More than 30 Members of Parliament, many of them from the ruling NRM party, on Tuesday joined their colleagues to sign the censure documents against ministers Kiddu Makubuya and Syda Bbumba.
Eastern Youth MP, Peter Ogwang, the man behind the censure move says his group has already collected 104 signatures and is hopeful to get all the required 125 by Wednesday.
Some of the NRM legislators who rushed to sign include Bunya South MP Iddi Isabirye, Mbarara Municipality MP Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo and Bukomansimbi MP Deogratius Kiyingi. The others are Katerera County MP Habib Katoto, Ntungamo Municipality MP Yonah Musinguzi, Rwampara MP Vincent Kyamadidi, National Female Youth MP Monica Amoding, Arua Municipality MP, Gabriel Ajedra and Dr. Sam Lyomoki, the workers MP.
A number of legislators returned from their constituencies and went straight to parliament to get their signatures appended to the list to get the two ministers censured. Ogwang says that many of his colleagues had called to find out whether they can be allowed to sign before the weekend.
Uganda Radio Network has however seen 65 signatures on the two different forms being circulated by Ogwang and his pro-censure colleague, Gilbert Oulanyah, the Kilak County MP. Signatures being gathered by a third MP, William Nzonghu, could not be verified by press time.
Ogwang says they are now optimistic they will have gathered the constitutionally needed signatures from one third of all elected legislators to write to the President expressing their displeasure with his ministers by this week. He, however, says that in order to get the best credibility out of the process against Makubuya and Bbumba, they will try to collect 250 signatures, 100 per cent more than the constitutional requirement.
The two ministers have not yet spoken on their impending censure but Ethics and Integrity Minister, Dr. Simon Lokodo on Monday called on them to resign their portfolios before they are embarrassed with a censure.
MPs want Bbumba, the Gender minister and Makubuya, the minister for general duties to take responsibility for their role in awarding of over 100 billion shillings to city businessman, Hassan Basajjabalaba as compensation. Government compensated the businessman after terminating his contracts to manage city markets.
