Africa-Press – Uganda. Independent Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Martin Mapenduzi, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Resistance Movement (NRM), a day after the ruling party nominated him to chair Parliament’s Committee on Public Services and Local Government, a slot reserved for government.
The appointment sparked public murmurs because the first-time legislator, who represents Bardege-Layibi Division of Gulu City in the 11th Parliament, resigned from chairing the Opposition-held (Local Government) Public Accounts Committee where the Opposition majority party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), had deployed him.
His exit from NUP deployment on May 19, an acceptance a month later of similar assignment by the ruling party and his unveiling at the NRM Secretariat in Nakasero in Kampala yesterday capped a fleeting allegiance in which the ruling party whose official colour is yellow, has harvested a ripened Mapenduzi.
“In 2021, I got nominated by NUP to serve as chair [for] Public Accounts Committee and Local Government and this was a surprise to me because in Gulu (City) during the campaign, NUP had a candidate who aggressively campaigned,” he said at his unveiling yesterday.
He added: “So, I had no idea nor relation with NUP and after nomination I met the leadership of NUP [and] my first question was: how would I be appointed because I am not a member of NUP, I have never had any relationship with them, not even attending any of their functions.”
The country’s largest Opposition party last night said it doled out the parliamentary committee chair positions to different Opposition political parties and Mr Mapenduzi due to his long membership of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) on whose ticket he served as Gulu boss for a decade.
“He came [to Parliament in 2021] as an Independent, but still allied to the FDC. So, we said let us entrust him with this position because he is one of us. Along the way he began to operate parallel to us [and] we relieved him of his duties to go and hobnob well with the party he is comfortable with [NRM],” said NUP Spokesman Joel Ssenyonyi.
He said they had fired Mr Mapenduzi from his posting after he allegedly spearheaded removal of NUP member and Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake as a Parliament Commissioner, but he held onto the duty on the advice of Parliament Speaker to conclude committee reports.
“[Therefore], his resignation is not consequential …Him joining the NRM is his business because … he is not the first person to cross from Opposition to NRM. There are bigger fish than him,” said Mr Ssenyonyi.
In an account offered yesterday, Mr Mapenduzi, who as Gulu District chair gained political fame for his administration’s stellar upgrade of roads in the town before it became a city, however said NUP’s feedback was that they tapped him on merit.
Flanked by the Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua and NRM Secretary General, Mr Richard Todwong, the new political signing declared that he had a right to associate with any political party for the good of serving the people of Uganda.
“I am happy that I have signed [MoU with NRM], although I came to Parliament as an Independent, but I have no hesitation in expressing how happy I am now that we have signed this document,” he said.
He added: “I hope many others will do the same because it is about our country, you can belong to NRM or any other party but it has no harm talking to one another, especially on issues affecting our country.”
Government Chief Whip, Mr Hamson Obua, called Mr Mapenduzi a “new catch” but said he “does not belong to NRM, but he is here to formalise his association with NRM since he has a right under the Constitution of Uganda to associate with any political party of his choice”.
Mr Todwong, the secretary general of the ruling party, said: “I congratulate you and do appreciate the step you have taken. This shows that leaders are trying to appreciate the purpose of unity and we encourage all other leaders to embrace this generational call.”
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