Ugandans abroad want a seat in Parliament

Monday Atigo, president Ugandan North American Association

Ugandans abroad, have urged Parliament to consider amending the constitution, to provide for their representation in the August House.

According  to Monday Atigo, the president Ugandan North American Association (UNAA), Ugandans living abroad play a great role in the development of the country's economy, through remittances to the government.

"As Ugandans living in the diaspora, we have issues that affect us, which we want our representative in parliament, to bring to light at the national assembly; we contribute a lot of money to the running of this economy, so we should be recognized," Atigo said.

Atigo made the remarks while addressing journalists in Kampala, to announce, the forthcoming 29th UNAA convention, scheduled to take place on September 1-3 at Intercontinental Hotel in Miami Florida US.

According to the latest report by the Bank of Uganda, Ugandans in the diaspora, contribute over a $1bn (sh3.6 trillion) to the economy, through remittances annually.

UNAA, also appealed to the government to ensure that Ugandans abroad, participate in national elections, by enabling them vote for their leaders while in the diaspora, without necessary coming back to Uganda for voting.

Promoting Health

Through UNAA, Atigo noted that the association had procured various health equipment worth over sh1b, to give to different health facilities across the country.

"We are looking at investing back home to make a difference in health, agriculture among other sectors, because if you don't have a health workforce, than that means the economy is doomed," Atigo said.

He noted that through resource mobilization, the association had donated machines and mattresses to hospitals in areas of Kamuli, Mayuge, Luweero, kasana among other areas to support health service delivery.

He added that association members from Buganda region had bought a mobile health van, which was donated to Buganda Kingdom, during the Buganda diaspora day, late December last year.

Kizza Zephaniah Seninde, the UNAA presidential special envoy to Uganda, told journalists, that the association had set up a model farm at Kikyusa village in Luweero district, to promote agriculture, which he said is the backbone of Uganda's economy.

The association however appealed to the government, to ensure awarding some contracts to Ugandans living abroad, who have capacity to provide technological support to projects like agriculture, health and roads construction.

" Many of our people living abroad, have acquired modern tech machines , but they have not been given any contracts,  a Ugandan living in the diaspora, recently bought machines to work on roads in  northern Uganda, but he was not given the contract, it was instead given to some inexperienced person who didn't have machines," Seninde said.