The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Lack of institutions and transactional politics
Another argument is that the fight over the Shs10 billion COVID-19 money could be happening because, after years of parliament and President Museveni cutting backdoor money deals that leave the public begging for aid from the executive and MPs, the COVID-19 outbreak has created a crisis that requires genuine and effective government assistance to the public. People want food. But the government does not have institutions for that type of intervention.
All previous interventions have involved the President personally giving handouts. Sometimes it’s a small sum of money in a khaki envelop to an individual. At other times it has been a sack of cash to a group of market women, boda boda taxi riders, or unemployed youth. Sometimes Museveni assigns personal aides to implement been a programme to aid accident victims or stricken farmers.
The COVID-19 crisis is different. It so big Museveni cannot handle it alone. It is so complex it requires professionals not politicians. It is so urgent it requires efficient systems to execute. The question Museveni and Kadaga are fighting about is who is the rightful person, group, or institution to direct the COVID-19 intervention mission.
Museveni has appointed a slew of his usual politicians led by the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda who spend most of the time in meetings. Meanwhile Kadaga thinks the COVID-19 crisis is the perfect moment to cash-in and play election politics at public expense. Kadaga is angry that Museveni does not want MPs to be seen and reap political capital out of the COVID-19 crisis.
“Why don’t they want us to be visible? We are elected leaders. So they want to go and show they care more about these people than we whom they elected! This is wrong and we shall not accept it,” she told journalists.
Kadaga sees a conspiracy because all attention in the media has been on the Shs20 million each MP got (totaling Shs10 billion), yet on the day the MPs got that money, other government ministries, departments and agencies got portions of a Shs304 billion bounty passed as a Supplementary budget to fight COVID-19. In fact, MPs on that day dished out Shs904 billion.
According to Kadaga, it was such a free-for-all bonanza that although the Ministry of Health which is at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 had requested just Shs64 billion, the MPs ended up cajoling them into taking double; Shs104 billion. But Kadaga later clawed back Shs10 billion, leaving the Ministry of Health with Shs94 billion. And that marked the start of the Kadaga Shs10 billion saga and the attack on her from Museveni and her outbursts which are causing more confusion.
Details of Supplementary Budget passed on April 07 by parliament
Under the Supplementary Expenditure Schedule No. 2 for Financial Year 2019/2020 parliament on April 07 passed Shs284 billion to be used by the Health, Security and Local Government sectors, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees.
Security – Shs77.4 billion
Local Governments – Shs 36.1 billion (Each district Shs165 million, Each RDC Shs55 million).
Disaster Response – Shs 59.4 billion
KCCA – Shs2 billion.
Health Ministry –Shs104 billion (Parliament later took Shs10 billion leaving Shs94 billion).
Ministry of ICT and National Guidance – Shs6 billion (UBC Shs2 billion, Media Shs3.5 billion).
On the same day, parliament also passed a Supplementary Budget of Shs 648.7 billon to support the Central Government votes to cater for recurrent, development and statutory expenditures.
Classified Defence Equipment – Shs400 billion
Missions Abroad – Shs12.8 billion
Local Governments – Shs2.5 billion
Wage shortfalls – Shs201 billion
Uganda Clean Cooking Supply Chain Energy Expansion Project – Shs3.07 billon
External financing for the East African Public Health Laboratory Networking Project and Uganda Reproductive, Maternal Child Health Services Improvement Project – Shs 30.5 billon
NB: Proposed government subsidies for Fine Spinners and Nyanza Textiles were opposed.
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Hmmm; so, the “Yellow Girl” has decided to fight the “Yellow Dad”? Where does this leave the rest of us? In my humble opinion, there is more to this “fight” than meets the eye.
WE SHOULDN’T BE CORRUPT
Covid 19 have made food crisis to come at a high lead or forefront so many ugandans are suffering
It is strange that the hon. Speaker’s feeble punch at the corruption industry has been misinterpreted. Showing the country what might have been stolen in only one month ought to have elicited the right response from the taxpaying public but as we can all see it has cast her in negative light .in my view what she said was uncalled for because corruption and other related issues are long off the concern of most citizens.what will wake the thieves up is not what they anticipate that I’ll will they have cultivated will one time be their downfall.
She is going to suffer because no everyone in the country knows that she intended to still taxpayers money for her own gains en wants to en enrich her besides like the greedy mps in order to support her fake suggestions
Be patient 2 taxpayers pliz
Why should Kadaga defend these MPIGS? Look where it has left her. These greedy MPigs first of all have a salary of Shs 20 million a month. What are they doing with that money after duping the people to elect them? These are extremely greedy people, all of them, whether from the Opposition or the ruling NRM. What laws are they passing? The other day they were creating cities!! There is grinding poverty. Kampala is full of slums with people living in deplorable conditions while the MPigs are driving 4X4 wheel drives. They buy food cheaply from rural farmers through business sharks. The poor sell all their food for little cash and remain with almost nothing to eat.
Asanti ya punda, niteke.hahaha