NOBODY INVITED YOU: Embarrassment as Muhoozi Group Blocks MP Theodore Ssekikubo from Speaking

Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo has suffered with the censure motion for four commissioners of Parliament, including former Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba, over Shs1.7bn service award.

For weeks, Ssekikubo and his colleagues have been trying to convince fellow MPs to append their signatures to a motion for the censure of Mpuuga, Esther Afoyochan (Zombo District Woman MP), Solomon Silwany (Bukholi Central), and Prossy Akampurira Mbabazi (Rubanda District Woman MP).

Almost every week, Ssekikubo has been postponing the deadline after failing to meet the target of needed signatures. On June 24, Ssekikubo announced that he and his group were adopting a new  strategy where they would go on a tour of Uganda, visiting constituencies to collect signatures from individual MPs on recess.

With 167 signatures already collected, according to Ssekikubo, and a few left to go, the MP is using all opportunities available to reach legislators. Such an opportunity presented itself at the weekend during the thanksgiving ceremony to celebrate the appointment of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) at Booma Grounds in Hoima.

MPs present got an opportunity to greet the audience and shower their praises on Gen Muhoozi. But when Ssekikubo sought to pick the microphone to talk to the supporters of Gen Muhoozi and his Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), Hoima Woman MP Harriet Businge blocked him, leaving him grumbling.

Suspecting that Ssekikubo had intentions of embarrassing them for refusing to sign the Mpuuga censure motion, Businge, who is also the Vice Chairperson of the Bunyoro Parliamentary Caucus, made it clear that the MPs from Bunyoro would not allow a legislator from Buganda to gatecrash their event and confuse the people.

Businge accused Ssekikubo of lacking manners, claiming that the MP for Lwemiyaga had attempted to grab the microphone by force to speak at an event nobody invited him to since he was not a known supporter of the first son’s PLU and presidential intentions.

Ssekikubo lingered around the stage hoping that they would have pity on him and hand him the microphone to say a word or two but in vain. He said he had travelled to Hoima hoping to find enough MPs to sign the censure motion and help him overcome the deficit of nine signatures he and his group are struggling to get.

He blasted the PLU for claiming to be preaching patriotism yet failing to stand to be counted when issues of fighting corruption and demanding accountability. Gen Muhoozi’s uncle and PLU interim leader Michael Nuwagira aka Toyota said Ssekikubo had not been expected at the event, and that he was denied the microphone because they did not have much time.

Ssekikubo has previously alleged that some MPs have been ordered to take trips abroad and others put under pressure from above to withdraw their signatures. (See Details Here and There).

Mpuuga and his fellow commissioners were in attendance, as a sign of solidarity, at his thanksgiving where spoke about his potential to become NUP president and Uganda’s president. (Read Story Here and There).