27 October 2008
editorial
Members of Parliament on the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises last week finished writing a report on their investigation into the controversial land transaction between the National Social Security Fund, Security Minister Amama Mbabazi and businessman Amos Nzeyi.
The completion of the report is, in itself, an achievement for a committee whose members have spoken of attempts to bribe, threaten and otherwise influence their judgement and findings over the matter. Some members of the committee have expressed dissent with the findings of the main report and have promised to issue a minority report with their views.
The next step, of debating the findings and recommendations of the report, will be crucial. The majority report has already recommended sanctions against the Mr Mbabazi, the NSSF management, and Finance Minister Dr Ezra Suruma who has political responsibility over the Fund.
Both President Museveni and Mr Mbabazi, who are the chairman and secretary general, respectively, of the ruling National Resistance Movement party, have tried to rally NRM members on the committee to defend the interests of their party. Such attempts to minimise any political damage to the party are likely to only intensify once the report comes up for debate before the House.
Members of Parliament, many of whom have demonstrated unusual independence of thought, must ensure that they remain fair in their judgement but must not cave in to partisan attempts to conceal or defend officials who might have erred in the matter. The committee's work has been carried out in a bi-partisan atmosphere which has allowed NRM MPs to question the actions of the party's secretary general and other officials involved in the matter.
MPs will be under the spotlight to maintain this bi-partisanship during the debate. The public will be watching, not just for a verdict, but for concrete proposals by the House to improve the political supervision of workers' money held by the NSSF.
There have been some attempts to frame this investigation as an attempt to clip Mr Mbabazi's wings or derail his political career; such diversionary attempts must not be allowed to stand in the way of the truth and reform of the pension fund.
Members of Parliament have a unique opportunity to put the country before their personal or party alliances when this matter comes up for debate. After the embarrassment of the last Parliament, where MPs sold their souls and votes to lift the presidential term limits out of the Constitution, Ugandans shall be watching this debate closely.
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