The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mombasa, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has tabled a supplementary budget before parliament to allocate sh3 billion to the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.
The Minister of State for Planning, David Bahati says they received a request for extra funding from the commission. He says that the commission has so far been allocated 10 billion shillings since July last year.
However, the commission’s lead counsel Ebert Byenkya says that the extra funds are inadequate.
He says that the funds will be depleted even before end of this month because they will be used to clear salary arrears of staff and commissioners that have accumulated since January this year.
The commission has received about 7,000 complaints and held 600 hearings since last year.
Due to under funding, Byenkya says that the probe has not been able to travel upcountry in areas that include Karamoja and West Nile to conduct investigations or even send teams to various sites for investigations.
He adds that the commission needs at least 1 billion shillings each month to operate effectively.
The seven-member probe commenced public hearings in May 2017. It’s tenure was extended by 18 months by President Museveni after its initial six-month term expired last May.
The 18 months-extension expires in November.
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This is just embarrassing and obscene in a country that is grappling with poverty and unemployment! Imagine less than 10% of the cases have been handled but already 3 million dollars gone! Let us refer to earlier commissions for different matters and realise that we are still just wasting taxpayers’ money and accumulating debts on issues which are known.