Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Uganda Monitor
Published on 2024-03-05 22:24:37
Parliament has acknowledged that a substantial amount of taxpayer money was placed in personal accounts belonging to some of its staff members. This revelation was made by the director of public and corporate affairs at Parliament, Mr. Chris Obore, during an X (formerly Twitter) Space event organized by the Agora Discourse. He clarified that the funds were not intended for personal use but were instead allocated for corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Mr. Obore explained that Parliament, being a public institution, carries out CSR activities, and the money was funneled into individual accounts to support these initiatives. He emphasized the importance of understanding the purpose and utilization of the funds, rather than simply criticizing the individuals involved. He cited Speaker Anita Among’s use of junior parliamentary staff to handle her responsibilities due to her numerous commitments as an example of how the funds were utilized. He defended the Speaker’s investment in her community and compared it favorably to other cases of government corruption.
The issue of Parliament’s spending has raised questions among the public. Speaker Anita Among’s reliance on junior staff members for assistance has sparked curiosity about the allocation and utilization of funds. Mr. Obore urged fairness in assessing the situation and cautioned against unjustly condemning individuals without a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances.
Recent revelations by activist Agather Atuhaire have further intensified scrutiny on Parliament. A document shared by Atuhaire detailed the transfer of substantial sums of money to junior staff members on behalf of the Speaker. According to the document, Speaker Among reportedly spends approximately Shs400 million per week on specific activities. Mr. Obore defended the Speaker and Parliament, stating that the funds were designated for CSR purposes rather than personal gain by staff members.
In the past ten days, Parliament has faced public scrutiny through the #UgandaParliamentExhibition campaign led by Atuhaire and cartoonist Dr. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo. Allegations of corruption, graft, nepotism, and lack of transparency have been leveled against the administration under Speaker Among’s leadership. Atuhaire challenged Mr. Obore to provide any documents he believes contain accurate information, following his dismissal of some documents she shared on social media as falsified.
The ongoing exhibition has been characterized by conflicting claims and accusations, with Atuhaire standing by her evidence and challenging Obore to produce his own documents or take legal action. Obore has dismissed the campaign as having ulterior motives against Speaker Among. The public discourse surrounding Parliament’s financial management and accountability continues to evolve as more information comes to light.
Read the original article on Uganda Monitor
