Author: Alan Tacca. PHOTO/FILE
Mr Mathias Mpuuga (MP, Nyendo-Mukungwe) has a few peculiar problems. He believes he is a dignified man and is not accustomed to being embarrassed, especially by people whom he had only grudgingly respected.
After stumbling, he has frantically worked various institutions to restore his reputation.
Now, however noble its original intention may have been, the ruling NRM has constructed a vampire state.
As I have noted before, it must greatly satisfy the NRM to pluck a smooth learned Opposition operator like Mpuuga and lump him with NRM vampires fleecing the taxpayer.
The vampire state does not always deal in illegalities. Its smarter operators are constantly testing existing laws or making new laws to find or create loopholes through which to squeeze (legally) with their loot.
themselves, and illegal trips, and other misconduct.
They are also constantly looking out for watchmen not always on their guard. If the watchmen are in Parliament, they know exactly how and when to hoodwink the majority to greenlight their loot.
In theory at least, a vampire state can be perfected by crafting a frame of legality for every financial immorality.
But removing the illegality does not remove the immorality.
Although Justice Singiza’s court cleared Mpuuga and the other three commissioners who engineered their own service awards, the judge also severely blamed the Clerk to Parliament for failing to guide Parliament (presumably against the award).
In a perfect vampire state, a redeeming law would protect the clerk against being made a scapegoat.
However, to rephrase another part of Singiza’s judgment, members of Parliament legally earn so much more money than most other Ugandans that you would not expect them (honourable people) to award themselves troublesome ‘prize’ money.
This is the substance of Mpuuga’s cross. It is a moral problem, a philosophical problem.
And Mpuuga has failed to construct an ethically sound argument for seeking and receiving Shs500 million beyond his clearly defined earnings in a society with so much State-made inequality.
If, at his behest, the Church seemed to sanctify Mpuuga’s escape game some weeks back, the Church has enough time to show whether it had put the moral question under scrutiny or was being led by fraternal habit.
Singiza’s court has also left the moral question more or less intact.
Unfortunately, at every stage, Mpuuga imagines he has delivered a knock-out punch and wants his dignity back.
His recent demand for an apology from the National Unity Platform will be ignored. It is neither NUP nor its leader, Robert Kyagulanyi, that sued Mpuuga. Moreover, the demand is premature. That is, unless and until the moral question is resolved in Mpuuga’s favour.
His oblique reference that he was serving the Kabaka (as youth minister) when “you guys” were enjoying musical concerts is correct but misleading.
Mpuuga was an early youth/political leader. Kyagulanyi was six years younger; a relative youngster making music, with Mpuuga’s job probably beyond his sights.
Now 42, the singer and lately lawyer, Kyagulanyi is the leader of Uganda’s main Opposition party. Mpuuga, 48, is fighting to retain his acceptance in the same party and making futile legislative gestures in Parliament about electoral reforms to appear relevant.
It is a hard statement of shifting roles to live with. And reminiscing about his stint as a Mengo youth minister may be consoling, but that history does not bind the Kabaka to be forever proud of him.
Nor does it revalue the legislator among the restless New Youth, whose ethos is marked by an increasing consciousness of the relationship between the plunder in the vampire state and their wretched condition.
Alan Tacca is a novelist, socio-political commentator. [email protected]
