Humanist

Last Sunday, among the congregation at St. Mark Church of Uganda Namate in Entebbe, were our area Member of Parliament (MP) representing Entebbe Municipality, Hon. Kakembo Michael and Hon. Medard Lubega Segona, who represents Busiro County East; both constituencies in Wakiso District.

I took photos of them at the moment of deep worship, as the gospel song “Ruhanga ishitwe otwembembere,” was playing; and those who knew the lyrics sung along.

After the service, I took a dive via Google and was pleasantly surprised to find the music and lyrics of the song online; as well as its translation into English:

God the father. God the Son. God the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. We are asking for your holy spirt. Descend on us and lead us on. We acknowledge that we are your children. Oh lord we pray you lead us on…We have heard your voice oh lord, calling us… Lead us on, guide us lord.” Source: Ayebare Josh, TWIX Consult Limited on YouTube.

A couple of days later, the red herring was dropped. The story broke of allegations that MPs were being ‘rewarded’ with 100 million shillings each as incentive to legislate favourably for the ruling party.

What a coincidence the story broke in the week that prisoner Besigye is due in court to receive the ruling on his bail application; now subsequently denied this morning. Totally baffling on multiple levels.

The current composition of the Parliament of Uganda is numerically skewed in favour of the ruling party, which commands 67.5 percent of the ‘popular-vote’ seats – constituencies and Woman MPs.

In addition, it is generally believed all the 10 MPs who represent UPDF are likely NRM leaning. Also, the bulk of the 73 Independents are NRM leaning. De facto, the ruling party has the numbers to pass whatever legislation that they want.

So why the need to allegedly bribe its members to vote favourably? Are the MPs no longer in tow with their party? What are we to believe?

The opposition party with the most MPs is the National Unity Party, which commands 11.4 percent of the ‘popular-vote’ seats; and mostly from the Central Region. Not only is the opposition numerically weak; it is consistently demonstrating quality weakness.

Consistently, the Leader of the Opposition, does not use parliamentary procedure to hold Parliament and the executive accountable. As it is the case with the current 100 million ‘reward bribe’ allegations.

Instead, he revels in purposeless lamentation on social media. We are now in a situation where allegations of corruption have been made against his fellow MPs, by the LOP, but without any evidence to back the allegations.

In a functioning democracy, such allegations would be taken seriously and if found false, the one who made them would be asked to exit Parliament – voluntarily and by censure.

Those who should be demanding and getting the evidence for us, our opposition MPs, are instead getting paid to waste precious time purposelessly lamenting. Of what use is it of opposition MPs signing a list that they will not receive the ‘reward bribe’?

How is the list proof that those who do not sign it, took the money?

What motions of censure has the LOP and his team prepared to bring on the floor of the house? I beg your pardon, did the LOP break the corruption story on the floor of Parliament and his submission is officially recorded in the Hansard?

Are we to believe the LOP effective now, when MPs and government ministers who are currently on trial for corruption in courts of law are still seating side by side with their fellow MPs in the house, unsecured and earning huge monthly salaries, and in addition, presumably also the ‘reward bribe’?

The levels at which we tolerate glaring hypocrisy by our MPs is mind boggling. In Church on Sunday, they humble themselves in prayer and for the rest of the days do contrary to the words of prayer they utter. How is God leading in Parliament full of religious people in name? Ruhanga Ishitwe …