Extravagant MPs

ETHICS MINISTER Miria Matembe has blasted 13 MPs and two parliamentary clerks for setting off on a jaunt to London and Belarus to investigate the chopper scandal. The MPs are annoyed with her but Matembe is right. Everyone wants accountability in Uganda but is this the right way to go about it? Firstly, a judicial commission of enquiry under Justice Ssebutinde is about to start investigating the chopper deal. The MPs are duplicating her work. Secondly, as Matembe pointed out, virtually all the documents and information are already available in Kampala. How much extra will the MPs come up with? In any case, does it need 13 MPs and two clerks? Could not four MPs have done the work? This trip will cost at least sh100m. The MPs will need to come up with some pretty hot information to justify that kind of money. Shilling still strong THE BANK of Uganda intervened this week to stop the Uganda shilling appreciating and bought US dollars at around sh1,750. This is good business and good management. Good business because the central bank will have made a profit selling at 1850/- and buying at 1750/-. Good management because it is smoothing out currency fluctuations which make life difficult for businessmen. The central bank may believe that the shilling had appreciated too far according to economic fundamentals but the recent rise shows that there is still life in the shilling. The recent decline in the world oil price, the return of fish exports, and a slight rise in coffee prices have all helped to boost the shilling. The day the shilling exchanges at 2,000 to the dollar is still far off. Ends