As a Crusader for Good Governance, I cannot sit back as see MPs degenerate to objects to be used by the NRM Government for agenda they are bound to regret after when they regain their senses after eating shs 20 million bribe. When we say that the NRM Government Expired, we mean it. Those people who set two terms for an average leader were not stupid. We are the ones who degenerate to the extent of bearing no shame even when we do unthinkable things.
What the electorate of Uganda ought to do is simple; get whoever has eaten the shs 20 million into retirement, these are useless legislators who will late all rubbish go through because they are enslaved. Our country desires better that expired stuff. If the NRM MPs think it is logical to eat that money and pretent that it was used for NAADS yet when NAADS has people qualified to do the work, the best is not to vote these people because merely eating shs 20m shows how much a liability they have become.
If shs 20m is divided into shs 50,000 and given to women with a little skill, such women may be able to earn shs 3,000 from such money and the lives would be better and 400 such women can benefit, yet NRM Government has given this money to bribe each MP beneficiary. If the shs 20m to about 300 MPs were given out in shs 50,000 to women, at least 120,000 would stand to benefit. Let Ugandans not vote for people who are a liability to the future of the country.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
MPS RETURN SHS 20M
Source: http://pressrelease.co.ug/pressuganda/?p=3379
By Editor on Jan 21, 2011
MORE Opposition and NRM MPs have vowed to refund sh20m that was given to them by Parliament.
A number of MPs interviewed described the offer as a “bribe” for passing the over sh600billion supplementary budget early this month.
Last week, the Parliamentary Commission paid sh20m to all MPs to facilitate them to monitor government projects. However, the money according to MPs interviewed was taxed, and MPs received only sh14m.
Chief Whip speaks
Speaking from Terego in Arua district, Opposition Chief Whip Kassiano Wadri said he will return the money as soon as he is in Kampala.
“I have not checked on my account for some time, but believe that the money is there. I will return it immediately I come back to Kampala,” Kassiano said.
He explained that opposition parties agreed that all their members should not accept such monies. Sources within FDC said they had received an earlier warning from the party’s secretary general Alice Alaso last month not to receive that money.
Two NRM legislators have also vowed to return the money back to Parliament. The outspoken, Rubanda West MP Henry Banyenzaki and Winfred Niwaga of Ndorwa East, described the offer as ‘witchcraft, which they believe will cause many causalities in the party.
NRM Mps also not happy
Banyenzaki and Niwaga said that the timing of the money was not good and that the money is a ‘bribe’ rewarded to them in appreciation for endorsing the supplementary budget.
“We have been MPs for the last four years, has government just realised that it is necessary to facilitate us? Why didn’t it the beginning of the term of this Parliament? There is something cynical behind this money. I have instructed my bank to send it back to the sender,” said Banyenzaki.
Another outspoken legislator, Theodore Ssekikubo (Ssembabule) had not yet taken a decision, but said he will look at the guidelines on how to spend the money, and then take a decision.
Lukwago to keep money
However, Kampala central MP Erias Lukwago opposed the idea of returning the money, saying that it will be misused by some officials.
He suggested that it would have been better for all the opposition legislators to open a pool account to deposit that money and then agree on something else to do with the money.
“It is unfortunate that a decision by the opposition has been taken, because I am totally against the idea of refunding that money. There are some many ways of how that money can be put to maximum utilisation,” Lukwago said.
He added, “We can use that money to build schools, health centres in areas like Karamoja or northern Uganda. The same money can be used to purchase heart surgery equipments in Mulago to save people who can’t afford millions of money for treatment in India,”
He pointed out that since the opposition to which he belongs to had already taken a decision, will refund the money next week.
Anywar sets pace
Kitgum Woman MP Beatrice Anywar became the first opposition MP on Thursday to return the money. Anywar while handing over the money to Parliament said her conscious could not allow her spend the money.
Parliament Commission on January 15 paid at least sh6.5b to 326 MPs’ accounts. According to payment vouchers seen, the money was paid as allowance to monitor government programmes. Of those who promised to refund the money said they don’t understand which programmes they have been paid for to monitor.
MPS busy in campaigns
MP Yokosi Bwambale Bihande (Bukonjo East-FDC) who also promised to return the money next week noted that since all MPs were busy in campaigns, the money will not be appropriately utilised.
“Parliament is ending, all MPs busy in campaign. They will not be free until after election. When shall spend that money on monitoring? How shall safe guard that money given the expenditures during campaigns,” Bwambale wondered.
Another MP Elijah Okupa (Kasilo East-FDC) said he had not received his but promised to return it as soon as he gets it. “That was a bribe. Why should I take it? I will return it,” Okupa said.
Uganda People’s Congress and Democratic Party whips, Livingstone Okello Okello and Mathias Nsubuga, said they were not aware of the money, but promised to consult their party members before a decision is taken.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
IF NO DONOR IS WILLING TO PICK ELECTORAL COMMISSION BILL FOR VOTER CARDS UGANDANS BETTER BOYCOTT THE ELECTIONS
IF NO DONOR IS WILLING TO PICK ELECTORAL COMMISSION BILL FOR VOTER CARDS UGANDANS BETTER BOYCOTT THE ELECTIONS
It is most likely that there is a big trick in Registered Voters moving without Voter Cards. This is a strategy to cheat in the forthcoming elections. The way it works is that a person comes pointing to a Registered voter on the Register and claiming he is the one. Because these people manning polling stations are under fear, they have to allow such voters. And, when this is done at many polling stations, a would be loser can easily be victorious; and may be that why the NRM candidate thinks he is a sure victory in a situation where people wish for change. If there are donors out there ready to foot the bill to have all voters with cards, they did better do it, short of that, chances of cheating will be enhanced. If no donor is ready to foot the bill, it is better for the opposition to boycott.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
It is most likely that there is a big trick in Registered Voters moving without Voter Cards. This is a strategy to cheat in the forthcoming elections. The way it works is that a person comes pointing to a Registered voter on the Register and claiming he is the one. Because these people manning polling stations are under fear, they have to allow such voters. And, when this is done at many polling stations, a would be loser can easily be victorious; and may be that why the NRM candidate thinks he is a sure victory in a situation where people wish for change. If there are donors out there ready to foot the bill to have all voters with cards, they did better do it, short of that, chances of cheating will be enhanced. If no donor is ready to foot the bill, it is better for the opposition to boycott.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
THE MAJOR REASON FOR NON ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL IN UGANDA
Raising financial resources by vulnerable children to meet the cost of education in Uganda is the major reason for non attendance at school. The Common Country Assessment of Uganda, United Nations, 2004 says that only 24% of boys and 21% of girls in the 2003 Universal Primary Education (UPE) completed Primary Seven (P7) of the primary cycle. While Education is nominally free of charge (for those accessing UPE; there are not enough schools for all needy), the 2004 National Service Delivery Survey, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2004 found that payments were often requested. There are also associated costs, such as Transport, Uniforms, Exercise books, Geometry sets, capacity to do homework (no fuel); 63% of those dropping out of school cited cost as the main reason. One in four children from urban households can count on receiving secondary education while one in ten from households living in rural areas is likely to have access to same level of education. Orphan hood is a major barrier preventing school attendance; and those due to HIV/AIDS who are under 18 years are over 900,000, and, with a population growth rate of 3.4% per annum, the situation worsens with time. Yet, according to the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) 2006, Uganda has a young population with the majority 52% below 15 years. Loss of one or both parents results in lack of proper care and poorer economic conditions that limit access to education. It is important getting a solution to the would-be uneducated children as these add at an increasing rate to the army of the uneducated whose prospects to development are under exploited. Secondly, the non-school going children are constantly looking for support in form of bursaries yet many cannot access them leaving them frustrated. There is evidence that many vulnerable children when availed education opportunities are positive development agents as deprivation induces them to deliver to society. Leaving the numbers of uneducated children to increase is a great potential for social evils as circumstances induce many into criminal activities to earn a living. Educating the would-be uneducated vulnerable children is important so that they can become productive and capable citizens to help the country’s development efforts.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
HOW DOES A PROFESSIONAL GOVT. CREDIT MP ACCOUNTS WITH OFFICIAL MONEY
Sincerely, NRM Government should stop taking Ugandans for fools! How on earth do you credit official money on individual current accounts? Let us stop accepting being fooled. This is robbery. A customer only to check his account and find a credit of shs 20m; it is absurd. THE Architects of these shameful moves should stop imagining that we are all fools. Much as Uganda is still dominated by illiterates, and those who least understand how Government business
is done, some of us cannot be taken for a ride. Uganda has so many professionals who can supervise NAADS, but how do you give hungry hyena's a free catch like that when they are looking for votes? We have MPs who have to pay back this money to the consolidated fund. Assuming such MPs have out standing obligations with their banks what happens next. Isn't the bank at liberty to recover its money? Can they be able to pay back the shs 20m? For the NRM MPs who are playing in the devils hands, and are receiving the money with open hands, how will they deal with accountability if banks reduce this money given their indebtedness? Why is the NRM Government doing shameful things unconcerned? What picture does a Government by literate people give the international community when it gives such money and its credited on personal accounts?
To the Executive in Uganda, the reading is very clear, we deserve better.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
OPPOSITION MPs REJECT SHS 20M 'BRIBE'
By Yasiin Mugerwa & Mercy Nalugo (email the author)
Posted Thursday, January 20 2011 at 00:00
A handful of MPs yesterday rejected Shs20 million worth of taxpayers’ money wired to their personal bank accounts by the government two months to the end of their tenure in the 8th Parliament.
The money, coming 28 days to the elections, has been described as a “bribe” by opposition lawmakers, who vowed to return it to the Consolidated Fund. Others led by House Public Accounts Committee Chairman Nandala Mafabi said they would use it as evidence to sue the government.
“This is blood money, it’s a scandal of the year” Mr Mafabi said. “This is part of the Shs602 billion NRM MPs passed in the supplementary budget. They want to use Shs1.2 billion for 60 opposition MPs and bribe NRM MPs with Shs5.3 billion. We are taking the government to court since we now have evidence to pin President Museveni on bribery.”
“These people are shameless. They think they can trick us. The role of MPs is not to monitor government programmes; it’s entirely oversight. How many hospitals are these? How many drugs can be bought using Shs6.5 billion? How about the 320 women and children who die of malaria everyday? ”
The government on January 15 wired Shs6.5 billion to 326 MPs. According to payment vouchers Daily Monitor saw, the money was paid to “monitor government programmes.”
Finance Minister Syda Bbumba yesterday said it was given in “good faith”. “We paid this money to MPs across the board purposely to do their work and there is nothing unique or stealthy about this money.”
A day after the ruling party forced through a controversial supplementary budget of Shs602 billion, it emerged on January 5 that all NRM parliamentary flag bearers were to pocket Shs20million each. The 238 directly-elected aspirants shared Shs4.7b while the 112 district Women aspirants got Shs2.8b.
Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) who in 2004 exposed the Shs5m “bribe” given to MPs during the scrapping of presidential term limits said: “The timing of the Shs20m is suspicious. They can take their money. In any case, there is no time to do the monitoring.”
Kawempe South MP Ssebuliba Mutumba (DP), who also vowed to return the money, said he asked authorities in Parliament to explain why the money was in his account. “This country is bleeding. This is a bribe. It’s unfair to taxpayers. They want to compromise us and acquit Chogm thieves in government. This is madness and a black day in the history of our country,” Mr Ssebuliba said.
Kitgum Woman MP Beatrice Anywar and others from the opposition yesterday accused the government of blackmail. “How do I account for [the money]? This is bribery which should be condemned in the strongest terms,” she said.
Ms Anywar asked MPs to return the money and appealed to the electorate to vote out MPs who will take the money. This money constitutes about 5 per cent of this year’s Naads programme budget of Shs130b. Naads Executive Director Silim Nahdy, yesterday said: “I don’t know about any plan for MPs to monitor Naads.”
is done, some of us cannot be taken for a ride. Uganda has so many professionals who can supervise NAADS, but how do you give hungry hyena's a free catch like that when they are looking for votes? We have MPs who have to pay back this money to the consolidated fund. Assuming such MPs have out standing obligations with their banks what happens next. Isn't the bank at liberty to recover its money? Can they be able to pay back the shs 20m? For the NRM MPs who are playing in the devils hands, and are receiving the money with open hands, how will they deal with accountability if banks reduce this money given their indebtedness? Why is the NRM Government doing shameful things unconcerned? What picture does a Government by literate people give the international community when it gives such money and its credited on personal accounts?
To the Executive in Uganda, the reading is very clear, we deserve better.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
OPPOSITION MPs REJECT SHS 20M 'BRIBE'
By Yasiin Mugerwa & Mercy Nalugo (email the author)
Posted Thursday, January 20 2011 at 00:00
A handful of MPs yesterday rejected Shs20 million worth of taxpayers’ money wired to their personal bank accounts by the government two months to the end of their tenure in the 8th Parliament.
The money, coming 28 days to the elections, has been described as a “bribe” by opposition lawmakers, who vowed to return it to the Consolidated Fund. Others led by House Public Accounts Committee Chairman Nandala Mafabi said they would use it as evidence to sue the government.
“This is blood money, it’s a scandal of the year” Mr Mafabi said. “This is part of the Shs602 billion NRM MPs passed in the supplementary budget. They want to use Shs1.2 billion for 60 opposition MPs and bribe NRM MPs with Shs5.3 billion. We are taking the government to court since we now have evidence to pin President Museveni on bribery.”
“These people are shameless. They think they can trick us. The role of MPs is not to monitor government programmes; it’s entirely oversight. How many hospitals are these? How many drugs can be bought using Shs6.5 billion? How about the 320 women and children who die of malaria everyday? ”
The government on January 15 wired Shs6.5 billion to 326 MPs. According to payment vouchers Daily Monitor saw, the money was paid to “monitor government programmes.”
Finance Minister Syda Bbumba yesterday said it was given in “good faith”. “We paid this money to MPs across the board purposely to do their work and there is nothing unique or stealthy about this money.”
A day after the ruling party forced through a controversial supplementary budget of Shs602 billion, it emerged on January 5 that all NRM parliamentary flag bearers were to pocket Shs20million each. The 238 directly-elected aspirants shared Shs4.7b while the 112 district Women aspirants got Shs2.8b.
Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) who in 2004 exposed the Shs5m “bribe” given to MPs during the scrapping of presidential term limits said: “The timing of the Shs20m is suspicious. They can take their money. In any case, there is no time to do the monitoring.”
Kawempe South MP Ssebuliba Mutumba (DP), who also vowed to return the money, said he asked authorities in Parliament to explain why the money was in his account. “This country is bleeding. This is a bribe. It’s unfair to taxpayers. They want to compromise us and acquit Chogm thieves in government. This is madness and a black day in the history of our country,” Mr Ssebuliba said.
Kitgum Woman MP Beatrice Anywar and others from the opposition yesterday accused the government of blackmail. “How do I account for [the money]? This is bribery which should be condemned in the strongest terms,” she said.
Ms Anywar asked MPs to return the money and appealed to the electorate to vote out MPs who will take the money. This money constitutes about 5 per cent of this year’s Naads programme budget of Shs130b. Naads Executive Director Silim Nahdy, yesterday said: “I don’t know about any plan for MPs to monitor Naads.”
MUSEVENI HAS BLOCKED THE CHANCE OF UGANDANS GETTING A NEW LEADER THEY CAN SHOW LOVE AS WAS YUSUF LULE
It is not clear whether Ugandans will get an opportunity to have another leader they will show love as was the case was when the Late Prof. Yusuf Kironde Lule came to Uganda as President. President Museveni is currently not enjoying the reception that Ugandans would give a leader they have hope in. But because he is like indispensable to the people, they have no option but to go to meet him, express their wishes, and unfortunately, they see him as the sole provider. When he fails to deliver there is nothing to do but wait when he comes again and he is reminded about the promise he made. The President is funny, he is never in the wrong, he is quick at looking for a one to accuse for failing to deliver.
As we head towards the coming General Elections, I wish to share with the President of Uganda; General Yoweri Museveni that countries like Uganda are backward and will remain so simply because the leaders get off the norms. Whenever a leader imagines that he is indispensable, he is always right, he is at liberty to stand on the rights of the others, and he is free to tamper with constitutions as well as dish out taxpayer money because everybody sees him as the almighty provider, it is unfortunate that such a country is headed for no future. It is strong leaders like Museveni that instead eventually enslave the people in poverty. If someone were to get the value for money over what President Museveni Government has spent on since 1986, chances are that one would get a heart attack. The facts are there and some will be known in future when Museveni is out of office. For now, there is conflict with Buganda Government, but Museveni in his heart; does he think he is doing justice? If property belongs to Buganda Government and the central government denies Buganda the rent due to it, how on earth can I vote such a Government? Where is the justice? President Museveni should stop taking Ugandans for granted. Being so powerful and having an army which can even afford foreign missions is one reason that Ugandans are locked in poverty and after 25 years, he is promising what he would have done before completing 10 years. The reading on the wall is clear; out there when some people lose patience Uganda will get back to blood birth. The way forward is for Museveni to practice what he does preach, that is being patriotic. When people fixed the 2 term limits they were real brains and knew what they were doing, but because he is Commander in Chief does not make him right. He is wrong and should not have stood for President this time round. He has seen enough with problems of Uganda, and there are people capable of giving Uganda a new kick of life given opportunity.
Our Constitution says, all organs of state and people of Uganda shall work towards the promotion of national unity, peace and stability. There shall be established and nurtured institutions and procedures for the fair and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
We in Uganda are challenged to discover our collective responsibility for peace, we should realize the close link between peace and justice, peace and human rights, peace and constitutional rule, peace and economic development, peace and the happiness of every citizen.
We must recognize our common mandate for peace, form a common vision of a peaceful nation, and use all legal, constitutional and peaceful means available to resolve conflicts and ensure lasting peace.
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY
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