MPs demand explanation on Ugandan delegation at 78th UN Assembly

Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Jeje Odongo has been given until Thursday to present a report to Parliament justifying the accreditation of 71 government officials to attend the 78th United Nations – UN General Assembly in New York.

The ultimatum was issued by Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, during a plenary sitting on Tuesday. It followed a concern raised by Muwada Nkunyingi, the Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and Kyandondo East Constituency Representative citing wasteful expenditure of public funds.

Muwada informed the House that reports have emerged that some of the senior Ministers citing the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem whose wife was accredited among the 71-member delegation from Uganda to the UN General Assembly causing.

Muwada says that Uganda has a Mission in New York which as of FY 2021/2022 has been funded to the tune of 16 billion Shillings to facilitate engagements with the UN thus rendering it baseless for the country to send such a big delegation to attend such a high profile summit.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga asked the Speaker to direct the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja to appear in the House and explain her role in the botched travel after she ridiculed her subordinates in an audio circulating on social media platforms.

Tayebwa ruled that the Foreign Affairs Minister, Gen. Jeje Odongo, who led the delegation to appear in the House on Thursday and explain the decision by his Ministry to accredit all the 71 delegates and specify their respective roles during the UN Assembly in New York in September.

The MPs are dissatisfied that the delegates who were split into two groups; one led by the Prime Minister and another led by Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jesca Alupo had no specific role at the Assembly and were subsequently denied access to the venue forcing them to spend their time in hotels.

The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly was held on September 5, 2023, with the High-Level Week occurring from September 18 to 22 in New York marking a crucial milestone in the journey towards achieving the 2030 Agenda and the urgent need to put the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track.

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