National Unity Platform (NUP) spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi has accused Kira Municipality Mayor Julius Mutebi of fabricating extortion claims after being denied the party card.
Last week, while on NBS TV’s political talk show Barometer, Mutebi alleged that an officer close to NUP’s top leadership asked him for money in exchange for retaining the party card.
But speaking on NBS TV’s Morning Breeze, Ssenyonyi dismissed the allegations and challenged Mutebi to provide evidence.
“When you just speak on social media, you are not helping the situation. Bring the information to our attention and at least hold us accountable for not taking action,” Ssenyonyi said.
The Leader of Opposition said the party only learnt of Mutebi’s bribery claims after he failed to secure the NUP flag.
“We first heard Mayor Mutebi’s story of bribery allegations when he was being unveiled at his new party, after he didn’t get our party flag. With due respect to him, why did he not raise that issue when he was still with us?”
“It’s possible he’s cooking that up because he didn’t get the flag,” he added.
Ssenyonyi stressed that NUP does not ask for money in exchange for cards and warned that anyone doing so is a fraudster.
“For me, anyone who gave money to anyone to get a card be it a scammer, and now says they didn’t get it, I’m glad they didn’t get it. Because those are transactional people who will get into office and be crooks,” he said.
Mutebi’s claims came shortly after he and lawyer Ivan Bwowe were officially unveiled as members of the Erias Lukwago-led People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).
He also criticised NUP for not informing him directly about the decision to deny him the card.
“The party never informed me. I only heard through the media that I had been dropped. That shows the weakness in the screening process,” Mutebi said.
