The National Unity Platform (NUP) legislators have allegedly defied orders of their party president, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine, to take back the Shs40 million ‘bribe’.
Over the weekend, members of parliament reportedly received Shs 40 million as a token of appreciation for allegedly passing a series of bills and approving the Shs 193 billion supplementary budget.
The move comes at a time when the country is economically struggling.
On learning about the handshake, Bobi Wine held a crisis meeting on Monday at the party headquarters in which he demanded that MPs who subscribe to the party should return the money within two days.
Sources indicate that out of the 57 NUP MPs, 40 have already picked up the money. However, reports coming in indicate that none of the 40 MPs has returned the money.
When this website contacted the party’s deputy spokesperson, Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, he stated that those who refuse to return the money would have betrayed the people that trusted them.
Mufumbiro disclosed that, as the party leadership, they will hold another meeting before the end of the week.
Meanwhile, Chris Obore, parliament’s Director for Communication, denied that MPs were given any money. He said sometimes MPs drum up such stories when they have disagreed politically on something and want to tarnish the name of the speaker.
“Parliament cannot pay out money in cash and has not paid any MPs.” Secondly, MPs alleging they have received the money should declare it to IGG immediately. “There is a law against bribery,” he said.