Rugunda calls for transparency in managing COVID-19 fund

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has asked the COVID-19 Fund committee to be transparent while managing the resources entrusted to them.

Dr Rugunda sounded the appeal while inaugurating the Fund committee that was named by President Yoweri Museveni at a function held at his office in Kampala this afternoon. He said that Ugandans would like to see that the money and other resources they contribute for the cause do what it has been given in for.

The Fund Committee will be chaired by Emmanuel Katongole, the Executive Chairman of Cipla Quality Chemical Industries Limited. Other members are; Robert Kabushenga, Apollo Makubuya, Francis Kamulegeya, Patrick Muhiire, Bwogi Gustavus, Bishop Joshua Lwere, Agah Ssekalaala, Dr Ian Clark, Dr Francis Omaswa, Keith Muhakanizi, Dr Diana Atwine, Kishor Jobanputra and Dorothy Kisaka who will be the administrator and secretary of the fund.

“I congratulate you and thank you for accepting the assignment at a very critical time to support the health sector that is being challenged by the pandemic. We thank the people of Uganda who have generously responded to the call to support the response to the pandemic,” Rugunda, the chairman of the National Taskforce against COVID-19 said.

Mary Karooro Okurut, the political overseer of the committee, also the Minister in charge of General Duties in the Prime Minister’s office thanked the president for moving fast to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Health minister Jane Ruth Aceng said that COVID-19 pandemic is still a big enemy that requires all efforts to confront.

“I don’t want to give you false hope that we are making some negatives and you relax. There are some many things we need, food for the population and the health workers. This team will do a good job and will account for every dollar that it gets,” Aceng said, adding that it’s very comforting to see how the country has united against fighting the pandemic.

Katongole thanked the president for the exemplary effort in managing the pandemic and added that although the responsibility that has been given to them is huge, they will make sure that Uganda is not very much affected by the disease.

“We call upon every Ugandan to participate in this effort. If all the 5,000 registered corporates come together, we have no doubt that our national budget will not be stretched. The time has never been as urgent as it is today that we all show the effect of being each other’s keeper,” Katongole said.

Meanwhile, Rugunda also received donations from a number of people today among them State Minister for Education Nansubuga Rosemary Sseninde and her husband who contributed 5,000 kilogrammes of maize flour, Prime Media Network, who contributed 200 cartons of milk and advertising space worth 60 million in Kampala and Entebbe.

The other donations came from Meridian Tobacco Company with 150 million Shillings, Sanyu soap which donated 5,000 pieces of soap, Uganda Business Global Association donated USD 5,000, the Indian Association of Uganda donated 130 million shillings, The Pakistan Community in Uganda 15 tonnes of maize flour and  170 mattresses, 50 handwashing tanks and two ambulances.

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