By Spy Uganda
As a way of justifying Shs10Bn that was last week dished out to Members of Parliament to help them in the fight against Coronavirus (COVID-19), the government of Uganda on Friday formally incorporated MPs into the National COVID-19 Task Force.
We have established from credible sources that President Yoweri Museveni, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda on Wednesday met, agreed and resolved to integrate the community receptive MPs to the national and district COVID-19 Task forces in their various districts of origin.
The State House meeting was followed by the Parliamentary Commission
convention on Thursday morning that came out with guidelines for the legislators to actively join the fight against the pandemic.
The meeting resolved the following;
That Constituency MPs and district women representatives are incorporated
into respective District Task forces and special interest group MPs; youth, people with disabilities, UPDF and workers also be part of the National Task Force.
As a result of this, MPs are to spend the Shs20m on the intended interventions meant to support the national response in their respective districts.
The MPs are also to harmonize with respective District Task forces on the
utilization of the money on food relief, medical intervention and
capacity building.
The meeting also agreed that accountability for the money compiled by the MPs shall be copied to the respective CAOs and the original receipts sent to the Parliament’s Accounting Officer.
The Parliamentary Commission this week deposited Shs20m on every MP’s account despite a court injunction filed by MPs Gerald Karuhanga and Jonathan Odur barring the same.
