The Deputy Presidential Press Secretary, Mr. Faruk Kirunda has advised the Kira Municipality Member of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda to take off time and study how government operates before making baseless allegations against the ruling administration and the person of the President.
Mr. Kirunda noted that Hon. Ssemujju as a professional journalist and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Whip should be conversant with the operations of the Presidency instead of focusing on President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as an individual.
“However, if he is finding it hard to handle the internal matters of his party the FDC then I cannot be sure he will understand these matters so easily,” he stressed.
The Deputy Presidential Press Secretary made the remarks today while responding to comments made by Hon. Ssemujju in which he says that government’s frugalness in light of the World Bank’s decision to suspend loans to Uganda should start with the Presidency and State House by cutting what he calls unnecessary expenditures through Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and Presidential Advisors.
Mr. Kirunda wondered whether the legislator clearly knows the roles and mandate of the President and how State House operates.
“Does he appreciate the difference in function between the mainstream government operations and State House work? Does he know the oversight role of the State House staff who work to help the President and the number of civil servants in the country whose work the State House staff are meant to double check? The staff at State House and the Ministers are the ears and eyes of the President who help him to excellently run the government. Unless, Hon. Ssemujju wants the President to run the country solely,” he said during a brief interview with this news website.
On the issue of RDCs, Mr. Kirunda expounded that Hon. Ssemujju has been in Parliament for some good years and he knows too well that the RDC function is recognized in the National Constitution.
“For starters, has he ever attempted to come out with a private members bill to have this office removed? Does he know the roles and mandate of the RDCs as stipulated in the Constitution or he does not believe in the constitution which in the first place enables his election as Member of Parliament?” he wondered.
” Isn’t it the same constitution that establishes the office of Member of Parliament and at the same time stipulates the function of the Office of the RDC? Unless otherwise Hon. Ssemujju is saying that he is a member of Parliament in fault. Does Hon. Ssemujju know the roles of the Presidential Advisors and to whom they report? Who told Hon. Ssemujju that Presidential Advisors report to the President directly? For his information Presidential Advisors and RDCs report to the Minister for the presidency who is their immediate supervisor.”
On the other hand, Mr. Kirunda appealed to the legislator that instead of making endless attacks on government and the President in particular, he should appreciate the stability ushered into this country by the NRM government that enables him to enjoy previleleges and undertake big investments as a businessman and a politician.
“He should be honest and look back at his first days before becoming Member of Parliament and see how far the current leadership arrangement has transformed Uganda,” he told this news website.
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