All hell broke loose after Kyadondo East MP Muwada Nkunyingi asked Andrew Mwenda ‘who funds you?’ on live TV.
Nkunyingi and Mwenda appeared on UBC Behind the Headlines hosted by Timothy Nyangweso to discuss issues of national importance, including Uganda’s diplomatic tensions with Germany and other European Union (EU) nations.
Andrew Mwenda took issue with the question and got into a shouting match with Nkunyingi who wanted to know who simply funds him and to whom he is accountable.
He even claimed that Muwada Nkunyingi wanted to be like Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, who is known for his hard-hitting arguments that some pro-regime commentators like Mwenda find a bit prickly.
Mwenda said he funds himself, to which Nkunyingi replied, “it’s impossible.”
The veteran journalist then went on to allege how Nkunyingi’s party, the National Unity Platform (NUP) led by Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine ‘steals’ funds from donors – which argument the Kyadondo East MP shot down. Nkunyingi said NUP was accountable to the Electoral Commission (EC).
Mwenda then accused Nkunyingi of earning a lot of money, up to Shs40m in a month – or about Shs1.3m a day – while his voters survive on less than a dollar a day.
When Nkunyingi said his pay was constitutional, Andrew Mwenda shot back, asking if that made the MP’s ‘scavenging’ right and moral.
For some few minutes, show host Nyangweso let Mwenda and Nkunyingi face off. And face off they did.
The exchange could have easily turned into an exchange of punches as we have seen previously between Erias Lukwago and Ofwono Opondo (See Details Here and There).
Andrew Mwenda has in recent days been criticizing the EU in Uganda since an exchange in the northern Uganda city of Gulu where he faced off with envoys over first son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s (mis)conduct, especially his tweets.
He repeated his defence of the Museveni regime, and calling for respect of national sovereignty.
“I don’t believe that Uganda, or any other African country, or any country in the world, needs lectures from others on how to govern itself. I believe in international law respecting the sovereignty of countries,” submitted Mwenda.
“I believe we should actively shape our own destiny as participants, not remain passive spectators reliant on international charity. The motives of these countries are unclear, but I doubt they act out of altruism rather than self-interest.”
He added: “The Western world has never fully accepted the principle of equal sovereignty, often acting as if they are superior. Massive human rights violations persist in the West i.e. there are more African-Americans in jail than in college.”
Mwenda also made it clear that Museveni and his government “believe Western countries are seeking regime change,” adding, “whether they are right or wrong is irrelevant. Governments make decisions based on the intelligence they trust, not necessarily on accurate information.”
It should be remembered that Uganda has suspended defence ties with Germany, with the army saying it has credible intelligence reports that the German Ambassador was funding rebels to remove Museveni – which claims Germany has dismissed as “absurd.” Meanwhile, Muhoozi has ‘apologized’ and ceased fire with Germans and other Bazungu. (See Details Here and There).
Also, an exiled Ugandan has told the EU ambassadors to stop pampering Museveni and his son Muhoozi, as reported Here.
MUST READ: Andrew Mwenda, Uganda Working With M23 Rebels – UN Panel of Experts
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