Among, Tayebwa don’t deserve to lead parliament – Latigo

Speaker of parliament Annet Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa don’t deserve to be in those positions according to former MP and leader of opposition (LoP) Prof Morris Ogenga Latigo.

Latigo, who also represented Uganda at the pan-African parliament, says under Among and Tayebwa, parliament has been reduced to operating like a district or lower council. 

“Our parliament is like a district council. People who should not be parliamentarians are there. I have no fear in saying, the current speaker does not deserve to be the speaker of parliament. Neither does the deputy. What qualifications do they have? What experience in terms of stature? And worst, I was told MPs get money even to pass laws which is worse than even ‘eating’ money for projects.” he said.

“For some of us who were at parliament at the time when going to parliament was a national service, the pain of seeing or even reading about this is too much.”    

The former legislator says he is angered by the alleged cases of corruption, abuse of office, and lately extortion at parliament. Among and Tayebwa have reportedly personally been beneficiaries of the allocation of public funds towards their private enterprises. Last week, reports emerged that parliament released monies to procure generators for the private residences of the speaker and her deputy following the solicitor general’s clearance.

Latigo says that the current corruption, the big number of MPs, together with the lavish expenses call for a reduction of the size of the parliament. Latigo also blamed the electorates for voting in money-giving politicians instead of competent people who can represent them.

“For the electorate all over Uganda, when you throw away the Latigos, you’re not punishing Latigo, you’re shooting yourself in the foot because you need the Latigos in this country to run well. And therefore for this issue; ‘this one gives us drinks when you’re electing, or he attends funerals’ and on that basis, he goes back to parliament then what do you get are bad roads, no infrastructure, the schools are dying. So, you, the electorates, you’re the victims but you’re also the cause. If you don’t change you will suffer. We’ll not suffer together, if you look at me, it’s the shirt crying that I’m squeezing it,” said Latigo. 

Latigo applauded President Museveni for cracking the whip on the recent corruption tendencies in the country in parliament and government agencies, saying corruption can come to an end if the president remains consistent in the fight.

“If the president really acts, these MPs get arrested, jailed, they lose their seats, if the guys in the ministry are pursued, arrested and jailed and their properties confiscated, you will see a different change. To the president, stick to policies, when you have a programme don’t change the programme. Don’t dictate, when you come and make modifications, corruption will prevail,” he said.

“For those MPs who have been got, they laid their bed so let them lay on it,” added Latigo. Adding that “to the president, either you let systems work or it is your legacy at stake. You are already on the wrong side of 50 like me, and in terms of your duration as a president, you are on the wrong side, so use this last moment to clean the systems in this country, let it start working again and you will retire a very peaceful man.”

Recently, the president said he has evidence of corruption in parliament and at ministries and promised to deal with those implicated.

“I have been hearing stories that there is a racket from the ministry of Finance to parliament. I didn’t believe this, but now I have proof so I don’t know how we can arrange (what do we call it) amnesty…this corruption which is happening, is not happening on the moon but is happening here. Of course, now I have opened a war with them so be sure that you are not in my gun sight because we cannot let our people down.”

Daniel Omara Atubo, former Lands minister took to social media wondering why and who caused corruption, saying not everyone is prone to the vice.

“In Uganda today, corruption is so deep that anybody can be bought including cultural and religious leaders. No integrity. No shame. No conscience. Money is everything. Why? Who caused the corruption?” he wondered.