Commissioner of Parliament Mathias Mpuuga has said he is not leaving his party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), but will instead offer opinion on how it can rejuvenate itself.
Addressing reporters in Kampala on March 26, Mpuuga emphasized the need for NUP and the entire opposition to push for electoral reforms and to restore public confidence in their efforts instead of ‘witch-hunting’ him.
“I will share with the NUP leadership what I believe my party and I can contribute to the change agenda given the timeframe at our disposal and the urgent need to coalescence for the realization of change in our country. We should be embarking on a joint push for major reforms in our electoral laws and constitutional shifts to enable diaspora citizen participation in our electoral activities beyond manipulating the change agenda by selfish individuals,” said Mpuuga.
“We must regain public confidence as NUP and the Opposition. [We must] demonstrate that we are worthy of the people’s support in leading towards change and transformation which Ugandan masses are yearning for.”
Mpuuga also made it clear he had no problem with NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine.
“I don’t have personal issues with my party president. If the president has issues with him, go and ask him,” said Mpuuga, who is also the Nyendo-Mukungwe MP.
The former leader of opposition in Parliament also dismissed the online campaign, Uganda Parliament Exhibition, saying he can’t account on social media.
“No one provides accountability on social media or at press conferences,” he said.
He swore he will “never be part of any form of corruption.” He also frowned upon a letter by NUP removing him from his position as commissioner of Parliament.
“I will not respond to that letter, save to restate my position as communicated earlier to the Party and nation that I affirm the fact that I confess no wrong doing whether in law or elementary commonsense,” he said.
“The position of the law has been clarified to whoever wish to understand but not to deliberately slander me or gain short term political capital out of the current situation. So I do state my position, it is the position of the law and common sense.”
He also made it clear he will not be leaving the NUP.
“Questions and speculations have been on for as to whether, where and when I am going. I am here to state that I am a founder of National Unity Platform as you are aware, I didn’t join NUP but I was part of the founding blocks of NUP where I serve as a Deputy President in charge of Buganda,” he said.
“I am also here to reaffirm that I am not leaving NUP, a Party I founded with colleagues consciously and I am not here to do anything to destroy or kill it. At least, I am not invited to do so at this moment, at least, nobody has moved me to the level of even thinking about deserting a Party I founded.”
Meanwhile, Mpuuga’s successor Joel Ssenyonyi has also refused to resign after being named in a scandal involving money meant for visiting ailing MP Muhammad Ssegirinya. (See Details Here and There).
