A section of activists in Kigezi region have blasted Parliament’s move to share shs10 billion among MPs to fight the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.
While appropriating money in the shs304 billion supplementary budget to different sectors involved in the fight against the deadly pandemic, parliament also allocated to itself Shs10 billion thus raising questions among the general public.
Last week, the supplementary budget was passed and this meant that each MP is supposed to get shs20 million.
Speaking to our reporter in exclusive interviews, majority of people from Kigezi region said it is shocking that instead of contributing something to the fight against the disease while giving back , Parliament is only taking away.
According to the chairperson for Inter- Religious Council in Kigezi, Fr Gaetano Batanyenda, this is a very huge scandal that parliament should reconsider giving themselves that kind of money.
He added that it was greed that is driving NRM MPs to make political campaign for the ruling government to keep President Museveni in power which he called selfish and corruption of highest order.
Gaetano said MPs are some of the most highly paid people in Uganda, they should instead be contributing something to the task force and at least the funds should be allocated to the ministry of healthy which is the relevant office about this epidemic disease.
Dr Nicholas Kamara, a physician in Tropical Diseases also castrated parliament taking a staggering shs10 billion yet some of the critical areas in managing the current crisis are being underfunded.
Dr Joseph Tindyebwa, the FDC Deputy National Secretary General in Charge of Policy and Research said that in this crisis everyone is making huge sacrifices, many people already find it very difficult to survive but it is regrettable for Ugandan MPs to allocate themselves that money.
He also appealed to the parliamentarians to think and remember about the lives of people whom they are representing because people are due to die of hunger citing that at least the money should be used to buy food for the vulnerable communities.
The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga on Wednesday defended the money saying that part of the shs10 billion would be used to maintain the ambulances contributed by Parliament and individual MPs, provide fuel and pay allowances for the drivers of the ambulances already released by MPs to help the Covid-19 task-forces at district level.
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