3rd term cash not from tax â€" Buturo

Oct 28, 2004

THE National Resistance Movement (NRM) is funding its promoters in Parliament, in a bid to popularise the White Paper in the countryside.

By Alfred Wasike
THE National Resistance Movement (NRM) is funding its promoters in Parliament, in a bid to popularise the White Paper in the countryside.
Information state minister Dr. James Nsaba Buturo said yesterday, “I assure you that it is not taxpayers’ money. It is money that the NRM leadership has mobilised for its members from our friends. It is wrong to make an issue of it.”
He did not disclose the friends.
“I challenge anyone to produce evidence that we are using taxpayers’ money to facilitate NRM promoters. This is to make it clear that the funds mobilised and given to NRM promoters are not from the Consolidated Fund,” Buturo said at the weekly Government press briefing. Present was the ministry’s director of information, Dr.Okullu Mura.
“The Government is concerned that a culture of fear of change is slowly gripping some individuals and political groups that have for long demanded change in the way our country is governed,” he said, adding that the opposition was not ready for the change it clamoured for.
The New Vision yesterday reported that MPs who support the removal of presidential term limits and opening up of political space were given sh5m as facilitation to consult their constituents on the White Paper.
NRMO vice-chairman Bidandi Ssali said on phone that Movement parliamentary caucus chairman Charles Bakabulindi, gave the impression that the money came from NRM.
“That is not true. That money is not NRM money and Mosa Court is not our office. I am not aware of MPs doing NRM work. The impression that it was NRM money should be corrected,” Bidandi said.
Buturo said, “It is not true that money has been given to MPs so that they support the proposal to lift the presidential term limit. It has been given to NRM promoters to go to the countryside and explain the contents of the White Paper. The allegation is MPs are being bribed. How can NRM buy its members?”
He said the Democratic Party, Forum for Democratic Change, Uganda People’s Congress and others, received funding from external and internal sources to finance their activities.
He added, “Those complaining are the same people who clamoured for a return to pluralism. What the NRM has done is an indication that it is way ahead of other organisations, as it prepares for the transition process.”
On the reform of the judiciary, Buturo said, “The Government assures the people of Uganda that it has no intention of undermining the independence of the judiciary. There are cases that the Government has won in the same courts of law.” Museveni recently announced that he would establish a commission to probe the judiciary.
On Bidandi Ssali, Buturo said, “All NRM promoters are bound by the resolutions of the NEC at Kyankwanzi and the National Conference. He (Bidandi) is a vice-chairman and is duty-bound by the decisions of the NRM whether they agree with his conscience or not. He is a very important member and we need him.”
On homosexuality and ebimansulo (nude dances), he said the Police had been directed to investigate and take action against homosexual organisations and proprietors of buildings that host ebimansulo.
Ends

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