Muhwezi censure collapses
Sep 16, 2005
THE move to censure health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi over the mismanagement of the Global Fund for AIDS has hit a snag.
By Apollo Mubiru and
Mariam Nalukuuma
THE move to censure health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi over the mismanagement of the Global Fund for AIDS has hit a snag.
Muhwezi is in office and working normally.
Chief petitioner Issa Kikungwe (Kyadondo South) yesterday told journalists at Parliament that some MPs who had signed the petition had asked him to delay its submission to the Speaker.
Kikungwe said he had 113 signatures but refused to display the list. He needed at least one-third of the 304 MPs for the petition to succeed.
“We have had a meeting. Some MPs who signed have asked me to halt submitting the petition, contemplating whether to wait for the report from the commission of inquiry into the saga,†Kikungwe said.
Wilfred Kajeke, Kikungwe’s partner, earlier said they would submit the petition yesterday. Kikungwe said he was pushing for the censure of Muhwezi because the global fund was suspended after serious irregularities emerged following a report. He cited other cases of “misconduct†by Muhwezi.
The parliamentary rules of procedure give a petitioner 10 working days to submit the petition after serving the Speaker with a notice.
But Kikungwe said, “The ten days do not apply because Parliament has been on recess. We cannot submit since we still have time.â€
He said, “We are having a meeting on Monday to see the next step.
Asked whether they had failed to censure Muhwezi, Kikungwe said, “We are being strategic because the next move requires more support. We must have at least 150 MPs on our side to submit this petition.â€
He said they were collecting documentary evidence that would help them sail their motion through.
“We are not victimising any person, but it looks like some MPs are not aware of the implications of signing the petition. If you don’t sign, you may have been compromised or benefited from the global funds,†Kikungwe said.
Meeting a WHO AIDS official, Jim Kim, in Kampala yesterday, Muhwezi refused to comment on the censure bid.
Instead, Kim and Muhwezi talked about Uganda’s success story in AIDS management.
Kim called on Makerere University to take the lead in HIV research in Africa.
Muhwezi accepted an invitation from Kim to attend an AIDS conference in Nigeria soon.
He said Uganda was ready to share its views and experience.
He said Uganda’s HIV programmes would be made available in books for the rest of the world.
Muhwezi was censured in the past for “improper†conduct.
Ends
Mariam Nalukuuma
THE move to censure health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi over the mismanagement of the Global Fund for AIDS has hit a snag.
Muhwezi is in office and working normally.
Chief petitioner Issa Kikungwe (Kyadondo South) yesterday told journalists at Parliament that some MPs who had signed the petition had asked him to delay its submission to the Speaker.
Kikungwe said he had 113 signatures but refused to display the list. He needed at least one-third of the 304 MPs for the petition to succeed.
“We have had a meeting. Some MPs who signed have asked me to halt submitting the petition, contemplating whether to wait for the report from the commission of inquiry into the saga,†Kikungwe said.
Wilfred Kajeke, Kikungwe’s partner, earlier said they would submit the petition yesterday. Kikungwe said he was pushing for the censure of Muhwezi because the global fund was suspended after serious irregularities emerged following a report. He cited other cases of “misconduct†by Muhwezi.
The parliamentary rules of procedure give a petitioner 10 working days to submit the petition after serving the Speaker with a notice.
But Kikungwe said, “The ten days do not apply because Parliament has been on recess. We cannot submit since we still have time.â€
He said, “We are having a meeting on Monday to see the next step.
Asked whether they had failed to censure Muhwezi, Kikungwe said, “We are being strategic because the next move requires more support. We must have at least 150 MPs on our side to submit this petition.â€
He said they were collecting documentary evidence that would help them sail their motion through.
“We are not victimising any person, but it looks like some MPs are not aware of the implications of signing the petition. If you don’t sign, you may have been compromised or benefited from the global funds,†Kikungwe said.
Meeting a WHO AIDS official, Jim Kim, in Kampala yesterday, Muhwezi refused to comment on the censure bid.
Instead, Kim and Muhwezi talked about Uganda’s success story in AIDS management.
Kim called on Makerere University to take the lead in HIV research in Africa.
Muhwezi accepted an invitation from Kim to attend an AIDS conference in Nigeria soon.
He said Uganda was ready to share its views and experience.
He said Uganda’s HIV programmes would be made available in books for the rest of the world.
Muhwezi was censured in the past for “improper†conduct.
Ends