The State Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Persis Princess Namuganza on Friday failed to show up for a meeting with the Select Committee of Parliament.
The Committee had summoned the Minister to defend herself against a censure motion.
Namuganza was summoned by the Committee chaired by Mwine Mpaka Rwamirama, the Mbarara City South Representative to appear at 10:00 am in 102B North Wing Room of Parliament to defend herself but instead sent a representative, Norman Pande, a lawyer from Mwanja & Company Advocates.
Pande confirmed to the Committee that their client received the letter inviting her for the meeting to defend herself against allegations of misconduct contained in the motion. However, he argued the attachments to the letter only refer to allegations of media publications which were not attached.
Her lawyer presented a letter dated Thursday 12, 2023 addressed to the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Clerk to Parliament and the Select Committee citing sub judice, short notice and lack of evidence of the allegations levied against the Minister to enable her file defense.
Mpaka agreed to give the Minister more time to appear before the Committee to defend herself. His attempt to transmit the evidence to Namuganza through the representative fell on deaf ears as Pande vehemently denied taking responsibility.
Mpaka adjourned the meeting to Tuesday next week, skipping Monday which is normally a day for the meeting of Cabinet Ministers with the President. The Select Committee has until January 23rd, 2023 to present its report on the floor of Parliament for subsequent steps.
On Thursday, the Committee met several legislators including John Amos Okot, the Agago North Member of Parliament, the mover of the censure motion and Dan Kimosho, the lawmaker for Kazo County who presented various pieces of evidence.
The evidence included Daily Monitor newspaper articles and video footage that aired on NTV and NBS news bulletin where Namuganza, who doubles as the Bukono County MP, Namutumba District allegedly made offensive statements degrading Parliament and the Speaker Anita Among.
Namuganza’s trouble stems from an investigation report of an ad-hoc Committee set up by Parliament to investigate her involvement in the giveaway of Nakawa-Naguru land to some investors.
She is accused of falsifying the President’s letter directing Uganda Land Commission – ULC to allocate the disputed land. During the Committee probe, the Minister walked out of the meeting and later described the Committee as powerless to investigate her.
She also questioned the integrity of the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa who set up the Committee in July, 2022 to investigate her.