State House wants chopper
May 02, 2006
THE Government is seeking sh11.6b for a new presidential helicopter. President Yoweri Museveni’s Mi-172 military helicopter crashed last July while returning former Sudan Vice-President Dr. John Garang to his base in New Site, in southern Sudan.
By Mary Karugaba & H. Mukasa
THE Government is seeking sh11.6b for a new presidential helicopter. President Yoweri Museveni’s Mi-172 military helicopter crashed last July while returning former Sudan Vice-President Dr. John Garang to his base in New Site, in southern Sudan.
Presidency minister Dr. Beatrice Wabudeya told the parliamentary committee on presidential and foreign affairs that the $3.3m (sh6.1b) insurance compensation by the National Insurance Corporation was banked on the consolidated account.
“The insurance money is not for buying a new chopper,†Wabudeya said while responding to a question by committee chief Margaret Zziwa on why the NIC insurance cover monies should not be used.
Zziwa wanted to know why the budget for the plane had been categorised among the “un-funded prioritiesâ€.
“It (insurance money) is public funds that went into the Consolidated Fund. People should not imagine that that money was given to State House. It’s catering for more pressing needs like the renovation of the Entebbe State House,†Wabudeya explained.
Referring to the helicopter crash probe report, which blamed pilot error for the accident, the committee asked Wabudeya to say whether the ministry had allocated money for training the President’s crew and emolument.
Wabudeya also requested for sh2b for insurance and maintenance of the presidential jet and sh1.4b to enhance its vision equipment.
Zziwa (above) asked the minister what arrangements had been made to transport heads of government who will attend the CHOGM in 2007.
Wabudeya said a committee chaired by Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya had been set up to handle the matter.
She dismissed reports that Museveni would vacate the State Lodge for the Queen who is expected to open CHOGM.
Wabudeya said the State House needed sh3b to purchase houses neighbouring State Lodge Nakasero as a security measure.
THE Government is seeking sh11.6b for a new presidential helicopter. President Yoweri Museveni’s Mi-172 military helicopter crashed last July while returning former Sudan Vice-President Dr. John Garang to his base in New Site, in southern Sudan.
Presidency minister Dr. Beatrice Wabudeya told the parliamentary committee on presidential and foreign affairs that the $3.3m (sh6.1b) insurance compensation by the National Insurance Corporation was banked on the consolidated account.
“The insurance money is not for buying a new chopper,†Wabudeya said while responding to a question by committee chief Margaret Zziwa on why the NIC insurance cover monies should not be used.
Zziwa wanted to know why the budget for the plane had been categorised among the “un-funded prioritiesâ€.
“It (insurance money) is public funds that went into the Consolidated Fund. People should not imagine that that money was given to State House. It’s catering for more pressing needs like the renovation of the Entebbe State House,†Wabudeya explained.
Referring to the helicopter crash probe report, which blamed pilot error for the accident, the committee asked Wabudeya to say whether the ministry had allocated money for training the President’s crew and emolument.
Wabudeya also requested for sh2b for insurance and maintenance of the presidential jet and sh1.4b to enhance its vision equipment.
Zziwa (above) asked the minister what arrangements had been made to transport heads of government who will attend the CHOGM in 2007.
Wabudeya said a committee chaired by Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya had been set up to handle the matter.
She dismissed reports that Museveni would vacate the State Lodge for the Queen who is expected to open CHOGM.
Wabudeya said the State House needed sh3b to purchase houses neighbouring State Lodge Nakasero as a security measure.