Ssenyonyi Accuses Parliamentary Commissioners of Receiving Secret 1.6 Billion Shilling Bonuses
KAMPALA, Uganda – The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has leveled grave allegations against four Parliamentary Commissioners, accusing them of clandestinely awarding themselves 1.6 billion Ugandan shillings in service bonuses.
The allegations were made during a press briefing at Parliament on Tuesday. Ssenyonyi named the commissioners as Solomon Silwany, Esther Afoyochan, Prossy Akampulira Mbabazi, and Mathias Mpuuga, who is also the Commissioner representing the National Unity Platform (NUP).
According to Ssenyonyi, each commissioner received 400 million shillings. He further claimed that the funds were channeled through the Parliamentary Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO) in an attempt to avoid public scrutiny.
“This was not a service award; it was a coordinated reward for their election campaigns, shrouded in secrecy,” Ssenyonyi alleged, suggesting the money was intended to finance political activities.
The claims emerge in the shadow of a previous scandal from earlier this year, where a similar allocation of service awards was ruled irregular by the High Court for most of the recipients involved.
In response, Parliament’s Director of Communications, Chris Obore, issued a strong denial. He dismissed Ssenyonyi’s allegations as “baseless blackmail” and challenged the Opposition Leader to provide concrete evidence to support his claims.
“The public should treat these allegations with the contempt they deserve until proof is provided,” Obore stated.
The accusation has ignited a fresh political firestorm, raising questions about financial accountability and transparency within the legislature, and setting the stage for a contentious dispute between the opposition and the parliamentary administration.
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