the four Commissioners of Parliament, on grounds that the money was lawfully approved by Parliament. However, Court called for reforms to curtail issuance of service award, warning that if the practice goes unchecked, agencies would deplete national coffers through endless service awards, yet the staff benefitting from the awards are already highly paid by taxpayers.

The 12th August 2024 ruling by Justice Douglas Karekona Singiza of High Court- Civil Division, also asked the Secretary to Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi to institute disciplinary action against Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige over the controversial payments.

"With the court ruling, I will be informing Ugandans my next step especially all the things that have been done by individuals that have been trying to soil my image and reputation by hiding other such issue and it is a pity that some of these individuals claim they are educated, but I will leave that to God. Whatever the Court has given us, we shall move with that maybe, the people God gave heads that have mouths, ears, eyes and brains, the ruling of court could help them to know that they should never use their mouth alone, but they should use all the parts on their head," remarked Mathias Mpuuga