Ssekikubo suspends deadline in hunt for eight more signatures

The movers and seconders of the motion seeking to impeach four Commissioners of Parliament have now declared the process timeline open-ended, saying they will run the desk until they realise the required number to have the motion on the floor of Parliament.

Addressing the media at Parliament, Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo and colleagues said they are left with less than 10 signatures to hit the required number.

The Nile Post understands eight more signatures are needed to close the book.

The group is, however, concerned that some historically vocal legislators and some members of the ethics and integrity forum continue to shy away from signing the motion.

The desk where members of Parliament are signing on the motion to censure the four embattled commissioners of Parliament was too busy with some MPs appending their signatures while others seeking to know the progress of the long-awaited motion.

Some of the MPs who appended their signatures on the motion on Tuesday included Charles Tebandeke of Bbaale, Yovan Ariko of Vura County in Arua and Mary Begumisa of Ssembalule.

But addressing the media after the collapse of plenary, Ssekikubo said they are privy to reports that some of the legislators who applied for the leadership of the different sectoral committees are shy appending their signatures until when the list is out.

"We have a number of MPs who applied to chair sectoral committees, but some are going to be disappointed when not chosen and we hope a big number will append their signatures after," Kilak South MP Gilbert Olanya said.

They are disappointed with the so-called vocal legislators who have continued to shy away from appending their signatures saying they have to exposed themselves that they are pro-corruption.

"These MPs have been vocal on issues of fighting corruption on the floor of Parliament and also in the media but the time for action has come, all of them are shying away giving lame excuses," Ssekikubo said.

"They have exposed themselves that they are after enriching themselves but not to fight for the people they represent," Olanya added.

Ssekikubo has also disclosed districts with no MPs that that have appended their signatures on the motion.

"We are seeing none of the MPs from Mbarara, Ibanda, Sheema, Bushenyi, Mitooma, Kazo, Kiruhura, Rwampara, Rubanda, Buliisa, Kibale, Kaliro, Lamwo, Kikuube, Lwengo, Karenga and Kibale coming to stand with their people by appending signatures on this motion," he said.

Nyendo Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga, Bukhooli Central MP Solomon Silwany, Zombo Woman MP Esther Afoyochan and Rubanda Woman MP Prossy Mbabazi could be dragged out of the parliamentary commission if the motion movers get their way with the signatures.

The four commissioners are accused of negotiating own service award and pocketing a total of Shs1.7 billion without seeking parliament's approval.