By Moses Mulondo

THE Democratic Party (DP) wants Parliament to enact a law checking the powers of the President and ministers in using national resources.

“After thorough investigations, we have discovered that reducing the powers of our rulers will bring down corruption and misuse of national resources,” said John Ssebaana Kizito, the party president.

Citing the Global Fund scandal, the sh24b loss in the Tri-star deal and land giveaways by the President, Ssebaana argued that powers of rulers need to be reduced for the country’s good.

“There must be stringent laws stopping government officials from ordering release of public money without a justified cause. This will greatly save our scarce funds,” he explained.

Addressing the party’s weekly press conference yesterday in Kampala, Ssebaana urged Parliament not to write off the sh1.2 trillion debts, which different firms and individuals owe the Government.

The Auditor General’s report released recently showed that sh1.2 trillion was outstanding by the end of June 2006 and considered “irrecoverable.” He recommended that MPs write them off.

“This debt totally puzzles us. We are actually suspicious that these companies were used as a cover up. That is perhaps why DFCU bank yesterday denied having received the said loans,” Ssebaana said.

He demanded that the circumstances under which the loans were given out be thoroughly investigated.

Ssebaana also attacked the Government for failing to involve the opposition in the preparations for the Commonwealth meeting due next month.

“DP fully supports CHOGM. But it is unfortunate that the Government has not brought us on board.
“If they fail to invite us, we shall come up with parallel events like political rallies during the event. We ask them not to interfere with us when we do so,” he said.