Africa-Press – Uganda. In Uganda’s fluid political theatre, few stories have gripped the public imagination like the 2024 Parliamentary Service Award scandal.
Nearly Shs2 billion was quietly parceled out to four commissioners—Mathias Mpuuga, Solomon Silwany, Esther Afoyochan, and Prossy Mbabazi—each taking home hundreds of millions of taxpayer funds in what critics termed a golden handshake for simply doing their job.
The scandal didn’t just dominate headlines; it shifted political alliances, deepened intra-party fractures, and cast long shadows over political careers.
As the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries unfold across the country, three of the implicated figures—Mbabazi, Silwany, and Afoyochan—find themselves forced to reckon with the fallout. What’s at stake is not just electoral survival, but political redemption.
Prossy Mbabazi: A Tarnished Legacy in Rubanda
In Rubanda District, Prossy Akampurira Mbabazi faces a stiff uphill climb. Despite having served for over a decade as Woman MP, her standing has been battered by poor performance ratings and residual anger over her Shs400 million share of the service award.
Her claim that she disbursed the funds to women’s groups rings hollow to many—several groups report never receiving a shilling.
Criticism hasn’t only come from the grassroots. In a thinly veiled attack during Women’s Day celebrations, Finance State Minister Henry Musasizi blasted legislators who “steal public resources.”
The rebuke, interpreted as aimed at Mbabazi given their known political tensions, has fueled speculation that Musasizi is actively working behind the scenes to torpedo her reelection bid.
Her challengers—Jackline Katabazi, Evelyn Ninsiima Kikafunda, and Grace Mutebile—have used both the scandal and her lukewarm track record as rallying points for change.
Although Mbabazi has campaigned vigorously in the primaries, showing up more consistently on the ground, many voters say the trust deficit is hard to overcome.
Silwany Redeeming Himself with Concrete Deliverables
In stark contrast, Bukooli Central MP Solomon Silwany seems to have weathered the storm far more effectively.
Despite being part of the same scandal, he’s strategically used his role and earnings to invest in tangible development—establishing four health centers and improving water and school infrastructure across Bugiri District.
Silwany has also strengthened ties with Speaker Anita Among, whose rising influence in eastern Uganda has given him additional clout.
His efforts have translated into strong grassroots support. Many voters openly credit him with initiating projects and bringing in high-profile fundraisers that have benefited the constituency.
Ali Mugoya and Rashid Mukuve are challenging him in the NRM primaries, but the mood on the ground suggests that Silwany’s pragmatic politics—coupled with his visibility—may insulate him from the backlash that felled others.
As one voter put it, “He may have taken the money, but at least we can see what he’s done with it.”
Esther Afoyochan: The Wounded Incumbent of Zombo
Zombo District’s Esther Afoyochan is in a far more precarious position. She was catapulted to national infamy with her Shs400 million payout, a decision that triggered massive backlash and an inquiry by the Inspectorate of Government.
Though a court ruling eventually cleared her and fellow commissioners of wrongdoing, the damage to public trust remains.
Afoyochan faces over 10 rivals in the primaries, including prominent challengers Fiona Giramia and Mary Gorety Afoyorwoth.
They’ve seized on the scandal, painting her as part of a corrupt elite while promising a break from past impunity.
In response, Afoyochan has gone into overdrive—launching a full-throttle grassroots campaign, touting past achievements, and reaffirming her commitment to service. Yet whispers persist about whether her political capital has been permanently eroded.
The stakes are high. Should she lose the primaries, it would mark a swift and symbolic fall for a commissioner who once held sway in Parliament’s inner sanctums.
Mpuuga’s Shadow Still Looms
Although no longer contesting the Nyendo-Mukungwe parliamentary seat, former Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga remains the central figure in the scandal.
His fallout with the National Unity Platform (NUP) and defection to form the Democratic Front has left a political vacuum and altered opposition dynamics ahead of 2026.
His departure has emboldened challengers to his former allies in NRM. With no clear indication he will seek reelection in his constituency, Mpuuga’s national ambitions—possibly a presidential run—are shifting the political chessboard and exposing the vulnerabilities of those left behind.
The NRM primaries have inadvertently become a referendum on integrity. For Prossy Mbabazi, her political future hangs by a thread, bruised by scandal and public disenchantment.
Esther Afoyochan appears to have weathered the storm in the NRM circles and would only worry about the election proper.
Meanwhile Solomon Silwany has managed a shrewd pivot—leveraging development work to rebuild trust.
But the broader message from the electorate is unmistakable: voters may forgive, but they won’t forget. In a political culture long accused of rewarding impunity, the service award saga may yet prove a turning point—where actions finally bear consequences.
Source: Nilepost News
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