Parliament Unanimously Censures Minister Persis Namuganza

Parliament has unanimously censured Hon Persis Namuganza, the State minister for Housing for misconduct, misbehavior and contempt of Parliament pursuant to Rule 224, 85 and paragraphs 2, 3 and 5 of the Code of conduct for MPs as stipulated in Appendix F of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament.

This is after the select committee chaired by Hon Mwine Mpaka found a prima facie evidence in the motion of vote of censure against Hon Namuganza.

During the Monday plenary sitting, MPs voted by roll call. 348 MPs voted in favour of the motion out of the 356 MPs who voted. 5 MPs voted against the motion while 3 abstained. 

All ministers absconded from the voting process and were not in the House. The Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa who presided over the proceedings, acknowledged that most of the ministers were attending a cabinet meeting.

It all started when an Ad hoc Committee investigating the Nakawa-Naguru land allocations, found Namuganza blameworthy for abuse of office for misleading Uganda Land Commission (ULC) into allocation of land to individuals and entities following presidential directives, which were non-existent.

As a result, Namuganza took to social media and television bashing the operations of Parliament and questioning the powers and integrity of the presiding officers of Parliament to form Ad hoc Committees, prompting the presiding officer to refer the matter to the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline.

The Rules committee found her guilty of misconduct and misbehavior for making impugned statements in the media, prompting Hon Amos Okot (Agago North) to move a motion of censure against the minister. Hon Mpaka said Hon Namuganza did not appear before the select committee for a fair hearing despite several attempts.

Hon. Mwine said that Minister Namuganza ought to have used proper channels of challenging the composition of the Ad hoc Committee that investigated her involvement in the Nakawa-Naguru land allocation.

“Her conduct brought Parliament and its members into disrepute and breached paragraph 5 of the Code of Conduct in Appendix 5 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament,” Select committee chairperson Mwine said.

Hon Amos Okot, the mover of the censure motion says Hon Namuganza has been attacking the powers of parliament and thus, unfit to hold the position of minister.

Hon Fox Odoi says a hallmark of civilization involves respect for authority, processes and institutions which Namuganza totally disregarded.

“Hon Namuganza has no regard for her voters, no regard for the president who appointed her, no respect for Parliament and absolutely no regard for processes.” He said.

Article 118(2) of the Constitution stipulates that upon a vote of censure being passed against a Minister, the President shall, unless the Minister resigns his or her office, take appropriate action in the matter.