PLU’s Mawanda and Kabanda- the hypocrisy of corruption crusaders

KAMPALA. In a display of political hypocrisy and self-inflicted embarrassment, Kasambya MP David Kabanda, the self-proclaimed Secretary General of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), alongside his peg boy, Igara East MP Michael Mawanda, suffered a humiliating blow as their so-called anti-corruption demonstration against Parliament flopped miserably on Monday.

The duo’s desperate attempt to position themselves as corruption crusaders was not only shunned by Ugandans but also snubbed by their own PLU colleagues, leaving them exposed as opportunistic frauds.

The protest, ostensibly aimed at condemning corruption in Parliament, quickly unraveled when the public scrutinized the integrity—or lack thereof—of its organizers.

Leading the charge was none other than Michael Mawanda, a man currently battling serious corruption charges in the Anti-Corruption Court, accused of stealing a staggering 169 billion shillings earmarked for compensation of Cooperatives. He maintains innocence.

This isn’t Mawanda’s first dance with scandal; in 2013, he was arrested in Mumbai, India, alongside Hon. Isaac Musumba for defrauding an investor of 50 billion shillings. They were freed and reportedly face no further prosecution.

The irony of Mawanda—a man with alleged corruption scandals hanging over his head—leading an anti-corruption protest wasn’t lost on the public.

“How can alleged thieves lead a demonstration against thieves? Has Mawanda even been cleared of his charges before pretending to fight corruption?” questioned Shakira, a market vendor who, like many Ugandans, refused to be duped by such blatant hypocrisy.

But the farce didn’t end with Mawanda. Kabanda, his political puppet master, fared no better. Despite posturing as a champion of integrity, Kabanda’s reputation in Parliament not clean and has sometimes been soiled by bad allegations .

PLU insiders accuse him of striking backdoor deals and engaging in cheap political games. “Kabanda is reportedly making deals in Parliament; he has no moral authority to demonstrate against it,” charged Mwesige, a disillusioned PLU supporter.

The ultimate humiliation, however, came when senior PLU leaders flat-out refused to endorse or participate in the sham demonstration, signaling a deep rift within the organization. High-ranking figures like Hon. Frank Gashumba, PLU Chairman for Buganda, Balaam Barugahara, Vice Chair for the Western Region, Hon. Lilian Aber, Vice Chair for Northern Uganda, along with other Central Committee Members like Nuwagira Toyota, Andrew Mwenda, and Katungi, all distanced themselves from the comedy. Their absence spoke volumes, highlighting the fact that the demonstration was nothing more than a misguided, self-serving stunt that misrepresented the values of the Patriotic League of Uganda.

To make matters worse, sources within PLU confirmed that no official meeting was held to endorse the demonstration, further proving that Kabanda and Mawanda acted on personal agendas rather than any collective party mission.

In the end, Kabanda and Mawanda’s flop wasn’t just a failed protest—it was a glaring indictment of their credibility and a reminder to Ugandans that the fight against corruption cannot be led by those with dirty hands.

See below Mawanda and Kabanda seen in the protest photos on Monday