Kampala — PARLIAMENT succumbed to President Yoweri Museveni's pressure when it cleared ministers Amama Mbabazi (security), Dr. Ezra Suruma (finance) and the management of NSSF of any wrongdoing in the purchase of land at Temangalo, former ethics and integrity minister Miria Matembe said.

"NRM ministers and MPs are not independent; their life is controlled by President Museveni, who ordered them not to get rid of the two ministers," Matembe said.

Last Thursday, Parliament, presided over by Speaker Edward Ssekandi, approved a motion to absolve the ministers and the NSSF board.

This came after a bitter debate and a walkout by the opposition MPs.

Talking to the press at Parliament on Friday, Matembe also attacked Ssekandi. "I was embarrassed when Ssekandi said Parliament is part of the Government and if the Attorney General is the legal adviser to the Government, he is entitled to advise Parliament on the Leadership Code."

On Thursday, the Attorney General, Kiddhu Makubuya, gave an interpretation of the laws to the effect that the parliamentary committee on commissions and statutory authorities, which probed the matter, had no jurisdiction to enforce the Leadership Code. Citing article 234 of the Constitution, Makubuya said Parliament does not have the power to pass verdict and enforce the Leadership Code. "That power belongs to the Inspectorate of Government," Makubuya argued.

"If Parliament has failed to take sanctions of the main report that found Mbabazi and Suruma guilty of violating sections 8, 12, and 15 of the Leadership Code, I doubt that the IGG will enforce the sanctions. She is appointed by Museveni and I cannot rule out government's influence in her work," Matembe said.

Matembe argued that the Judiciary, Executive and Parliament should be independent of one another.

She also accused ethics and integrity minister Dr. James Nsaba Butoro for not condemning the actions of the two ministers.