By Mary Karugaba

MPs on the budget committee have questioned the sh12b supplementary budget being requested by the Police to purchase operational equipment.

Discussing the finance ministry’s reviewed supplementary budget schedule, the MPs discovered that the money was needed for buying specialised anti-riot, fire fighting and other operational equipment.

According to finance minister Syda Bbumba, the Police Force had signed a four-year contract with a Chinese government firm to supply the items in the 2009/10 financial year.

“Acquisition of the above will enable the Police Force to effectively respond to security and emergency humanitarian situations,” Bbumba told the legislators.

The Police are also requesting Parliament to authorise them to spend sh4b collected as non-tax revenue to purchase 41 patrol vehicles, 24 traffic patrol cars, 24 surveillance cars, 400 motorcycles, two buses, two omni-buses and 13 administration cars.

The MPs, however, questioned the urgency of the deal and wondered why it was never included in the budget.

“A supplementary budget is supposed to address emergencies. This is a lot of money yet we have no drugs in the hospitals,” remarked John Odit (UPC).

The MPs also discovered that State House needs sh12b to settle outstanding arrears for the old presidential jet debt service. The jet was recently sold at $10m.
MPs criticised the presidential affairs committee chairperson, Gerald Menhya, for failing to question the conflicting figures and the items budgeted for twice.

Cecilia Ogwal (UPC) wondered why Menhya did not question the sh2.9b rent owed to private entities under security and demanded that the entities be revealed for accountability purposes.

Menhya’s advice to summon the Minister for the Presidency fell on deaf ears.

The legislators were also surprised to learn that instead of reviewing the budget, more items were added in, pushing the budget to over sh450b.

The MPs questioned sh1.5b needed to fund Phenix Logistics, a private textile firm, saying the company should instead get money from private banks.