By Spy Uganda
Kampala: On Tuesday, the ruling NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) postponed the approval of MPs designated to lead Parliament’s sectoral committees, opting instead to subject them to a thorough corruption quiz.
President Museveni was absent from the CEC meeting, leaving the no-nonsense Moses, the 1st National Vice Chairperson to preside over the session.
According to sources, the meeting reviewed a list of MPs proposed for chairperson and deputy chairperson roles in the 15 sectoral committees of Parliament.
Traditionally, CEC would approve these names as a formality. However, following the recent detention of three party members on corruption charges, the committee this time took a different approach.
Sources further revealed that names submitted by the party leadership in Parliament are now undergoing a three-day rigorous security check to assess their moral conduct since CEC had always been lenient on committee leadership as Parliament is headed by NRM members, but the whole Process has been misused.
Now CEC will reconvene again on Friday morning to decide on the nominees after reviewing the security reports.
The sectoral committees in question include Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Defence and Internal Affairs, East African Community Affairs, Education and Sports, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Foreign Affairs.
Others include; Gender, Labour and Social Development. Other committees are Health, Information, Communication Technology and National Guidance, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Presidential Affairs, Public Service and Local Government, Tourism, Trade and Industry, and Physical Infrastructure.
The development comes after police detained the Legal Committee vice chairperson Yusuf Mutembuli, Lwengo Woman MP Cissy Namujju, and Busiki County MP Paul Akamba on Monday over corruption allegations.
Their arrest came shortly after President Museveni assured Ugandans of having proof against corrupt officials within the government, including the Ministry of Finance and Parliament.
During his State of the Nation Address last Thursday at Kololo, the President expressed his disbelief at the extent of the corruption but confirmed the existence of evidence.
“I have been hearing that from the Ministry of Finance, they collude with the accounting officers of ministries to come to Parliament working with some people there (Parliament) to provide certain funds, provided you take a share. I didn’t believe this but now I have proof,” the President said on Thursday during the State of the Nation Address at Kololo.
The accused who are both members of the ruling NRM are wanted for their roles in the Budget Committee of Parliament and underhand dealings with Kenyans during the processing of the Petroleum Supplies Amendment Bill in November 2023.
