Shs142b spent on enforcing lockdown

Government has spent up to Shs142b in enforcing the Covid-19 lockdown since the pandemic hit the country over a year ago, the parliamentary taskforce on Covid-19 response has revealed.

The report tabled before Parliament on Tuesday says this expense on enforcement contradicts the fact that government has not bought a single vaccine, but has relied on donations.

The report says in the 2019/2020 Financial Year, Shs92.23b was spent on enforcement of the lockdown while in the 2021/2022 financial year, Shs50 billion was allocated to the same.

The report, however, did not provide specifics on what exactly the money has been spent on. 

But sources in the committee who, spoke on condition of anonymity, said much of the money must have been sunk into shady allowances for top security officials.

Since the lockdown was announced, security forces have been accused of high handedness in enforcing the lockdown. 

The trigger-happy security personnel have been cited in a number of killings, while many have been captured brutalising Ugandans on account of not obeying the presidential directives on standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The MPs’ report also notes that whereas there is a deficit in the required budgetary allocation towards procurement of the much-needed vaccines worth to Shs365.9b, government is still spending huge sums of money on Covid-19 containment measures at the expense of mass vaccination.

Unavailable to respond on specifics
“Since the onset of Covid-19 in FY2019/2020, a total of Shs142.23b has been spent on enforcement of Covid-19 lockdown directives,” the report states.

Mr Abdu Katuntu, the committee chairperson, and Mr Dan Kimosho, the vice chairperson of the committee, were not available to explain what the money could have specifically been spent on. 

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga did not respond to our repeated calls to explain how the money could have been used in enforcing the lockdown. 

But an earlier audit report had implicated the security forces in bloating costs of operations during the lockdown, with both police and other security agencies implicated.

MPs call for audit

Mr Dickson Kateishumba, the Sheema Municipality MP, who is also a member of the committee, said the expenses on enforcement should have been used in provision of vaccination and other health related services.

“The view of the taskforce was that priority should have been on the procurement of vaccines. However, when we interacted with the officials from the Health ministry, they told us that the money was available but they could not get the vaccines. Nonetheless, the Auditor General should look into these expenses and carry out forensic audit to find out if there is value for money,” he said. 

Mr Bernard Odoi, the Eastern Youth MP, said several discrepancies were identified in expenses and called for stringent measures to stop the lapses. 

“We identified discrepancies in expenses and many issues were not adding up. We expect government and the Auditor General to look into these expenditure and demand value for money,” he said.