What people say about the arrest of ministers
May 23, 2007
FORMER ministers of state for health Mike Mukula and Alex Kamugisha were arrested on Tuesday. They were later charged with abuse office over donor funds and remanded to Luzira Prison.
FORMER ministers of state for health Mike Mukula and Alex Kamugisha were arrested on Tuesday. They were later charged with abuse office over donor funds and remanded to Luzira Prison. Geresom Musamali sought the views of the public in Kampala
Swaib Mubajje (Businessman):
Muhwezi did not just slip away. That is their trick. They did not want to humiliate their fellow bush war fighter so they arranged with him to disappear and report to police on his own later.
Elina Ng’ondo Kyomugisa (City worker): Someone must have eaten that money. The people in power are always tampering with money meant to help the poor. But now they are involved in a drama to make us think that the Government is genuinely tackling the corruption problem.
Deo Ssemakula (bodaboda cyclist):
The GAVI suspects should be handled with an iron hand. Our children are dying and we are ourselves unable to make a living, because a few people who have access to national resources misuse them and deprive all of us of opportunity. The GAVI money was meant for immunisation and since they used it for politics, they should first refund, it then serve a tough prison sentence.
Betty Namwaka Ongom (Ripe banana seller):
I do not understand those things. I just sell my bananas to provide for my children. But if there is such money anywhere and somebody took my share, then let him just repay it.
Geoffrey Wairagara (Radio sets vendor):
In both the central government and local administrations, there are hordes of thieves lurking around. The guys who come across government money simply deep their hands in the coffers. The KCC people also come to collect empooza which they take to some unknown place. I think the problem has to be handled in every place, not just in the health sector.
Taxi driver unwilling to give name:
We wake up very early and return home very late. We pay taxes which we sometimes do not understand. We do not even know where that money goes. I really do not know what should be done to solve the problem. May be if we prosecute a few people, others can learn a lesson.
Richard Mathias Okumu (Newspaper vendor):
If it is true that they have embezzled, then the Government is free to follow them up. But the Government should look further and get everybody who was involved. Otherwise a few people will be persecuted in the name of prosecution.
Patrick Baliddawa (Former Kibaale RDC):
The people of Soroti (where Capt. Mike Mukula comes from) have already set the mood for our reaction on this problem. They are not in for a demonstration just because they want to protect Mukula. They also want Gen. Muhwezi arrested so that he is treated in the same way as their Soroti leader is being treated. They hope that court will accordingly absolve those who are innocent. But I also do not buy the idea that the Government helped Muhwezi to disappear. This man was a head of the intelligence system in Uganda for long. He must have known what was going on and chose his own option before the Government could catch him.
James Wakibuku (Barman):
We should not prejudge the process. Let all the suspects face the due process of the law. They should be able to prove themselves innocent if they did not touch the money.
Swaib Mubajje (Businessman):
Muhwezi did not just slip away. That is their trick. They did not want to humiliate their fellow bush war fighter so they arranged with him to disappear and report to police on his own later.
Elina Ng’ondo Kyomugisa (City worker): Someone must have eaten that money. The people in power are always tampering with money meant to help the poor. But now they are involved in a drama to make us think that the Government is genuinely tackling the corruption problem.
Deo Ssemakula (bodaboda cyclist):
The GAVI suspects should be handled with an iron hand. Our children are dying and we are ourselves unable to make a living, because a few people who have access to national resources misuse them and deprive all of us of opportunity. The GAVI money was meant for immunisation and since they used it for politics, they should first refund, it then serve a tough prison sentence.
Betty Namwaka Ongom (Ripe banana seller):
I do not understand those things. I just sell my bananas to provide for my children. But if there is such money anywhere and somebody took my share, then let him just repay it.
Geoffrey Wairagara (Radio sets vendor):
In both the central government and local administrations, there are hordes of thieves lurking around. The guys who come across government money simply deep their hands in the coffers. The KCC people also come to collect empooza which they take to some unknown place. I think the problem has to be handled in every place, not just in the health sector.
Taxi driver unwilling to give name:
We wake up very early and return home very late. We pay taxes which we sometimes do not understand. We do not even know where that money goes. I really do not know what should be done to solve the problem. May be if we prosecute a few people, others can learn a lesson.
Richard Mathias Okumu (Newspaper vendor):
If it is true that they have embezzled, then the Government is free to follow them up. But the Government should look further and get everybody who was involved. Otherwise a few people will be persecuted in the name of prosecution.
Patrick Baliddawa (Former Kibaale RDC):
The people of Soroti (where Capt. Mike Mukula comes from) have already set the mood for our reaction on this problem. They are not in for a demonstration just because they want to protect Mukula. They also want Gen. Muhwezi arrested so that he is treated in the same way as their Soroti leader is being treated. They hope that court will accordingly absolve those who are innocent. But I also do not buy the idea that the Government helped Muhwezi to disappear. This man was a head of the intelligence system in Uganda for long. He must have known what was going on and chose his own option before the Government could catch him.
James Wakibuku (Barman):
We should not prejudge the process. Let all the suspects face the due process of the law. They should be able to prove themselves innocent if they did not touch the money.