The mighty Grapevine has landed on inside information of how the deal to share Shs.21bn among the 529 Members of Parliament (MP), including those in the opposition was hatched.
On Tuesday evening, the National Unity Platform (NUP) issued a press statement asking their MPs to return the said money claiming that it was a bribe from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni through the Speaker of parliament Annet Anita Among.
Credible sources in NUP have told theGrapevine that the decision for MPs to return the money was reached on Monday evening, after a heated emergency meeting of NUP National Executive Committee (NEC).
Sources disclosed that NEC members were summoned by David Lewis Rubongoya, the party Secretary General on behalf of his boss Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine, the party president.
Sources revealed that the meeting was called after efforts from the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Mathias Mpuuga, and opposition Chief Whip John Bapstist Nambeshe, to convince their members to return the contested money failed.
Two weeks back, government spokesperson, who also doubles as the media center boss Ofwono Opondo revealed that each MP was going to be given Shs.40m which many legislators led by Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Ssegona rubbished and branded as propaganda.
TWO NUP MPs REPORTED THEIR COLLEAGUES
Kasambya County legislator David Kabanda Ntyazi revealed that it was Kasanda Woman woman MP Flavia Kalule Nabagabe, together with Bbale County legislator Charles Tebandeke who reported their colleagues to the party Principal Bobi Wine that they were picking money from the home of the Speaker of Parliament Among in Nakasero.
Kabanda claims that both Kalule and Tebandeke reported their friends to their bosses because they wanted to capture Bobi Wine’s attention so that they are considered for juicy parliamentary slots.
However, other sources revealed that Joel Ssenyonyi, the Nakawa West legislator and also the party spokesperson was the first to brief Bobi Wine on what was going on.
MEMBERS TO FACE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, the NUP deputy spokesperson told theGrapevine that once the 48 hours given to MPs elapse, disciplinary action will be taken on any member who will not be on the list of those who refunded the money.
He disclosed that Bobi Wine directed Nambeshe to receive the money, write the names of people who have returned the money and give it to him today.
This website has established that no NUP Member of Parliament had returned the money by lunchtime today.
SHS. 40 MILLION WAS MANNA FROM HEAVEN
A number of NUP legislators who spoke to the Grapevine on condition of anonymity revealed that the Shs.40m dropped in their pockets like Manna from heaven because they were in serious financial problems.
One of them told this website that they spent all of it during the weekend so they have nothing to return as per now even it is a Shs.100 coin.
One of them accused Bobi Wine of trying to fight to frustrate them by putting them in a bad light before their voters that they are selfish.
“He was the one who instructed his brother Fred Nyanzi to hide behind the People Power Kunga to fight us.
They has been moving with our opponents in our areas behind our backs claiming that he is mobilizing for the party. Now he is pretending and instructing us expecting us to follow those instructions! No way,” one of the NUP legislators said.
Some legislators disclosed that before picking the money, they first consulted their boss the LOP Mpuuga who gave them the green light since their colleagues in NRM were receiving their share.
The legislators wondered why Bobi Wine is on their necks yet he collects Shs.1m from their monthly pay each month for the running of the party secretariat, and billions from the Electoral Commission because of their huge numbers in parliament.
However, Julius Katongole, one of Bobi Wine’s assistants and the youth chairperson Lubaga Division rubbished the legislators allegations that Bobi Wine instructed his brother Nyanzi to fight them through People Power Kunga.
He explained that NUP legislators wanted to chair the mobilisation meetings in their constituencies but Nyanzi refused them on the grounds that they have a lot of legislation work to do.
Nyanzi told them that they will not have time for mobilization for the party that is why they decided to use other members in the different regions as the MPs concentrate on legislation.
He added that Nyanzi allowed friends and confidants to these MPs to sit on the mobilization committees so that they represent their views and brief them on any actions taken in their areas.
Herbert Kinobere, the acting NRM Chief Whip, accepted that the Shs.40m was given to their members because they were demanding parliament their salaries and allowances.
NO BRIBE WAS GIVE – OBORE
Chris Obore, parliament’s Director for Communication and Public Affairs, blasted the critics advising them to follow the right procedures if they have enough evidence that MPs were bribed.
He said that the critics can petition the office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to investigate the matter.
Credible sources in parliament disclosed that parliament authorities are very confident that no touchable evidence can be brought against the legislators.
One source told theGrapevine that since the legislators didn’t sign anywhere, it is only the Speaker of parliament Among and President Museveni who have evidence against the MP because they were captured on the video.
The source in parliament divulged that the deal to give legislators Shs40m was okayed by President Museveni when he was softening them to pass the Shs.618bn supplementary budget.
The source revealed that there was an urgent need of Shs.77bn to run State House classified expenditure which parliament was delaying to pass.
UPDF through the Ministry of Defense also urgently wanted Shs.152bn of which Shs.64.4bn was to facilitate the Operation Shuuja in DRC, Shs.87.5bn was to facilitate security operations in Karamoja and neighbouring communities.
One of the legislators revealed that they have been having itchy fingers waiting for the said money and many of his friends even took debts anticipating that the money will come and they pay their lenders.
By Sengooba Alirabaki
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