MPs reject govt request for Shs184b to revamp railway
A man travels in a train in Kampala recently.PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The repairs are contained in the contract between URC and China Railways and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
Opposition lawmakers on the parliamentary budget committee have strongly opposed and rallied their counterparts in the House not to approve Shs184.823billion government intends to splash on emergency repairs on the on the Malaba-Kampala Railway line.
The repairs are contained in the contract between Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) and China Railways and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
In the minority report on the Shs3.8trillion supplementary budget request that government recently presented to the budget committee for approval, the lead writer of the report and Butambala county Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Muwanga Kivumbi said the contractor undermined rightful procedures.
“The company didn’t even go through any competitive bidding. Its only credential is that it operated in Kenya and has nothing to show it has capacity and capability to do such works,” Mr kivumbi said.
The recommendation to oppose the request is contained in the same report co-authored by the Kira Municipality Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and Mawogola South MP Gorreth Namugga
The budget committee also rejected a Shs11.423billion request by the Office of the President that was earmarked to cover the outstanding PAYE and Withholding Tax (WHT) for the Commission of inquiry into Land matters.
“As such, there is no justification for additional funding,” Mr Patrick Isiagi, the committee chairperson said late last week.
Defending the decision, Mr Isiagi said government should have deducted the PAYE and WHT directly from the salaries of the beneficiaries at the time of payments.
In 2016, President Museveni instituted the Commission of inquiry into Land Matters that was chaired by Court of Appeal Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.
The budget committee also declined to approve the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development’s Shs21.25billion request that was planned for compensation to the Anglican Church for the land at Entebbe and currently occupied by government facilities including Headquarters of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture.
“The verification and ascertainment of the actual outstanding amount of money to Church of Uganda is still ongoing and as such not yet concluded- and further the ministry requested for more time to come up with the actual outstanding amount,” Mr Isiagi said.
He added: “The Committee therefore declines approval of Shs21.25billion until the actual outstanding amount has been confirmed.”
