MP Kagabo nearly kneels
Parliament has forgiven Twaha Kagabo, the Bukoto South MP, who publicly alleged that he was given a 40 million shillings bribe by the Speaker Anita Among.
A month or so ago, Kagabo, a National Unity Platform Member of Parliament, in a public show returned a suitcase full of cash to the Shadow Cabinet led by the Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, claiming he is honoring the party’s demands and that of his constituents of not taking bribes.
“Some time ago, I received money to a tune of 40 million on my account, and shortly after that I was also invited to pick money…40 million which money, I was told was an arrangement internally from Parliament, and I received this money,” Kagabo told members of the Shadow Cabinet then.
Kagabo told Mpuuga that he had picked the money from the Speaker’s residence. However, the LOP declined to receive it but told him to return the money to its original source which he failed as he was arrested immediately on bribery allegations.
Infuriated by Kagabo’s claims, the Speaker Among on 9th August 2022, denied ever dishing out money to MPs and instead referred the bold legislator to the Rules, Privileges, and Discipline Committee for investigations and subsequent punishment after describing his actions as an abuse of the Institution.
Kagabo would later plead for forgiveness from his fellow legislators in parliament for “causing an impasse” by attempting to openly return the money to Parliament. Despite this, he was pushed to the committee for further grilling.
During plenary on Tuesday, the house adopted a report by the rules committee forgiving Kagabo regarding his 40 million Shillings bribery allegations against the Speaker.
MP Kagabo nearly kneels
The Vice Chairperson of the committee, Charles Onen, said Kagabo breached the code of conduct for a member of Parliament by falsely accusing the Speaker. However, Onen said his actions were governed by political pressure.
The Rules committee report states that Kagabo regretted his actions and sought pardon from the House.
Present in the August house, MP Kagabo almost went on his knees to appreciate the committee and the Speaker of Parliament, Among for forgiving him.
“I want to thank the honourable Speaker for forgiving me because the degradation was mostly on her. I am also privy that she has constantly objected frequent information to have me expunged from the house. She decided to take it motherly. I ask Allah to use this as a basis to exonerate her from her transgressions on judgement day,” he said
Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa did not allow any debate on the report and the House thereafter adopted it. Tayebwa appealed to MPs to constantly guard against misconduct and take MP Kagabo’s case as a learning example.
However, acting Leader of Opposition Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi said that the National Unity Platform (NUP), to which Kagabo belongs, has standards for its members and that matter would be further picked up by his party and subject to the disciplinary procedure.
But Abdu Katuntu, the rules committee chairperson raised a procedural matter saying that rule 175 (3) of the Parliament rules of procedure prohibits any response to findings and recommendations to Parliament in a case where the affected parties have agreed.
Katuntu said that any actions taken by the party should not be part of the report.
