Minister Namuganza faces censure

Parliament yesterday adopted the report of the Rules, Privileges and Discipline Committee, setting in motion, a process to censure the embattled the State minister of Lands, Ms Persis Namuganza.

The minister has been accused of contempt of the House and gross misbehaviour.

The committee report that was debated yesterday found Ms Namuganza guilty of the offences and called for instituting a process that will censure her.

The committee said evidence on record supports the assertion by Mr Henry Maurice Kibalya (Bugabula South MP) that Ms Namuganza made derogatory statements about Parliament during a television interview with NTV-Uganda regarding the report of the Naguru-Nakawa land allocations.

The report says the statements made by Namuganza imputed improper motives to Parliament and its presiding officers.

“They denigrated public trust and confidence in the integrity of the Office of the Speaker, members and the institution of Parliament and brought the House and its members into disrepute. In addition, the statements Namuganza made in an interview with NTV were contemptuous, demeaning of the institution of Parliament and undermined its authority,” the report stated.

It added that throughout the inquiry, Namuganza exhibited disrespect, adding that she did not appear in person on several occasions.

On September 14, Ms Namuganza was allegedly late by one-and-a half hours and did not apologise.

“She later walked out of the meeting in protest stating that the proceedings of the Committee were an illegality. In conclusion, the Committee finds that the conduct and behaviour of Namuganza constitutes gross misconduct and misbehaviour and is not befitting of a Member of Parliament, more so a minister,” the report concluded.

However, Ms Namuganza disputed the committee findings, She said: “This report was misleading Members of Parliament, debating things which they don’t know about and finally passing resolutions which they actually don’t know. On this basis, first of all, I belong to the Executive and I know that they will have to forward the resolutions to the Executive for confirmation and I’m sure the Executive is sober and it will not act the way they acted”.

Recommendations

“The Committee.... recommends that the House invokes Article 118(1} (b} of the Constitution and Rule 106 of the Rules of Procedure to censure her,” the committee report states.

However, Mr Medard Lubega Segona, the MP of Busiro County East Constituency, Wakiso District, moved a motion to amend the recommendation. He said censure is not a one-off event but a process.

The deputy Speaker of Parliament moved that the report be adopted and those intending to move a motion of censure proceed.

Other recommendations

The Committee further recommends that MPs should uphold their duty to maintain and strengthen the public’s trust and confidence in the integrity of Parliament at all times, and should desist from conduct that denigrates the integrity and reputation of Parliament, its presiding officers and members in the eyes of the public.

It also said Parliament should orient Members on the Rules of Procedure with special emphasis on the Code of Conduct for MPs enumerated in Appendix of the Rules of Procedure and the mechanisms available in the Rules for resolving personal grievances.