The bickering between the Executive and Legislature took an uglier turn Thursday afternoon when Parliament considered and passed a motion by that seeks to express displeasure on what MPs call disparaging statement against Parliament by President Yoweri Museveni who blasted them over UGX10b Covid-19 money.
Taking to the floor of Parliament, Ssemujju Nganda (Kira Municipality) moved the motion without notice, seeking Parliament to express itself against the disparaging remarks by the President over the Shs10 billion that was allocated for Covid-19 activities.
“The purposes of this motion is to advise the President that he must use the official channels of communication when he wants to communicate to Parliament. We don’t expect a head of state to join a mob of those throwing mud at Parliament,” he said.
Maurice Kibalya (Bugabula South County) in support of other MPs, took a swipe at Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah for disregarding the directive of the Speaker, in preference of the President and returned his money to Omoro district taskforce.
Kibalya said that the Deputy Speaker betrayed the House when he publicly returned the Shs20m, yet he is a member of the Parliamentary Commission.
Democratic Party Chief Whip in Parliament, Joseph Ssewungu remarked, “Let us fight this kind of situation. I was surprised that the Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija was denying knowledge of the allocation of Shs10 billion and yet he went ahead and said he had bought food for his constituency.”
Patrick Nsamba (Kassanda North) said, “It is very unfortunate, for the President, to sit in one of his talk shows, and start lambasting parliament. The President had no moral authoirty to speak about the MPs who are supporting their peope.”
Bugiri Municipality’s Asuman Basalirwa called for unity within Parliament remarking, “At no time shall we surrender our power to the executive. Anybody denigrating the Speaker and Parliament and we follow that person, we are making a mistake. It was unfair for the President to make statements that brought disrepute to this House.”
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga noted, “You know this ‘non-essential service’ is the one which has sat here and processed the budget of this country. We have passed laws during this hard times.”
The Speaker has asked the government to come into the aid of University and College students who stranded in hostels following the COVID-19 directives. She says that she has received complaints that the students don’t get food and the landlords are soon evicting them.
The News Editor ,Reporter at Kagadi Kibaale community Radio
