NSSF saga dominates again
Sep 12, 2008
FOR the third week running, Parliament was dominated by the purchase of land by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) from security minister Amama Mbabazi and businessman Amos Nzeyi at sh11b. MPs investigating the saga received anonymous calls and messages from people trying to influence the inqu
FOR the third week running, Parliament was dominated by the purchase of land by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) from security minister Amama Mbabazi and businessman Amos Nzeyi at sh11b. MPs investigating the saga received anonymous calls and messages from people trying to influence the inquiry. But the team led by John Odit warned that the sender would be tracked.
Consequently, Odit said state minister for local government Hope Mwesigye would appear before the committee on Monday to explain a message she allegedly sent on Monday to NRM Mps over the matter. Besides this, MPs also discovered papers showing how sh460m was transferred from Mbabazi’s account in Tropical Bank to his daughter’s account in the National Bank of Commerce.
The same letter highlighted that later sh410m was paid from the account of Mbabazi’s daughter Rachel, to Everlight College Bunga, a school belonging to Mrs. Suruma, the wife of the finance minister. According to the documents, the payments were reportedly made in February 7, 2008 before Suruma approved the NSSF deal. Odit said: “We received the documents from an anonymous person and we are going to subject them to verification. It’s useful information.â€
on Tuesday, the acting Solicitor General, Billy Kainamura said Mbabazi and Nzeyi were not to blame because NSSF flouted the procurement regulations.
students petition over fees
Makerere university private students on Thursday petitioned Parliament over exorbitant fees. Handing over the petition to deputy Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, Makerere University Concerned Students Association accused management of unnecessarily increasing functional and accommodation fees.
George Jjagwe said the fees had increased by over sh460,000 this year. “Private students should not be looked at as the only source of funding,†read the petition. The over 200 students also asked Parliament to make the institution account for monies accumulating from the development and technology fee paid by private students.
Govt to close clinics
Government is to crackdown on all clinics operated by nurses and doctors working in its hospitals, health minister Dr. Stephen Mallinga said on Tuesday. He said the ministry had reliable information that the medics steal drugs to stock their clinics. He said they were under instruction from the president to arrest medical staff stealing government drugs, and they had asked police to investigate the drug theft.
He added that the ministry had secured money to increase nurses’ salaries as a way of combating the habit. In future, government drugs will be labelled with inscriptions reading ‘government of Uganda, not for sale,’ he said.
Lyomoki in women’s ward
Workers MP Dr. Sam Lyomoki behaved in a questionable manner when he spent a night in the Masaba women’s ward at Mbale Hospital, Mbale resident district commissioner Moses Paul Lubowa told the committee probing the conduct of the Police.
He said Lyomoki was free to visit the workers, but he behaved in a disorderly manner when he refused to leave the hospital and slept in a women’s ward. He added that Lyomoki addressed hospital staff in the wards, which inconvenienced patients.
5% for parties
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) wants 5% of the national budget to be reserved for funding political parties. FDC vice-president Salaamu Musumba, told the legal and parliamentary affairs committee on Wednesday that parties were too poor to finance their activities.
She was giving their views on the proposed Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2008, which seeks to provide government funding for parties according to their numerical strength in Parliament. They also suggested that the funds be channelled to the parties’ bank accounts, instead of through the Electoral Commission.
KCC sh164b loan approved
On Thursday MPs authorised Government to borrow $100m (sh164b) from World Bank, for Kampala City Council (KCC). According to Ssekkono, the loan will be used to revamp poor road networks, drainage systems and draft a 10-year master development plan for the city.
Consequently, Odit said state minister for local government Hope Mwesigye would appear before the committee on Monday to explain a message she allegedly sent on Monday to NRM Mps over the matter. Besides this, MPs also discovered papers showing how sh460m was transferred from Mbabazi’s account in Tropical Bank to his daughter’s account in the National Bank of Commerce.
The same letter highlighted that later sh410m was paid from the account of Mbabazi’s daughter Rachel, to Everlight College Bunga, a school belonging to Mrs. Suruma, the wife of the finance minister. According to the documents, the payments were reportedly made in February 7, 2008 before Suruma approved the NSSF deal. Odit said: “We received the documents from an anonymous person and we are going to subject them to verification. It’s useful information.â€
on Tuesday, the acting Solicitor General, Billy Kainamura said Mbabazi and Nzeyi were not to blame because NSSF flouted the procurement regulations.
students petition over fees
Makerere university private students on Thursday petitioned Parliament over exorbitant fees. Handing over the petition to deputy Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, Makerere University Concerned Students Association accused management of unnecessarily increasing functional and accommodation fees.
George Jjagwe said the fees had increased by over sh460,000 this year. “Private students should not be looked at as the only source of funding,†read the petition. The over 200 students also asked Parliament to make the institution account for monies accumulating from the development and technology fee paid by private students.
Govt to close clinics
Government is to crackdown on all clinics operated by nurses and doctors working in its hospitals, health minister Dr. Stephen Mallinga said on Tuesday. He said the ministry had reliable information that the medics steal drugs to stock their clinics. He said they were under instruction from the president to arrest medical staff stealing government drugs, and they had asked police to investigate the drug theft.
He added that the ministry had secured money to increase nurses’ salaries as a way of combating the habit. In future, government drugs will be labelled with inscriptions reading ‘government of Uganda, not for sale,’ he said.
Lyomoki in women’s ward
Workers MP Dr. Sam Lyomoki behaved in a questionable manner when he spent a night in the Masaba women’s ward at Mbale Hospital, Mbale resident district commissioner Moses Paul Lubowa told the committee probing the conduct of the Police.
He said Lyomoki was free to visit the workers, but he behaved in a disorderly manner when he refused to leave the hospital and slept in a women’s ward. He added that Lyomoki addressed hospital staff in the wards, which inconvenienced patients.
5% for parties
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) wants 5% of the national budget to be reserved for funding political parties. FDC vice-president Salaamu Musumba, told the legal and parliamentary affairs committee on Wednesday that parties were too poor to finance their activities.
She was giving their views on the proposed Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2008, which seeks to provide government funding for parties according to their numerical strength in Parliament. They also suggested that the funds be channelled to the parties’ bank accounts, instead of through the Electoral Commission.
KCC sh164b loan approved
On Thursday MPs authorised Government to borrow $100m (sh164b) from World Bank, for Kampala City Council (KCC). According to Ssekkono, the loan will be used to revamp poor road networks, drainage systems and draft a 10-year master development plan for the city.