Police have in custody three Members of Parliament accused of financial mismanagement of war loss compensation funds paid to cooperatives.

The trio includes MP Paul Akamba, who is being detained at Special Investigations Unit Kireka; MP Mudimi Wamakuyu, who is held at Kira Division; and MP Michael Mawanda, who is being detained at Natete Police Station.

On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, MP Mawanda appeared at CID headquarters in Kibuli, where he was grilled by detectives over his involvement in the case.

He was summoned alongside his Elgon County counterpart, Nyasio Mudimi Wamakuyu, over the matter.

A source at the CID headquarters revealed that MP Mawanda was taken to Nateete Police Station around 6:30 p.m. after spending his better Wednesday with detectives.

MP Mawanda, the Director Mobilization at the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU),  is accused of wrongly involving himself in the West Mengo Growers Cooperative Society. 

An investigation revealed that MP Mawanda connived with a city law firm, M/S Justin Mungoma and Co. Advocates, and defrauded about Shs2 billion meant for the cooperative members. It is revealed that only Shs50m reached the intended beneficiaries.

In the case of MP Mudimi, he is accused of colluding with a section of legislators to pass the Shs 164 billion for compensation and later becoming beneficiaries of the same fund.

Testimonies from Buyaka Growers’ Cooperative Society implicated Kirya Co. & Advocates, recommended by Leonard Kavunduria, a top Ministry of Trade official.

The law firm reportedly paid substantial amounts to several individuals, including MP Ignatius Mudimi Nyasio Wamakuyu, who allegedly received Shs 1,050,000,000.

The re-arrest of Busiki County MP Paul Akamba is also said to be connected to cooperative money.

The MPs’ arrest followed the revelation made by President Museveni during the State of the Nation Address that there is proof against corrupt government officials, starting from the Ministry of Finance to Parliament.