The leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Hon. Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba has vowed to continue with his fact-finding survey on service delivery in health centers and schools, ignoring warnings from Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja on such a move.
Hon. Mpuuga has been traversing different parts of the country, visiting public facilities like health centers and government schools, to evaluate the state of service delivery for ordinary citizens.
However, this has caused consternation and raised serious alarm from government officials, who view Mpuuga’s move as an attempt to soak the image of government in ‘political mud’ and make it extremely unpopular.
Key government officials, chiefly the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Nabbanja have warned Mpuuga to abandon his campaign, else face serious retributions.
“Our colleagues from the opposition, when they start politicizing health matters, our people will suffer a great deal, so, I am going to issue an order banning opposition politicians from visiting health centers because this sparks off illegal strikes by medics, hampering health care operations,” warned Nabbanja.
“I will not accept this, as the Prime Minister of Uganda, I will not look on as the opposition embark on acts to blackmail government, I am going to Buikwe, Kawolo Hospital, meet all the medics who took part in the illegal strike, and the administration to find out what the cause was.”
Reacting to Hon. Nabbanja’s stern warning, Mpuuga exhibited a defiant tone. He vowed to carry on with his fact-finding survey on service delivery in public facilities, clarifying that his actions are not in contravention of the law, and that he is executing his mandates as the Leader of Opposition.
“The Prime Minister would instead be working tirelessly to make sure that arrears for medics are paid, and those of other government workers in public establishments like hospitals,” advised Mpuuga.
“I am actually advising her, I don’t need her permission before I talk to any citizens of this country, if she thinks she has authority to prevent me from speaking to Ugandans at any time I deem it necessary, whoever advised her, lied to her. The nation has to move forward. If she doesn’t want employees to strike, let her undertake efforts to make sure that their arrears are paid on time, it’s three months now, they haven’t been paid any penny.”
He told employees in government health centers that it is their right to demand for fair pay, which should be done on time and according to the law.
In his grand campaign of traversing the country to check on the state of service delivery, Hon. Mpuuga together with his aides and other opposition MPs have unearthed shocking realities, which point to poor service delivery for ordinary citizens in hospitals and schools.
Some of the schools visited lacked an adequate number of teachers, with dilapidated structures. In other schools he went to, there was inadequate furniture and classrooms, which has forced pupils to study under trees.
For instance; on June 13th, 2023, Hon. Mpuuga visited Mukono General Hospital, in which he decried the appalling situation, in regard to service delivery at the health facility, characterized by sharing of wards between admitted children, new mothers, TB patients, and many other patients.
He pointed out that service delivery gaps in education, healthcare and infrastructural development are glaring.
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