Compulsory milk programme in schools a mockery of poor parents – clergy 

Two Anglican priests in Soroti Diocese have described as a mockery plans by government to introduce compulsory milk intake in schools.
 Rev Naphtali Opwata, the provost for St Peter’s Cathedral and Rev Emmanuel Elianu, who led Sunday service at St Peter’s Cathedral in Soroti City, accused government of double standards, saying  it had already opposed a proposal by parents to have meals served at school.

 Under the new government compulsory milk feeding programme, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja says parents will pay Shs20,000 for each learner to have the milk. 
Rev Opwata said it is unfortunate for government to assume that parents will be able to afford the milk at school when they can’t afford it at home.
 He also said if the government had fully compensated the Iteso over the stolen cattle, they would not be having any problem with the government programme.
“This is a mockery, and trying to remind us of our stolen cows, milk was not a problem to us when we had our cows,” Rev Opwata said.

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The President launched the compensation process in February with a start-up pay kit of Shs50 billion for Teso, Lango and Acholi sub-regions. However, the money has not been reflected in the current financial year.
He said when formulating policies, the plight of the majority poor should be given due consideration.
“I don’t have a problem with the rich, I have a problem with how some of them get their money, especially those who get our votes and later turn to bully us,” he said.
 Rev Elianu scorned government projects, reasoning that some are brought up without prior knowledge of where the money to run them will come from.

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 “Look, they have brought the Parish Development Model but there is no money,” he said.  Rev Elianu said the promoters of the milk project could be those who have failed to find a market for their milk and now want to  coerce the parents to pay for it.
Many districts have reported receiving less funds under the programme in the last quarter of the financial year.
 He said a bigger debate of ideas should be ignited as to ask why several government interventions have failed to deliver Ugandans out of poverty.
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BACKGROUND
A joint planning meeting held last week resolved that the new government compulsory milk feeding programme will be starting this term in 13 local government schools in Mukono, Kampala and Wakiso and will be rolled out to the rest of the country in January. Government has secured a partnership with SNV Uganda, a Netherlands development organisation, to provide subsidised milk.