Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake Butebi has responded to reports that he had invited Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among to his wedding, begged her to make a financial contribution to the budget, and that he even picked Shs20m from the speaker’s office.
When Zaake, a member of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP), threw away money said to have come from Speaker Anita Among as a gift for the MP’s wedding, some people wondered why the youthful legislator would refuse to take money from a guest he had invited.
Two documents then flew all over social media to prove that Zaake had indeed invited Among, a member of Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM), and the Bukedea District Woman MP.
One was a card showing that Zaake had invited Among for his wedding meetings; another was a letter written by Among’s executive secretary Leonard Okema communicating to the Mityana Municipality MP that the speaker would not be able to attend due to more pressing engagements but she would send some Shs10m as her ‘humble’ wedding gift to a member of the House she leads.
Indeed, on Zaake’s wedding day, Ndorwa East MP Wilfred Niwagaba delivered Shs10m and indicated to Zaake that the money was from Among. But the MP threw away the envelope containing the money, sparking off debate on his conduct (or misconduct).
Later, Commissioner of Parliament Esther Afoyochan would claim that Zaake picked Shs20m from Speaker Anita Among’s office before his wedding. (Read Story Here).
But Zaake has spoken out on claims by Afoyochan, who is also the Zombo District Woman MP, rubbishing her allegation that he pocketed Shs20m from Among’s office.
Zaake also denied ever inviting the speaker to his wedding. He also swore he never sought any financial support from Among.
He also went on to trash the tweet by Afoyochan as fake.
“Disregard this forged invitation letter. I did not invite the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda to my wedding. I didn’t need, seek or receive any financial contribution from her,” responded Zaake.
“I won’t ask the author of the false tweet to prove her allegations — she can’t prove what doesn’t exist.”
The video of Zaake throwing away Shs10m wedding gift from Speaker Among is Here.