Uproar in Rubanda: Farmers Demand MP Prossy to Refund and Resign Over Shs 400M Parliament Corruption Scandal

Farmers in Rubanda district, under the umbrella of the Rubanda Farmers Association, has formally requested the Rubanda District Woman Member of Parliament, Honorable Prossy Akamnpuria Mbabazi, to refund the sum of Shs 400 million, which she received from Parliament under the guise of a service award. This request came to light during their annual general meeting held at Hamurwa Sub County in Rubanda district, sparking intense discussions that ultimately led to a protest.

Describing the act as immoral, unfortunate, and indicative of corruption, the farmers have also urged Honorable Prossy to extend an apology to the people of Rubanda district who entrusted her with their votes, expecting her service to benefit the constituents rather than her personal interests.
Agatha Kyatuheire, the secretary-general of the association, highlighted pressing issues in the country such as the lack of medicines, dilapidated school infrastructure, poor road network, poverty, and hunger, which she believes should be prioritized by the legislator over personal gains like service awards. In a press release signed by Agatha Kyotuheire, representing the farmers comprising over 600 members, they demanded the immediate resignation of the commissioner from her role as a parliamentary commissioner.

“The revelations of MP Prossy’s involvement in the unlawful allocation of shs 1.7 billion, including a personal allocation of shs 400 million under the guise of ‘Service Awards,’ have deeply shaken us. As constituents who placed our trust and confidence in MP Prossy to represent our interests and uphold the principles of integrity and accountability, we are profoundly disappointed and disillusioned by these actions.”

“We stand united in our demand for immediate action and accountability from MP Prossy. Therefore, we call upon her to take the following steps without delay:

Return the Funds: MP Prossy must immediately return the entirety of the funds allocated to her as ‘Service Awards.’ These funds belong to the people of Uganda and must be used for the betterment of our communities, not for personal gain.
Public Apology: MP Prossy owes the people of Uganda a sincere and public apology for betraying our trust and confidence. We expect her to acknowledge her wrongdoing and express genuine remorse for her actions.”
The statement further demanded her resignation from her role as the parliamentary commissioner.
“In light of the seriousness of these allegations and the erosion of public trust, MP Prossy must step down from her role as Commissioner of Parliament. We cannot allow individuals implicated in corruption and abuse of office to continue holding positions of power and influence within our institutions.”

Moses Byamukama, another member of the association, urged the legislator to fulfill her promises of championing service delivery and fighting corruption instead of doing the contrary.
“I hope her role is to advocate for our ideas on the parliamentary floor. In times when we need serious debaters and representatives in parliament, it was embarrassing for us, the voters. There’s nothing she can do to regain my support other than resigning and offering an apology,” Byamukama told our reporter.

Honorable Prossy, alongside her fellow commissioners Solomon Silwany (Bukooli County – NRM), Esther Afoyochan (Zombo District Woman – NRM), and Mathias Mpuuga (Member of Parliament of Nyendo-Mukungwe County), recently endorsed the ‘service award’ that also granted backbench commissioners shs 400 million each, a move that has attracted significant criticism in the country.