Presidential adviser grilled over poverty funds
Aug 25, 2010
THE senior presidential adviser on poverty alleviation, Joan Kakwenzire, was on Tuesday put to task to explain why inputs worth sh198m were purchased without the approval of the State House contracts committee.
By Mary Karugaba
THE senior presidential adviser on poverty alleviation, Joan Kakwenzire, was on Tuesday put to task to explain why inputs worth sh198m were purchased without the approval of the State House contracts committee.
The MPs on the public accounts committee also asked Kakwenzire to account for sh280m allegedly given to Kityo Mutebi, a former MP, and former President’s principal private secretary Amelia Kyambadde’s farms.
Mawokota North MP Peter Mutuluza complained that the money did not benefit the constituency.
“This is wastage of funds. We never knew that the money was meant to purchase a fruit drier for the constituency. It should have benefited everyone rather than the two individuals,†Mutuluza said.
Kakwenzire denied giving the money to Kyambadde and Mutebi, but MPs insisted that she accounts for it.
“If you did not give it to them, where is it? Provide the list of the beneficiaries,†committee chairman Nandala Mafabi directed.
Kakwenzire was appearing before the committee, together with other State House officials, to answer queries raised by the Auditor General in a report to Parliament for the year 2008/09.
The Auditor General, John Muwanga, reported that the State House department for Poverty Alleviation, headed by Kakwenzire, last year set up its own procurement committee, which was responsible for approval of all procurements, contrary to the law.
Kakwenzire defended the project, saying it had registered tremendous success in the 19 parishes where it is carried out.
The MPs wondered whether the project’s annual budget of sh2b was enough to eradicate poverty in the over 112 districts of Uganda.
THE senior presidential adviser on poverty alleviation, Joan Kakwenzire, was on Tuesday put to task to explain why inputs worth sh198m were purchased without the approval of the State House contracts committee.
The MPs on the public accounts committee also asked Kakwenzire to account for sh280m allegedly given to Kityo Mutebi, a former MP, and former President’s principal private secretary Amelia Kyambadde’s farms.
Mawokota North MP Peter Mutuluza complained that the money did not benefit the constituency.
“This is wastage of funds. We never knew that the money was meant to purchase a fruit drier for the constituency. It should have benefited everyone rather than the two individuals,†Mutuluza said.
Kakwenzire denied giving the money to Kyambadde and Mutebi, but MPs insisted that she accounts for it.
“If you did not give it to them, where is it? Provide the list of the beneficiaries,†committee chairman Nandala Mafabi directed.
Kakwenzire was appearing before the committee, together with other State House officials, to answer queries raised by the Auditor General in a report to Parliament for the year 2008/09.
The Auditor General, John Muwanga, reported that the State House department for Poverty Alleviation, headed by Kakwenzire, last year set up its own procurement committee, which was responsible for approval of all procurements, contrary to the law.
Kakwenzire defended the project, saying it had registered tremendous success in the 19 parishes where it is carried out.
The MPs wondered whether the project’s annual budget of sh2b was enough to eradicate poverty in the over 112 districts of Uganda.