Parliament endorses more Shs50b Covid funds for State House
A section of Uganda's Parliament premises. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- President Museveni November 10 defended Dr Musenero saying ''she is decorated scientist" that should be spared attacked.
Parliament has endorsed a State House request for an additional Shs50billion for development of a locally manufactured Covid-19 vaccine through the Presidential Scientific Initiative on Epidemics (PRESIDE).
Early this month, Ntungamo Municipality legislator Mr Yona Musinguzi alleged that the minister of Science and Technology, Dr Monica Musenero, misused over Shs31billion intended for the same cause and the matter is under a five-member parliament select committee probe.
The committee instituted last week by Parliament Deputy Speaker Anita Among is expected to furnish the House with a report after two weeks.
In a minority report submitted by the Butambala County lawmaker Mr Muwanga Kivumbi and co-authored by Mawogola South MP Gorreth Namugga and the Kira Municipality legislator Mr Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, opposition reasoned that a proper decision should only have been made upon completion of investigations.
“The Ministry of Science and Technology is under parliamentary investigation. This expenditure must be stayed. Otherwise, we shall breed impunity,” Mr Kivumbi said.
On Thursday, lawmaker Mr Yona Musinguzi demanded that Dr Musenero be stripped of her ministerial powers and privileges to allow smooth investigations.
Mr Musinnguzi claimed that Dr Musenero would use her powers to obstruct the process of inquiry.
Appearing before the budget committee Thursday evening, Dr Musenero denied swindling Shs31b as Mr Musinguzi alleges.
“The Covid funds passed by Parliament in a supplementary budget were handled by two accounting officers; the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations and the State House comptroller. This is in accordance to the guidance by the finance PS in a letter dated August 4, 2020,” Dr Musenero said.
She also told the committee members that Shs15billion of the Shs31billion was spent on procurement of equipment meant to support the vaccine development while the remainder was spent on operational costs.
President Museveni November 10 defended Dr Musenero saying ''she is decorated scientist" that should be spared attacked.
