In May this year, Parliament passed the national budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025, approving a total expenditure of Shs72. 136 trillion.
The figure was an increase from the previous shs52.7 trillion.
Earlier, on January 8, 2024, the Chairperson Mariam Wangadya presented the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Budget Framework paper for the Financial Year 2024/2025 to Parliament.
In the company of commissioners; Col Steven Basaliza, Shifra Lukwago and Simeo Nsubuga; directors and other technical staff, Wangadya presented the paper which contained projected budgetary estimates to the legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, for consideration in the National Budget.
Wangadya decried the consistent budget cuts the commission has been undergoing and urged the committee to this time round to rally other actors to support the Commission with an enhanced budget.
“For instance, in the FY 2021/2022 the UHRC budget planned requirement was Shs72.227bn but only Shs20.897bn (29%) was provided by the government; in FY 2022/2023, UHRC required Shs78.811bn but only 20.636bn was provided; in FY 2023/2024 government provision reduced further to Shs19.572bn (23%) against a requirement of Shs84,227bn,” she said.
The chairperson again made a hearty appeal for enhancement of staff salaries revealing that the UHRC has been grappling with low and uncompetitive pay for its employees for the last over 10 years.
Members of Parliament noted that previously they have been asking the commission to be visible and at least we are seeing them of late even with the enumerated financial challenges.
“We need to support them with all the resources they need so that they can be able to do their work. It is not right for the government to be starving this institution of money and then expect results,” Ben Okiror, Usuk County MP said.
The Deputy Budget Committee Chairperson Yusuf Mutembuli urged fellow MPs to task the Finance Ministry when it appears before the same committee to give reasons why they had refused to consider bridging the commission’s resource gap.
Before, during and after this appearance, some MPs on the committee using backdoor methods, asked officials from the Uganda Human Rights Commission for kickbacks so they could allow their budget requests.
Enter Museveni
While doing this, the legislators didn’t know President Museveni had been made aware of this state of affairs, with credible evidence given to him.
Speaking during the State of the nation address, the president confirmed he had got useful information regarding a racket involving Ministry of Finance officials and others at parliament to take kickbacks.
“I have been hearing stories that there is a racket from the ministry of finance to parliament. I have been hearing of it but now I have proof. Their time is up. I have been hearing that from the ministry of finance, they arrange with accounting officers of ministries to come to parliament to provide certain funds provided they take a share,” Museveni said.
“I have been getting good information about corrupt actors among the public servants but also among the political actors. With firm evidence, I will crush these traitors. Public servants and political leaders that steal government money are corrupt and will be crushed.
A few days after Museveni’s speech, the Criminal Investigations Directorate started work, investigating the racket which among others included Members of Parliament, especially on the budget committee.
Consequently, three MPs, Yusuf Mutembuli( Bunyole East constituency), Cissy Namujju( Lwengo Woman MP) and Paul Akamba( Busiki County) were summoned to CID headquarters in Kibuli to record statements.
The legislators who came chauffeuring themselves early on Monday morning, expecting the process to be done, at least by mid-day were astonished to find themselves spending the entire day at Kibuli.
Meanwhile, a day after the president’s state of the national speech, the officer in charge of Kira division police was asked to prepare the cells for VIP inmates who were “coming in any time”.
Not even the police officers knew who the inmates were but had to oblige to the order.
Meanwhile, the three MPs who had thought to leave Kibuli and return home, were surprised when they were asked to spend a night with the police.
The MPs’ relatives would later be seen bringing them beddings at Kira division police.
The following day, the MPs were taken for searches at their respective homes where detectives combed their houses for any pieces of evidence that would help in the instant case.
Court
On Wednesday afternoon, the three MPs were taken to the Anti Corruption Court where they were charged with corruption, contrary to section 2 ( e) and 26 of the Anti Corruption Act 2009.
Prosecution led by State Attorney Nicholas Kawooya alleges that MPs Mutembule, Akamba and Namujju on May, 13, at Hotel Africana in Kampala Solicited from Mariam Wangadya the Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission an undue advantage of 20 percent of the anticipated budget of the UHRC for the Financial Year 2024/2025.
The state said this was done by asserting that the MPs were able to exert improper influence over the decision making of the Budget Committee of the Parliament of Uganda to increase UHRC budget , in consideration of the said undue advantage.
The trio pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting the prosecution told court that investigations into the matter are still ongoing.
Bail
The three legislators through their lawyer, Asuman Basalirwa would later ask court to be released on bail
The trio presented sureties who included fellow MPs as their lawyers told court it was their constitutional right to be released on bail, have substantial sureties and have fixed places of abode.
However, the state prosecutor opposed the bail application but also asked for more time to scrutinize the documents presented by the accused.
Trial Magistrate, Joan Aciro adjourned the case to Friday.
They were consequently remanded to Luzira.
