‘Katumba Not Authorised To Collect Money’

THE Ministry of Finance did not give a licence to the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, to collect money for the Force, finance minister Gerald Ssendaula told Parliament yesterday, reports Joyce Namutebi.“We had not given him licence to do that - collect money,” Ssendaula told the budget committee chaired by James Mwandha.One MP was heard saying “our cheque” after the minister made the comments. The MPs recently gave Katumba Wamala over sh60m after he appealed to them on transport for the Police.Ssendaula appeared before the committee to give his response on the “macro-economic plan and indicative budget framework for fiscal year 2002/03-2004/05.”The committee had expressed concern over underfunding of the Police Force.“The committee was concerned about the consistent underfunding of Police, which has prompted the Inspector General of Police to carry out several fundraising drives, yet for a very important department, there is a risk that such fundraising from private and non-government sources may compromise the activities of the Police,” the report said.It recommended that Government should give priority when allocating resources to cushion the Police from being compromised. Ssendaula in his response said, “PAF is a temporary government intervention to achieve specific objectives. “The Police Force falls under the Justice, Law and Order sector and we are negotiating with donors for additional support.”Katumba Wamala told The New Vision yesterday “I didn’t know there is need for a licence to fundraise, I have achieved my objective. That is the bottom line,” he said. The committee in its report identified fire fighting equipment, Police vehicles and communication, DNA equipment and Prisons communication equipment as key unfunded activities for the financial year 2002/03 and medium term framework.Ends