Bobi Wine waits for government to collect his relief offer

Kyadondo East MP and presidential aspirant Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has said the Covid-19 national taskforce charged with distribution of relief assistance to the vulnerable has failed or refused to collect food and other items he has prepared for the people.

Speaking to Daily Monitor yesterday, Bobi Wine said by yesterday, the government national taskforce had not come to his office to pick the donations nor has it responded to his April 2-letter inviting them to collect the relief items.

“We intend to hand over several relief items to the national taskforce as part of our contribution to this cause. The items include posho (maize flour), beans, salt and soap. We request that you pick them up from our office,” Bobi Wine’s letter to the national taskforce reads in part.

The legislator said they had not received any communication on whether the items had been accepted or rejected by the government.

“We are still in touch with them and whether they come to pick it or not, we shall give our communication,” Bobi Wine said.

The Ministry of Health spokesperson, Mr Emmanuel Ainebyona, confirmed that they had received Mr Bobi Wine’s letter inviting them to collect the donations.

“They don’t need to get our response. Let them get clearance to transport the cargo to the office of the Prime Minister or bring it to the Ministry of Health,” Mr Ainebyoona said in a telephone interview yesterday.

Ban on private distribution
During his address to the nation last week, President Museveni banned politicians from distributing food to vulnerable people and vowed to have them charged with attempted murder.

“I direct police to arrest people who will be distributing food to people. That is looking for cheap popularity, because you’re going to make people gather, which is risky. You will be charged with attempted murder,” he said, adding that those who want to help should instead channel the relief items through the government’s national taskforce committee headed by Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda.

Last week, government started distribution of relief food to people in Kampala and Wakiso districtd despite Parliament’s order to halt the project and make it a nationwide exercise.

Makindye South MP Allan Ssewanyana yesterday said the government assistance may not cater for everybody and needs supplementary efforts by other partners
“There is fear that the method might become selective.

As we speak now there are people who are saying that they are getting beans but do not have charcoal to cook them, which is true because the charcoal is very expensive in this city.

That is where some of us would come in and give some small help in that regard without necessarily going through the national taskforce,” Mr Ssewanyana said yesterday.

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