For other Members, Parliament awards gratuity (an award as for meritorious service given without claim or obligation) and this is one of the clauses Mpuuga has been clutching on to defend the cash bonanza.

Mpuuga yesterday released a statement in which he vowed not to step down and accused the party of targeted smear campaign against his person.

The former Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) amplified his defiance further, saying he declined the "cowardly call" to resign as a parliamentary Commissioner.

The party has asked Mpuuga to step down from his position as a Backbench Commissioner with immediate effect.