MP Paul Akamba is accused of taking Shs20m bribe
The multi-billion scandal at Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has taken a new twist, with some MPs accused of being bribed to drop plans of investigating the electricity agency.
It is claimed that Busiki County MP, Paul Akamba was bribed by fellow legislator, Anita Among, the Bukedea district Woman MP to withdraw from supporting a motion that was intended to be brought on the floor of Parliament by Samia –Bugwe North MP, Gideon Onyango.
The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga yesterday directed the Parliamentary Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline chaired by Clement Obote Ongalo to investigate the bribery allegations.
Ongalo has since given the three MPs cited in the bribery claims up to 2nd July 2020 to appear before the Committee with all due evidence.
MP Onyango intended to move a motion asking the directorate of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to expedite investigations into the directive by President Yoweri Museveni to have Eng. Godfrey Werihke and Eng. John Turyagyenda of Rural Electrification Agency (REA) be investigated after government lost billions of money in their hands.
However, to Onyango’s surprise, his fellow MP Paul Akamba, who was supposed to be among the seconders of his motion pulled out on the last minute as he raised the matter to the speaker, arguing that his signature on the list of the seconders was forged.
Onyango also came up with counter accusations that Akamba only pulled out of the motion after he was bribed with Shs20m by MP Anita Among.
It’s at this point that the speaker directed the committee on Rules to investigate both forgeries of signature and bribery allegations surrounding the three MPs.
The committee yesterday met to kick start the investigations with the appearance of two MPs; Gideon Onyango and Paul Akamba as witnesses but these asked for more time to prepare their submissions.
Meanwhile, Akamba requested the Committee that the investigations be heard in camera as it might have an effect on some of them especially at this critical election period time, a request that the chairperson seemed to reject, saying this is a public matter that has to fully be followed by the public because its outcome will still be presented before Parliament.
