House begins probe into Police conduct
Jul 18, 2008
THE long-awaited probe into the police force finally took off on Thursday under the chairmanship of Peter Nyombi. Barely had the meeting started, however, than members disagreed on the terms of reference, saying major issues had been left out.
THE long-awaited probe into the police force finally took off on Thursday under the chairmanship of Peter Nyombi. Barely had the meeting started, however, than members disagreed on the terms of reference, saying major issues had been left out.
They said they had been restricted to investigating recruitment and training of cadets in 2007, promotion criteria and procedures and to establish whether those activities were done transparently and in accordance with the constitution and other laws. They are also to probe the handling of MPs Suzan Nampijja, Nabilah Ssempala and Dr. Sam Lyomoki and present a report to Parliament in 40 days.
Sh253m to repair CHOGM cars
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked for sh253m to repair the 30 CHOGM BMWs procured last year. Debating the ministry’s policy statement for the new financial year on Thursday, the presidential and foreign affairs committee queried how state-of-the –art cars that were used for only four days could require repairs so soon and why it was foreign affairs requesting for the money, when the cars are now managed by the works ministry.
MPs asked for a breakdown of the sh120b that was given to the ministry for CHOGM. The Mps also heard that Brussels had pleaded with the Government to either repair or demolish Uganda’s embassy there, because it had become a den of thieves.
Budo parents doubt police
Parents who lost their children in the Budo inferno told a press conference at Parliament that they had lost confidence in the police. They said this was due to its failure to report its findings on the fire.
While they hold the police in high esteem, they stated, “there is little to show that they have adequate capacity to investigate the matter with the urgency it needs,†said Edgar Barigye, the chairperson of the Parents’ Brigade. They demanded an independent investigation into the causes of school fires, which proposal Parliament rejected last month. Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said the Police and other security organs were handling the matter.
Minister Onek gets his priorities wrong
Putting the cart before the horse, is what minister Hilary Onek did, when he appeared before the agriculture committee to defend his ministry’s budget on Monday.
Having failed to appear earlier, Onek stated that he was destined for Kalangala to launch works on a road that would help improve agricultural activities. He wanted to delegate the matter to his deputy, Bright rwamirama.
But opposition Chief Whip Kassiano Wadri criticised Onek for undermining them and John Odit asked: “Do you think MPs can be tossed up and down?†He wondered why works minister John Nasasira was not the one commissioning road works. Onek had to apologise. He sent fisheries minister Fred Mukisa to Kalangala.
Rugunda’s policy statement rejected
Internal affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda’s policy statement was rejected by MPs on Wednesday on grounds that it had a lot of inconsistencies. The chairperson, Mathias Kasamba, noted: “The minister was busy with the peace talks in Juba. He might have left it to the juniors because it seems most of the issues where copied from past reports given the way they are phrased.â€
No funds for LC polls
It emerged that the Electoral commission does not have funds to carry out local council elections. The chairman, Eng. Badru Kiggundu, told the legal committee chaired by Steven Tashobya that the finance ministry had declined to release the sh15.03b they had planned to spend on LC1 and LC2 elections this year.
Kiggundu said they had planned to hold the polls early, so as to embark on preparations of the 2010/2011 general elections. This also affects Rubaga Division, whose chairperson, Winnie Makumbi, died early this year.
They said they had been restricted to investigating recruitment and training of cadets in 2007, promotion criteria and procedures and to establish whether those activities were done transparently and in accordance with the constitution and other laws. They are also to probe the handling of MPs Suzan Nampijja, Nabilah Ssempala and Dr. Sam Lyomoki and present a report to Parliament in 40 days.
Sh253m to repair CHOGM cars
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked for sh253m to repair the 30 CHOGM BMWs procured last year. Debating the ministry’s policy statement for the new financial year on Thursday, the presidential and foreign affairs committee queried how state-of-the –art cars that were used for only four days could require repairs so soon and why it was foreign affairs requesting for the money, when the cars are now managed by the works ministry.
MPs asked for a breakdown of the sh120b that was given to the ministry for CHOGM. The Mps also heard that Brussels had pleaded with the Government to either repair or demolish Uganda’s embassy there, because it had become a den of thieves.
Budo parents doubt police
Parents who lost their children in the Budo inferno told a press conference at Parliament that they had lost confidence in the police. They said this was due to its failure to report its findings on the fire.
While they hold the police in high esteem, they stated, “there is little to show that they have adequate capacity to investigate the matter with the urgency it needs,†said Edgar Barigye, the chairperson of the Parents’ Brigade. They demanded an independent investigation into the causes of school fires, which proposal Parliament rejected last month. Minister Ruhakana Rugunda said the Police and other security organs were handling the matter.
Minister Onek gets his priorities wrong
Putting the cart before the horse, is what minister Hilary Onek did, when he appeared before the agriculture committee to defend his ministry’s budget on Monday.
Having failed to appear earlier, Onek stated that he was destined for Kalangala to launch works on a road that would help improve agricultural activities. He wanted to delegate the matter to his deputy, Bright rwamirama.
But opposition Chief Whip Kassiano Wadri criticised Onek for undermining them and John Odit asked: “Do you think MPs can be tossed up and down?†He wondered why works minister John Nasasira was not the one commissioning road works. Onek had to apologise. He sent fisheries minister Fred Mukisa to Kalangala.
Rugunda’s policy statement rejected
Internal affairs minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda’s policy statement was rejected by MPs on Wednesday on grounds that it had a lot of inconsistencies. The chairperson, Mathias Kasamba, noted: “The minister was busy with the peace talks in Juba. He might have left it to the juniors because it seems most of the issues where copied from past reports given the way they are phrased.â€
No funds for LC polls
It emerged that the Electoral commission does not have funds to carry out local council elections. The chairman, Eng. Badru Kiggundu, told the legal committee chaired by Steven Tashobya that the finance ministry had declined to release the sh15.03b they had planned to spend on LC1 and LC2 elections this year.
Kiggundu said they had planned to hold the polls early, so as to embark on preparations of the 2010/2011 general elections. This also affects Rubaga Division, whose chairperson, Winnie Makumbi, died early this year.