MP uses sh20m COVID-19 cash to buy hand hoes
The President announced that people upcountry would not benefit from the Government programme of free food distribution to vulnerable Ugandans.
COVID-19 | FUND
Whereas many political representatives in urban areas are scratching their heads for answers on how to feed their people during the COVID-19 lockdown, the case is not the same with leaders especially Members of Parliament from rural areas, writes Daphrose Byiringiro.
It should be noted that as President Museveni announced the categories of people who will be affected by the lockdown, the upcountry peasants and farmers were exempted. This is because they would not in any way contravene the social distancing directive.
Also, the President announced that people upcountry would not benefit from the Government programme of free food distribution to vulnerable Ugandans.
To this end, the Dokolo North MP and vice-chairperson of Lango Parliamentary Group, Paul Amoru, has extended his support to Dokolo COVID-19 taskforce by giving them hand hoes.
Amoru said that he used the sh20m allocated to each MP to procure 2,500 hoes that would support peasant farmers in order to enhance production of food and cash crops in a bid to address the post-corona virus challenges and food insecurity.
In an April 24 letter, Amoru urged the district taskforce to target women as they distribute the hoes.
He further added that he was to contribute sh2m to rehabilitate water sources in Atidi town council, Okwalongwen sub-county, Adok sub-county, Bata town council, Amwoma sub-county and Dokolo sub-county.
These, he said, were to enable people have access to clean and safe water, especially during the COVID-19 time, where washing of hands with soap regularly was being emphasized.
"I will also give the district taskforce sh2m to support them during the logistics distribution of hand hoes across Dokolo North," Amoru said.
It should be noted that on Thursday, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, while addressing the parliamentary sitting, said that President Yoweri Museveni had allowed the allocation of sh20b to facilitate each MP as long as each of them accounted for its use.