Kampala, July 2, 2024 —
The Ugandan Parliament was embroiled in a heated debate over the referral of the Appropriation Bill 2024 to the Budget Committee, following serious allegations of corruption against the committee members made by President Museveni.
Jonathan Odur, representing Erute South, vehemently opposed the referral of the bill to the Budget Committee. He highlighted that this is not the first time the President has accused the current Parliament of corruption. “The strongest justification for not sending this bill to the Budget Committee is that there is a very serious allegation of grave corruption of the Budget Committee. The President has repeatedly accused Parliament of corruption, and now he specifically mentions the Budget Committee,” Odur stated.
Odur supported a proposal by Hamson Obua, the Government Chief Whip, to have the bill considered by the Committee of the Whole House instead. This sentiment was echoed by several other MPs who expressed discomfort with the bill being reviewed by the allegedly compromised Budget Committee.
Speaker Anita Among intervened, emphasizing the presumption of innocence for the committee members. “We can’t say that our members are corrupt, even if some of our members have been arrested and are in prison, there is a presumption of innocence. Honourable members, please! There is a presumption of innocence, you can’t say somebody is a thief. How many members are in the Budget Committee? There are 65 members on the Budget Committee,” she asserted.
Ibrahim Ssemujju, representing Kira Municipality, also protested the sweeping allegations against the Budget Committee. “I disagree with my Minister for Justice that the whole of the Budget Committee is actually accused of corruption. I sit on that Budget Committee, and I have never asked for or even signed the major report,” Ssemujju defended.
The debate over the Appropriation Bill 2024 continues, with the Parliament grappling with internal accusations and the necessity of upholding integrity while ensuring legislative processes are not stalled by allegations.
