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Citizen Posts
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Mike Mukula thought he was starting a fire by posting a link of a story about Pilgrim Africa a faith based NGO linked to his opponent for the Vice Chairperson Eastern, but instead, he burned himself.
In doing so, Mukula expected people to believe him. But Ugandans were quick to respond, and these didn’t hold back. What he got was not support but serious backlash and shame as Ugandans reminded him of his corrupt cases which date back over 10 years ago when money meant for the sick allegedly disappeared in his pockets.
People couldn’t believe that Mike Mukula, someone who has a history of corruption scandals, had the nerve to accuse a respected NGO of wrongdoing. It was like a thief calling the police corrupt.
Ugandans were quick to point out his past, reminding him and everyone else that he was once jailed over corruption. In short, they told him to clean his own house before talking about others.
It became clear to many that this wasn’t about justice or truth, it was about politics. Dirty politics. Mukula was trying to damage Pilgrim Africa’s image, maybe because he feels threatened by the good work they’re doing.
Instead of turning people against Pilgrim Africa, Mukula became the laughing stock of Twitter. People started posting memes, reminding him of his past scandals. Some pointed that Pilgrim Africa has saved more lives than Mukula has told the truth.
Others said he should be doing something useful with his time, like exercising instead of attacking people doing real work. The online crowd made it clear: they trust Pilgrim Africa more than they trust Mukula.
What Mukula hoped would be a successful smear campaign has ended in complete embarrassment. He wanted to destroy Pilgrim Africa’s name, but instead, he lost credibility. His plan failed because Ugandans stood up for the truth. They defended an organization that helps them and exposed the man trying to bring it down.
Pilgrim Africa continues to support communities across Uganda. They fight malaria, support schools, help farmers, and change lives. Meanwhile, Mukula’s tweet is just another example of someone trying to bring down others for personal gain and failing badly.
Just as Mukula had made post, he opened a can of worms and Ugandans began calling him out. Some were blasting him for trying to tarnish the name of an organization that has helped so many people.
A few days ago, allegations started swirling online accusing Pilgrim Africa of financial mismanagement. These went ahead and even claimed that the Organization had cases to answer in the courts of law which the NGO has since rubbished as mere rumors aimed and maligning and destroying it’s image.
On the other hand, Captain Mike Mukula is not new to controversies. He was once charged with corruption and embezzlement when he was state minister for health. Money meant from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI)Â meant to buy vaccines to immunize children.
Mukula was arrested in 2007 from his residence in Bugolobi and would later languish in Luzira for a longer period of time and on 1st August 2012, Chief Magistrate Irene Akankwasa acquitted Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi and Dr.Alex Kamugisha over charges of causing financial loss, abuse of office and embezzlement, citing no incriminating evidence by the prosecution.
However, the same court ordered Capt. Mike Mukula to defend himself by explaining the whereabouts of Shs210 million that he received from the Gavi account for purposes of youth and women advocacy in the office of the First Lady.
Ms Akankwasa explained that there was sufficient evidence adduced by the IGG that Capt. Mukula received Shs263m from the Gavi fund account for purposes of promoting advocacy but only accounted for Shs53m.
On 18th January 2013, the same Magistrate sentenced Mukula to four years in prison for embezzling Shs210m from the GAVI account where government lost over Shs1.6bn. Delivering her judgement, Akankwasa prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mukula signed for the money, received and only returned it in three installments.
She noted that Mukula deprived the Government of the funds when he took it for personal gains though the records wrongly indicated that he had actually refunded it.
The accused the money on May 17th 2005; this proved that he took the money that was part of the Shs263m he received,”. Akankwasa said. He intentionally took the money; that tantamount to theft.
When and how the former Soroti Municipality MP, the current and aspiring Vice Chairperson of NRM for Eastern Uganda Mukula got the four year sentence off his neck is a story for another day.
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