The speaker of Ugandan Parliament Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga this afternoon directed the Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana to move to Court and quash Deputy Chief Justice Stephen Kavuma’s order which bars any government authority from inquiring into shs 6b oil cash.
Yesterday, Kavuma a perceived pro- NRM judge preempted the motion prepared by members of parliament which was slated to be tabled today to have Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioner General Doris Akol, senior government officials and lawyers refund shs 6b they shared as rewards after participating in the litigation process after Heritage oil in London.
Since the documents authorizing their payment as a bonus (akasimo) leaked, the public has been up in arms protesting the imbursement.
Outspoken government officials known for defending the State like Media Centre boss Ofwono Opondo, Presidential advisor on media Tamale Mirundi, NRM Secretary General Justine Lumumba all protested the payment.
The heads of Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had planned a motion to have the officials appear individually for grilling however, Constitutional Court stopped the process until the hearing of the main application.
But Speaker Kadaga insisted Parliament must debate this motion.
This afternoon while presiding over the session, a visibly irked Kadaga ordered Rukutana to move to Court and scrap off “this stupid order” before she adjourned the house.
She said business will not resume at Parliament until Court makes its pronunciation.
Below is Kadaga’s verbatim
“The Court Order isn’t effective if it was served when the House is already in session’’
“We are facing an unprecedented situation where the doctrine of powers is being tested”
“I cannot accept a situation where the court dictates how we operate and determine the order paper”
“I direct the Attorney general to move to court and have this stupid order vacated’’
“I will adjourn the committees and plenary of this House sine die until the court order is
vacated”