MP Mpuuga to Return 20m COVID-19 Money

The Masaka Municipality Member of Parliament, Matthias Mpuuga has said he is going to return the Shs 20m sent to his account on Wednesday morning.

Speaking to ChimpReports at Parliament on Wednesday evening, Mpuuga acknowledged receiving money. He said he was to use (EFT) Electronic Fund Transfer or RTGS (Real Time Gross Transfer) to return the money.

“I have seen it (Shs 20m) and the beauty is that the Clerk has even guided us on how to return it. I will do an EFT or RGTS,” said Mpuuga.

Clerk to Parliament, Mrs. Jane Kibirige on Wednesday wrote to MPs saying the institution has learned that some legislators want to return the money. She noted that the money is not going to be received in cash but should be electronically posted to Parliamentary Commission- NTR account at Bank of Uganda.

“The Parliamentary Commission shall not receive the refund in cash due to the COVID-19 and the associated risks. This is therefore to advise you to effect a bank transfer to the Parliamentary Commission- NTR account at Bank of Uganda, main branch,” said Mrs. Kibirige.

Mpuuga said he made his position not to use the money when it was just passed.

Parliament on April 7 2020 passed a supplementary budget of Shs 938bn without a debate. State Minister of Urban Development, Isaac Musumba moved a motion to invoke Rules to suspend and indeed legislators with divergent were locked out.

304bn of the money was for COVID fight given to various sectors involved in combating the pandemic. It turned out that Parliament also gave itself Shs 10bn to carry out own activities. The money has been given to individual MPs.

A statement released by the Clerk, a day after ChimpReports broke the story, said it was it was in fulfillment of constitutional duty.

“It is important to note, that the Constitution of Uganda, under Article 164(3) gives Parliament the mandate to oversee/monitor expenditure of all public funds. As such after the approval of the Supplementary of Ushs 304 billion, it was only automatic that oversight is provided because the large amount of funds are to be expended in a short span of time,” said part of the statement.