By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Samuel Odonga Otto, who is the Member of Parliament for Aruu county in Pader District, has lambasted government for enriching itself during the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis at the expense of the poor.
The legislator claims that although Museveni’s government has done a very good job in soliciting money and other aid from all corners of the country (Companies and individuals) and the international community, it has done minimal work on ground with the same.
The outspoken legislator also reminded Gov’t that it’s not only money that would fight COVID-19 but rather concerted efforts by all Ugandans.
Otto went bare knuckles with the state when he openly went unto his official social media handle and tweeted thus; “If money could fight COVID-19, it would be close to over by now, however all seem to have become a business,”the more positive cases, more lockdown more budget”. From inception GoU needed a call for volunteers,mask and disinfectants. Money can’t fight Covid 19 but people can,” he said.
Earlier this week, in an exclusive interview with NBSTV, President Museveni described MPs who alleged that he was using the pandemic to popularize his political interests as ‘Idiots’.
However, the same turned around this week and moved amotion to thank the president for a job well done in containing the disease.
Odonga Otto is a lawyer and politician in Uganda, who serves as the Member of Parliament for Aruu County Constituency in Pader District, in the Northern Region.
He has continuously represented that constituency since 2001 on Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket.
He made headlines recently after barring medics at Gulu Referral hospital to admit people infected with COVID-19, when he mobilized other leaders in Acholi sub-region to chase Ministry of Health officials who wanted to quarantine a truck driver at Gulu Hospital Isolation Centre.
It is said that after learning that an ambulance had been dispatched to transfer the COVID-19 patient to Gulu Referral Hospital, Odonga Otto recorded a video and posted it on social media at about 8:00 Pm mobilizing Acholi leaders to immediately rush and block the ambulance before it delivered the patient to Gulu.
The video that was wildly circulated within a short time forced the leaders to rush and intercept the vehicle around Minakulu trading centre, before they forced it to turn to Kampala.
