You cannot hide behind law to steal taxpayers' money- Bobi slams Mpuuga

The leader of National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine has critisised politicians who are taking advantage of the courts to steal taxpayers' money.

His remarks come days after the High Court ruled that the controversial allocation of Shs1.7bn service reward to former Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga and three backbench commissioners was legal.

Speaking at the second NUP Canada Diaspora Convention 2024 (NUP-CC2024), in what seemed to be a dig aimed at his nemesis, Mpuuga, Kyagulanyi insisted that irrespective of the court ruling, the former Leader of Opposition had done an immoral thing by accepting a Shs500m service reward.

"Anita Among (Speaker) might block any discussion on any debate on the floor of Parliament to protect her fellow thieves but people of Uganda will have the last word on their money. The corrupt politicians might secretly take themselves to court inorder to get the judge to say that it's okay to steal to steal from the poor, but the people of Uganda will have the last word," Kyagulanyi said.

He added, "It is not ok to steal from the poor. What is wrong cannot become right simply because you have said it is legal. Even slave trade, colonialism were illegal. It does not make it right..You cannot use courts of law to turn a moral question into a legal question. Wrong is wrong and it will always be wrong."

In 2022, just a year into their tenures, Mpuuga received Shs500 million while backbench commissioners, Solomon Silwany, Prossy Mbabazi and Esther Afoyochan received Shs400m each as service rewards.

The service reward raised concerns among Ugandans and some legislators, who called for censure of the recipients.

However, in a court decision dated August 12, High Court's Justice Douglas Singiza held that the contested service reward was legal as it had been approved by Parliament and included in the executive budget.

The ruling came at a time, legislators led by Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo had gathered signatures to move the censure motion against Mpuuga and the backbench commissioners.

Following the court ruling, Mpuuga lashed at NUP leaders and Ssekikubo's group that sought to have him censured, saying they were, "clueless about Parliament rules and practices" and are thus "a burden to taxpayers."

"The court ruling has exposed the ignorance of some of leaders of National Unity Platforms and those leading the censure motion..They have been making noise for eight months, trying to taint my image and reputation, but they have failed," he said.

It should be noted that following the High Court's ruling, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, recently halted Ssekikubo's censure motion, over what she said was respect of the court's decision and to avoid revisiting adjudicated matters.