President Yoweri Museveni has for the first time spoken about the Shs20m cash bonanza extended to each MP in the COVID-19 fight.
Museveni during his 12th televised address said that he met the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga following controversies surrounding the Shs10bn supplementary budget that MPs 'silently' allocated to themselves.
Museveni said that this shs10bn cash bonanza has caused fury among the public and threatened government's efforts in combating the spread of COVID-19.
"I am very very thankful to Ugandans. They have responded well in a combative mood to fight the virus. But we were diverted by the Shs20m that MPs allocated to themselves. That shs20m is bad planning. We had planned it a certain way but then it was changed," Museveni said.
He added," That is not a good way. This money raises legal and constitutional issues which I don't want to go into here. The other thing is the moral side. It's morally unfair for MPs to give themselves money for personal use when the country is in such a crisis. It's totally unacceptable to me and the NRM."
Museveni said that when he met the Speaker, he advised them to sort out this matter and ensure that this money is appropriately spent for its intended purpose or else MPs will have to return the money if it is mismanaged.
"We agreed with the Speaker that the best way is not to spend that money on yourself. We agreed to take that money and donate it to the district Taskforce. Give it to the CAO who is the accounting officer," he said.
Museveni also warned MPs who had used the money to purchase items for government health facilities saying they will be audited by the Auditor-General. "I heard that some of the MPs went and bought things. But that is not good enough because they are not purchasing officers of government. But I appeal to Ugandans not to be angry, this will be sorted out. For those who took the money and gave it to the district Taskforce, Ugandans should forgive them, but those who turned into purchasing officers will be audited by the Auditor-General. And for those who spent the money for their personal gains, they will have to pay it back because it has been spent wrongly," Museveni said.
While chairing Plenary on Tuesday morning, Kadaga said that the Shs20m that is being returned by some MPs will still be sent to their respective COVID-19 district taskforces to serve my its purpose.
Museveni also expressed dissatisfaction with Police authorities who went hard on Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake for distributing food to his constituents but left NRM MPs who did the same in breach of National COVID-19 Taskforce guidelines.
"However, let's not be diverted by this, let's be united. One who spent the money must be condemned, one who became purchasing officer will have to be audited by OAG, one interfering with war by mixing with population contrary to guidelines can be warned. How do you arrest this fella-Zaake and you leave others of the NRM including the Ministers?" he said.
Some of the NRM MPs who were pictured distributing food to their voters include; Minister Rosemary Ssenidde, Minister Haruna Kasolo, Anifa Kawooya, Michael Tusiime, and others.
