Thursday 6th February 2025
Uganda is spending Shs44.4Bn renting premises for its various Mission & Embassies across the world, with the Uganda High Commission in Kigali alone requiring US$8,000 (Shs29.6 million) monthly on renting the Official Residence, thus Shs355.2Mn annually. This figure is projected to rise to US$10,000 per month in 2025.
Similarly, the Uganda High Commission in New Delhi incurs Shs44.2million monthly and (Shs530.6Mn) annually, renting the Chancery alone. This prompted calls from MPs to have Government expedite efforts of constructing its own premises in these nations
Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja alongside her Deputies & Government Chief Whip, Denis Obua want Shs36.66Bn to monitor Gov’t policies and projects in the 2025/26 budget. However, only Shs24.66Bn has been allocated by Ministry of Finance, thus leaving a deficit of Shs12Bn.
Parliament approved the request and want Ministry of Finance to provide the remaining Shs12Bn, of which Shs7Bn will go to the Prime Minister, Shs3Bn to the Deputy Prime Ministers, Shs1Bn to the Government Chief Whip & Shs1Bn for the Minister for General Duties
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba states that the UPDF remains the foundation upon which democracy and socio-economic transformation can be realized in the country
As Government plans to restock, what are the reasons for the depletion? Because if the reason for restocking is fishing immature fish, even what you use to restock will be fished before it even matures. So the solutions shouldn’t only be to restock. How do you sustainably use the lake? There should also be alternative income generating activities. People are too any on the lake, but that is the only source of livelihood. Can there be another source of livelihood that Government can find for these people
Robert Migadde (Buvuma Island) castigated Government for not taking serious steps in addressing the drop in fish exports and continuously ignoring Uganda’s comparative advantage in terms of fish species, which he said is the Nile Perch.
He also dismissed the water bodies restocking proposal, arguing that it isn’t a solution to the challenge of overfishing on Uganda’s water bodies, but rather, called on Government to consider coming up with alternative sources of income and end reliance on fishing as the sole source of income within the fishing communities
The UPDF Land Forces have played a crucial role in weakening and defeating rebel groups within Uganda. Since its formation, the UPDF has focused on maintaining peace and security by effectively addressing internal threats, including insurgencies and rebellions
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Uganda High Commission in Kigali has proposed an outright purchase of an Official Residence as a cost-effective long-term solution, requiring UGX5.5Bn for the acquisition.
Similarly, the mission in New Delhi urgently needs UGX9Bn to construct a Chancery on the land allocated by the Government of India to avert the risk of the allocated land being reassigned to another country
MPs defended the decision to award OPM more funds arguing that the required Shs12Bn is critical to enhance the coordination mechanisms, real time tracking and monitoring of both the Central and Local Governments to make Government more effective and better service delivery.
The OPM is also seeking for Shs9.39Bn to develop and implement an electronic robust M&E system for tracking the NDP IV Programmes & the Parish Development Model but only Shs4.39Bn is provided in the indicative allocation for FY 2025/26, resulting into a funding gap of Shs5Bn
The proposals which are coming up right now may actually not solve the problem because one of our leading exports is actually Nile Perch and what Ministry of Agriculture is planning in terms of fish ponds, they are planning for farming of tilapia. Tilapia can be reared in Kenya, China, but with Nile Perch, we have a comparative advantage over it. The measures should have been: How do we ensure sustainable fishing? If illegal fishing gears are coming in, how do we stop that? Because that is one of the reasons for the overfishing
Moses Kabusu (Kyamuswa County) blamed the officials from the Ministry of Agriculture for not consulting with the fishing communities before carrying out investments in the fisheries sector, saying that is why some of the projects have failed to help the sector.
He cited the cage fishing project that was funded through a loan to the Ministry Agriculture but the time within the loan was to be utilized lapsed even without anything being implemented
Before they ask for this money, we need to undertake a comprehensive study and see Government whether what the Ministry is saying, is in tandem with what the fishermen require of them. Government has neglected fishing. Whatever the money they require, they want to eat it for free. I have been a member of National Economy Committee where I have seen Government borrowing money for projects that aren’t existing, then the time of the loan lapses, the money accumulates interest without any work done on ground. We members in the fishing communities can’t allow money to be wasted in this manner. We can’t
Members of the Committee of National Economy have welcomed a US$131m loan request for the upgrade Kumi-Ngora-Serere-Kagwara Road.
State Minister for Finance, Hon. Henry Musasizi said the loan includes compensation of PAPs, a challenge that has previously hindered road works.
Bantu MEDIA 