Parliament overwhelmingly passed a motion of censure against State Minister of Housing, Persis Namuganza, who the House has found culpable of improper conduct, violating the rules of procedure and bringing Parliament into disrepute.           

348 legislators voted against the minister out of the 356 who were present in the House. Namuganza’s Cabinet colleagues were conspicuously absent.

Namuganza’s future as minister remains in the hands of the appointing authority, President Yoweri Museveni since the constitution provides that upon censure, the President, after receiving the resolution of Parliament, will take appropriate action.     

The select committee chaired by Mbarara City South MP Mwine Mpaka was set up by Speaker Anita Among to investigate State Minister of Housing Persis Namuganza’s conduct.

The committee chairman presented the report found that Minister Namuganza violated the rules of procedure of Parliament and also violated her oath as minister and MP, satisfying the grounds of censure provided in Article 118 of the Constitution.

In the course of the Select Committee investigations, Minister Namuganza declined to appear before the committee of Parliament, arguing that she had gone to court and therefore it was an abuse of court process. 

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa who presided over the House decided that the censure vote should be by calling the names of individual MPs who would then say whether they support or reject the censure motion

In the end, 348 MPs out of the 356 present in the House voted to have the minister censured, five MPs against while three abstained.

 Pursuant to Rule 109 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, The Speaker will, within 24 hours, relay the decision of Parliament censuring the minister, to the appointing authority, the President.

In accordance with Article 118, Clause of the Constitution of Uganda, upon a vote of censure being passed against a minister, the President shall, unless a minister resigns his or her office, take appropriate action in the matter.