Veronica Nanyondo Namaganda, the Bukomansimbi District Woman Representative (MP) – DWR – from Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) is under fire for withdrawing her signature from a censure motion against former Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) Mathias Mpuuga and other parliamentary commissioners over a Shs1.7BN service award.
Writing to Speaker Anita Among on June 04, Veronica Nanyondo claimed she thought she had signed on an attendance for a meeting of opposition MPs. She said she had been hoodwinked into signing the censure motion.
“I respectfully write to notify you of my intention to withdraw my signature from the motion seeking to censure four backbench commissioners of Parliament. Rt Hon Speaker, I was hoodwinked into appending my signature to what was disguised as an attendance list for a meeting called by the Leader of Opposition in his Department’s Boardroom this morning,” wrote Nanyondo, according to a copy of a letter seen by The Pearl Times.
“To this end, I am writing to categorically withdraw my signature and disassociate myself from the said list as it was in bad faith and I was misled into signing.”
SSEKIKUUBO RESPONDS TO VERONICA NANYONDO
But Theodore Ssekikubo, the Lwemiyaga County MP leading the censure motion efforts, has responded to Veronica Nanyondo. Ssekikubo said some MPs were beginning to pretend to be blind. He suspected interference from the big powers at Parliament.
“We displayed our motion and on each and every page, we put a title, so it isn’t true that a member has given her signature by virtue of her misconception, misdirection or deception. But those are the games associated with censure motions around Parliament. What caliber of MP says they didn’t sign while not aware? It is a matter of deep regret. But we tell MPs, don’t go down like that, you can collapse but don’t fall down with your stomach on the ground,” said Ssekikubo.
“She has written to the Speaker as who? Why do you write to the Speaker in anticipation? That you were hoodwinked, that you were blind? Many MPs are becoming blind right now. Many MPs are getting lame and all excuses are going to be given but we sympathize with you, now the country is seeing who is the problem in this country but for us fortunately, we have enough signatures but much more drama is going to appear and unfold, but those MPs who claim they are blind, they have their day of reckoning.
“We haven’t even reached the point of handing over our signatures to the Speaker, why is she in the rush? Why didn’t she wait until all signatures are handed over the Speaker before she asks for hers to be withdrawn? The Speaker should not interfere in these matters. She makes MPs look bad, the Speaker should leave MPs alone.”
JOEL SSENYONYI PUNCHES HOLES IN VERONICA NANYONDO EXCUSES
LoP Ssenyonyi has also punched holes in the excuses that Veronica Nanyondo has given. Ssenyonyi reiterated that Nanyondo is not a member of the Shadow Cabinet and can therefore not claim to have thought that the censure motion paper was an attendance list for a shadow cabinet meeting.
“… we held yet another Shadow Cabinet meeting, and she didn’t attend it simply because she’s not a member. I was therefore surprised to see this letter. Why would our colleague claim she ‘signed attendance’ for a meeting she does not belong to and which she didn’t even attend?” wondered Ssenyonyi, who also speaks for NUP, the party which Nanyondo belongs to.
“Also, all who have signed the censure petition know that the Title on the lists indicates clearly that it’s a motion to censure the Commissioners. So, did the Honourable MP simply sign what she didn’t read?”
Veronica Nanyondo’s signature withdrawal came on the day the ruling NRM ordered all its MPs not to sign the censure motion until Museveni has told them whether to sign or not. (See Details Here).
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