Embattled member of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Hon Mathias Mpuuga has notified the party that he’s not going anywhere. He made the remarks in the much-anticipated press conference he held today.
NUP this week served a notice to the Speaker of Parliament on how they intend to withdraw Mpuuga from his role as the Parliamentary Commissioner and replace him with Hon Francis Zaake Mutebi. The party said that if Mpuuga refused to vacate the role, he would be serving on his own and not as a party representative.
NUP has been in the campaign in the last few weeks to sideline the Nyendo Mukungwe MP after allegations of corruption rocked the former LOP. Mpuuga has also meanwhile remained steadfast in his stance of not being intimidated by his party. The party is at a crossroads and everyone is always on tenterhooks to see what’s next.
Mpuuga said that he’s been quiet for the past couple of days pondering on his next move. He has therefore decided to stick in NUP and he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. This is because he’s the deputy president of the party and he participated in its establishment. Additionally, he said that he won’t respond to the letter asking him to resign from the Parliamentary Commissioner job.
Mathias Mpuuga went ahead to reaffirm his innocence in the alleged corruption charges. This is because he was neither found guilty in the eyes of the law nor common sense. All these remarks about him have been masterminded by those seeking political glory.
Additionally, Mpuuga also stated that his commitment to the struggle has never been wanting. Besides, the party should always be able to settle political differences amicably and maturely. On top of that, Ugandans should always be encouraged to question the deeds of their leaders.
On top of that, the MP said that even Museveni knows what to do to further his dynasty in power. This was evidenced by the promotion of his son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to the CDF role of the Armed Forces. However, the country’s biggest opposition political party, they are looking on cluelessly as they don’t know what to do.
On top of that, the majority Electoral Commission officials who were involved in the previous general elections were all reinstated but NUP didn’t bother to question this move.
The MP went ahead to say that since he’s not going anywhere, he’s embarking on new ideas. These will include instituting internal political reforms. He also appreciated those in their diaspora for their contribution to the ‘liberation.’ However, he advised them to avoid half baked news. Mpuuga said that he will be unveiling what’s next in the coming days.
This is said when he is in the middle of a rumor that suggests that, he is set to unveil his new political party and desert NUP. He is known so doing such, an example being when he deserted DP and formed Suubi group.
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Below is his full statement from the press conference:-
“Colleagues, I come to you this morning after days of silence and meditation to address two issues on my next plan in the fight for total liberation of our country. Questions and speculations have been on as to whether, where and when I am going.
I wish to state that I am a founder member of NUP where I serve as a Deputy President. I am not leaving the party I founded and I’m not doing anything that destroys a young party I participated in establishing with conscience and conviction. At least I’m not yet moved to that level.
Secondly, I have seen a copy of a letter circulating on social media. The owner of the copy is visible from the bottom. The letter is addressed to the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, and I’m only informed of the contents by copy. I will not respond thereto, save to restate my position as communicated to the party and the country.
I wish to affirm that I confess no wrong doing whether in law or elementary common sense. The position of the law has been clarified to whoever wished to understand, but to not deliberately slander and defame me for short-term political security.
I wish also to reassure all comrades in the struggle for a fair Uganda that my commitment has never waned; that I am not and shall never be part of any form of corruption. When we find ourselves disagreeable on anything in our midst, we must find mechanisms for mature resolution; which is different from grandstanding and desire to settle political scores, at the expense of reputations of comrades with whom we struggle to offer the country better leadership.
Ugandans must be encouraged at all times to question the decisions of their leaders; especially those in higher offices, and make critical decisions on their behalf. In the current circumstances, it is also not difficult to tell that the objective was never on accountability because no one provides financial accountability at press conferences and on social media.
The previous days have cast much doubt within the Ugandan populace as to whether our Party is capable of handling the humongous task of liberation and effecting solutions to the political and social challenges our country is facing. We must regain public confidence, trust and demonstrate that we are worthy the people’s support in leading the charge for change and transformation that the Ugandan masses are yearning for.
Whereas Gen. M7 has been candid on his dynasty agenda, including the latest reshuffles in the UPDF that saw his son ascend at the helm of the country’s military, the largest opposition party looks clueless and unable to guide its bruised cadreship. Even the renewal of term of the EC Commissioners who bungled and fidgeted with the last election did not raise the curiosity of the supposed vanguard opposition party!
Let me now assure the entire NUP leadership, membership, supporters and the general public, that NUP is my party and I harbor no intentions whatsoever of leaving; I am going Nowhere, rather I’ll in the coming days embark on a process of instituting internal Party reforms to make it a credible and competent Government in waiting.
To our supporters and followers in the diaspora, we immensely appreciate your contribution to the building of our young party and the quest for a new Uganda in general. You interact with a lot of information, but largely misinformation targeting your justifiable desperation for change. I pledge to you my availability and clarity of mission and purpose in whatever we do to change the trajectory of our country.
Ugandans in the diaspora are desperate to cement their contribution towards change; beyond social media commentary and material support which seem to be a major pre-occupation of many in leadership home.
We should be embarking on a joint push for major reforms in our electoral laws and major constitutional shifts to enable diaspora citizens’ participation in our electoral activities beyond manipulating the change agenda by selfish individuals here.
By the end of the planned NUP reform process, arbitrary, obscurantist, and deviant work methods, lack of internal conflict resolution mechanisms, nepotism, corruption, greed and abuse of office, extortions, blackmail, defamation, and slander, including lack of internal democracy shall only but be practices of the past within our great party.
Finally, in the near future, I’ll be unveiling to the public what next. For God and my Country.”
