Muwanga Kivumbi: New PAC Boss Challenged on Bribes-minded MPs, Asked To Follow Up Big Threats With Big Action

Butambaala legislator, fine economist, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi (MMK) started his duties as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament with thunderous threats, vowing to deal with corrupt lawmakers who solicit for bribes from public officials for purposes of shielding them from sanctions over mismanagement of public funds. 

Judging from his credentials as a deeply uncompromisable, highly incorruptible as well as exceedingly principled lawmaker and clean politician, MMK’s new assignment ideally looks potentially cut out, leaving hope that he would strive to maintain the sanctity of PAC by doing his job transparently and without fear or favor. 

Yet the corrupt whom the man-of-the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) threatens to decisively deal with together with their collaborators within PAC are not ready and willing to merely surrender without putting up a big fight and will use their massive resources to try to undermine him and to turn his fellow MPs against him.

A Warning Shot

President Museveni, by way of live example, days before MMK’s inauguration as the chairman of PAC issued a fatwa against PAC and its sister parliamentary committees, telling them off that they are not mandated to investigate corruption, emphasizing that is the job of the Uganda Police.

The fatwa emphasizes that the president is not ready and willing to permit PAC plus its sister parliamentary committees to ‘kulabisa’ (expose) to the world the endemic corruption which Dr Kiiza Besigye describes as the engine that purportedly drives Gen Museveni’s regime and it’s agencies.

Census Poster

MKK needs to be forewarned about how the parliament’s top leadership dominated by members of the ruling NRM is going to be used by powerful forces to undermine his remarkable fight against corruption under the cover of protecting their party, government and its leadership from the opposition spoilers within and outside parliament, underscoring the big odds staked against MMK as he embarks on his mission impossible.

Campaign Against Corruption

Investors are also potentially expected to fight MMK and his PAC by using their dependable ally, Gen Museveni not only to malign him as an anti-investment monster but also as a blackmailer, complicating further his new role.

With MKK lacking goodwill and support from the government and given a carefree and gullible Ugandan public disinterested in issues to do with activism against graft coupled with a largely money-minded parliament institution, one can hazard a guess that MMK’s rather commendable work is likely going to end up to naught.

But should MMK manage to pull off a surprise by pinning down the NRM government on graft, compelling the government to carry out drastic reforms intended to stop the vice, that will be a massive miracle akin to Jesus’ capture of Satan in the desert.

Time will prove us right or wrong.