MPs mourn accident victims

May 15, 2009

Tempers flared on Wednesday, over the tragedy that hit again this week as road accidents claimed over 20 people.

Tempers flared on Wednesday, over the tragedy that hit again this week as road accidents claimed over 20 people.

MPs observed a moment of silence for the repose of the souls of the dead on the request of Speaker Edward Ssekandi.

Mary Karooro (NRM) noted that the resurgence of “grisly accidents” was due to the recklessness of the bus and taxi drivers and associated it to messages displayed on the buses.

The Bushenyi MP said buses plying the western route have messages like; ‘No one can overtake me’, ‘Flying shuttle’, ‘Catch me if you can’. “Drivers are called pilots and they fly the vehicles. The messages must be changed and replaced with more positive ones,” Karooro advised.

Internal affairs state minister Matia Kasaija said the Government and the Police would ensure that drivers comply with speed limits.

MPs call for firing squad for the corrupt
Some hope dawned on the House on knowing that the corrupt would soon face a huge blow.

The Anti Corruption law started taking shape as debate on the new law began with MPs calling for firing squad for those found guilty of massive corruption.

Nandala Mafabi (FDC) who also referred to habitual absentee MPs as exercising a form of corruption, said the death sentence would deal with officials who sign contracts knowing that they are not in public interest.

Most MPs supported the Anti-Corruption Bill that was presented to Parliament last year by ethics and integrity minister Dr James Nsaba Buturo. While some described the law as timely, others expressed reservation that like most good laws passed in the past, this one too could collect dust on the shelves.

The Bill seeks to provide for a more effective method of preventing corruption in both the public and private sector. It provides for investigation, prosecution and confiscation of tainted property. It also provides for protection of witnesses and whistle
blowers.

CMI land not for Sudhir, says Kiyonga
The case of the controversial piece of land occupied by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and claimed by city tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia made its way to Parliament this week with defence minister Crispus Kiyonga saying Sudhir had never acquired the land.

He said Sudhir’s claim over the land was not genuine, because the Government had never sold that land to him.

Kiyonga told the defence and internal affairs committee that the Government had given the land to the Kenyan government in exchange for another piece at the coastal port of Mombasa.

In a related development, Sudhir was up in arms against claims by the Uganda Revenue Authority that he received tax waivers from the tax body.

Appearing before the commissions, statutory and state enterprise committee, the property mogul denied that the Government had cancelled tax arrears of sh26b, which his company, Meera Investment had accumulated over the years.

Sudhir told MPs that the taxes were never due because they were covered by the tax incentive the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) had extended to his company in 1995.

Traders call for a probe into KCC license fees
The Kampala business community, under their umbrella organisation, Kampala City Traders’ Association (KACITA), has asked Parliament to investigate Kampala City Council over unlawful license fees imposed on traders.

The traders demand for a review of the Trade (Licensing) Act, 1969 to rationalise the cost of doing business and also an investigation on the legality of the exorbitant trade licensing fees that they have been paying since 2000 when the Act was updated by the Law Reform Commission.

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Next Week...

Reports of the Uganda Human Rights Commission 1999-2007 is expected to be presented to the House by the legal and parliamentary affairs committee.
The budget committee shall also report on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework paper 2009/2010. The House also expects a loan request for sustainable management of mineral resources project and a report on the economic partnership agreement.

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