In a surprising turn of events, Bukomansimbi Woman Member of Parliament Veronica Nanyondo has retracted her support for a motion aimed at censuring four backbench commissioners of Parliament.
Nanyondo, a member of the National Unity Platform (NUP), revealed she was misled into signing the document, believing it to be an attendance list for a meeting.
In a letter addressed to Speaker Anita Among, Nanyondo expressed her intention to disassociate herself from the motion, citing deception and a misunderstanding regarding the purpose of the document she had previously signed.
"I respectfully write to notify you of my intention to withdraw my signature from the motion seeking to censure four backbench commissioners of Parliament," she stated.
Nanyondo clarified that she had been under the impression that the signature was for an attendance list during a meeting organized by the Leader of the Opposition.
Nanyondo emphasized her desire to rectify the situation by officially withdrawing her support for the motion.
"To this end, I am writing to categorically withdraw my signature and disassociate myself from the said list, as it was in bad faith and I was misled into signing," she explained.
The Bukomansimbi Woman MP admitted that she attended the Opposition meeting on Tuesday morning but did not read through what she was signing.
"As you know, I arrived late at the meeting and the issue of censure was not mentioned, but various other issues were discussed. The list I signed, I thought it was for an attendance list," she said.
The motion, which aims to address allegations of misconduct and abuse of office against the commissioners, has garnered significant attention.
The commissioners are accused of improperly distributing Shs1.7 billion among themselves as a service award. Despite Nanyondo's withdrawal, proponents of the motion remain hopeful that they will secure the 177 signatures required to table and debate the censure motion in Parliament.
The controversy surrounding the censure motion has sparked a heated debate within the parliamentary community. Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo, one of the leading figures behind the motion, expressed hope that the necessary signatures would still be collected.
He also urged Speaker Among not to interfere with the process, emphasizing that the motion targets the four commissioners, not the Speaker.
"The audit trail is focused on the four commissioners of Parliament, not the Speaker, as alleged by the affected commissioners," said Ssekikubo.
He called on MPs to resist intimidation and remain steadfast in their efforts to address corruption undermining the integrity of the 11th Parliament.
As the debate continues, the withdrawal of Nanyondo's signature highlights the complexities and challenges facing those advocating for accountability within Parliament.
The situation underscores the importance of transparency and diligence in parliamentary processes, with many watching closely to see how the motion progresses and whether it will ultimately lead to the censure of the implicated commissioners.
