Bulamogi North West County

Thank you, Buteleja, Bunyole East, Kaliro. We can now do two minutes; it is a dangerous time.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. First of all, I would like to congratulate you upon achieving that seat and I would like to thank my party members for trusting me to be their General Secretary of the NRM Caucus. (Applause) Mr Speaker, I rise to support the motion thanking His Excellency, the President, for the State of the Nation Address for 2026. His Excellency, the President stated that the NRM philosophy was on building an independent, integrated and self-sustaining national economy. Independence has been on reducing external dependence. This is well articulated in the health sector by investors like Dei Pharmaceuticals and other related projects, which are producing previously imported drugs. This has reduced foreign dependence and saved foreign exchange. Mr Speaker, in the health sector, I will zero in on Kaliro District. Much as we still have issues, for example, Nawaikoke Health Centre III has to be upgraded to Health Centre IV because it is a constituency and according to the Ministry of Health programme, health centre IIs are supposed to be upgraded to health centre IIIs and each constituency is entitled to have a health centre IV. However, Mr Speaker, as Kaliro, we advocate for a health centre IV in Nawaikoke. On the same note, much as we still have high levels of unemployment, especially among the youth. We still have issues of infrastructure. For example, the road from Kaliro to Pallisa needs to be tarmacked, plus other roads. Much as we still have such issues, our country is not where we were; we need to appreciate and applaud His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda, for where he has brought this country from. We believe that with the Kisanja no more sleep and no more corruption, we hope to achieve more development. I beg to submit.

152 THE BUDGET SPEECH, 2026 Hoima (145km) and Matugga-Semuto- Kapeeka (41km), among others. UDC also invested in ETATS Construction Company, currently constructing the Bugiri-Namutumba Road (24km) and the Buwenge-Kaliro Road (48km), among others. d) The Government completed the Special Economic Zone at Entebbe International Airport to promote high value exports. Several firms, particularly in the fresh produce exports and light manufacturing, are setting up operations. e) Continued expansion of Presidential Zonal Hubs, which are tackling youth unemployment by providing practical industrial and vocational skills. To date, 82,790 youth have been trained and the number of hubs has grown to 28 nationwide. Mr President, thank you very much for this initiative. Financial Year 2026/2027 priorities for manufacturing and industrial development Mr Speaker, the Government has allocated Shs 1.03 trillion to the manufacturing programme for FY 2026/2027. Priority interventions include: i) Additional capitalisation of UDC to drive industrial development; ii) Industrial infrastructure development, particularly industrial parks including new fully serviced plug and play parks; iii) Value addition to agricultural raw materials and minerals; iv) Supporting market access for Ugandan manufactured products; v) Strengthening the functionality of special economic zones; vi) Industrial research including the establishment of regional industrial incubation hubs. Market access for wealth creators Wealth creators need access to both domestic and export markets. Expanding the domestic market requires higher household incomes and increased purchasing power to stimulate demand for locally produced goods and services. Export growth, on the other hand, requires deeper regional integration to access larger markets within the East African Community, COMESA, and the African Continental Free Trade Area. These opportunities are complemented by preferential and duty-free market access arrangements negotiated with key partners including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Russia, Serbia and the countries in the Middle East. To expand both domestic and export markets, the Government will continue investing in standards, quality assurance, certification and market intelligence to enhance the competitiveness of Ugandan products and services. To this end, the Government has so far implemented the following: i) Strengthened certification services to enhance efficiency. Additional personnel have been recruited and trained to increase capacity of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards to undertake certification, surveillance and enforcement of standards. Following automation, the turnaround time for import inspection reduced from three weeks to four hours. Product testing was reduced from 30 days to 14 days and product certification reduced from 180 days to 45 days. ii) Decentralisation and modernised certification services to enhance access. Construction and equipping of engineering testing laboratories are ongoing and expected to be completed by September 2026. The Government also commenced construction of regional laboratories in Mbale, Gulu and Mbarara. iii) Developed 450 standards for products and services and issued permits to 4,500 products.

legislative drafting, and conflict resolution, making him the best-suited Member to lead the 12 th Parliament as its Speaker. Furthermore, Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth has had an illustrious and distinguished career, serving in various key positions in the political and the Public Service of Uganda, including: a) Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs from 2024 to date; ii) Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs from 2001 to 2028; iii) Member of Parliament from 2011 to date; iv) The Chairperson, Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs from 2016 to 2021; v) The Chairperson, Committee on Rules, Discipline and Privileges in the Ninth Parliament; and vi) The Chairperson, Committee on Natural Resources in the Ninth Parliament. Your Lordship the Chief Justice, he was the chairperson of an ad hoc committee investigating the energy sector in Uganda (2011 to 2013) and a member of the parliamentary Business Committee in the Ninth and 10 th Parliaments, where he was also a Member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association from 2011 to 2021, and the national President, Parliamentarians for Global Action – Uganda. Your Lordship the Chief Justice, he was the Acting Principal State Attorney/Head of Mbale Regional Office at the Attorney- General’s Chambers, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, overseeing eastern and north-eastern Uganda, covering 24 districts of Iganga, Kaliro, Namutumba, Bugiri, Budaka, etc. He was the Deputy Attorney-General of Tieng Adhola Cultural Institution in 2003 to 2010, and a part-time lecturer at the Islamic University in Uganda (in the Faculty of Law) from 2007 to 2010. He was a board member in several civil society organisations between 1999 and 2010, and was a founding member and board chairperson, Community Aid CAN Uganda, an NGO serving the people in eastern Uganda. Your Lordship the Chief Justice and distinguished Members, Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth is a diligent leader who has immeasurably participated in shaping the destiny of Uganda and served Uganda with dedication and patriotism. The past leadership positions held by Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth as cabinet minister, state minister, Member of Parliament, chairperson of committees and civil servant have significantly shaped Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth and prepared him for service as Speaker. Honourable members, the person I present to you today for election as your Speaker in the 12 th Parliament of Uganda, Hon. Oboth Marksons Jacob, has been endorsed by the NRM Party, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda and other senior national leaders. Since the announcement of his candidature for the Office of Speaker, he has received support from Members of Parliament across the political divide and the general public. This endorsement reflects confidence in his ability to lead the 12 th Parliament effectively. I, therefore, have the honour to nominate Hon. Oboth Marksons Jacob for election as the Speaker of the 12 th Parliament of Uganda. I do this for God and my country. Thank you very much for your kind attention. (Applause)

“ WHEREAS the Electoral Commission organised and conducted the elections of Members of Parliament specified under Article 78(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda; AND WHEREAS the Electoral Commission, under General Notice No. 171 of 2026, published in the Uganda Gazette the results of the 2026 parliamentary elections and ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS Oaths were administered to: Name Constituency District/City Political Party 1. Nambooze Teddy Woman Representative Mpigi NUP 2. Nekesa Christine Situma (Col) UPDF Representative N/A N/A 3. Namubiru Rwabushaija Margaret Workers Representative N/A Independent 4. Namuganza Persis Princess Bukono County Namutumba Independent 5. Namukuta Brenda Woman Representative Kaliro NRM 6. Nangoli Umar Northern Division Mbale City Independent

8 ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS 5. Kansiime Annah Woman Representative Rwampara NRM 6. Kanyesigye Mercy Youth Representative Female Independent 7. Kapyagon Brian Kongasis County Bukwo Independent 8. Karim Musa Aringa North County Yumbe Independent 9. Kasajja George Patrick Bulamogi North West County Kaliro NRM 10. Kasigwa Gerald Bihemaiso Kigorobya County Hoima NRM 11. Kasirye Nganda Ali Makindye East Division Kampala NUP 12. Kasukaali Methuselah Mwenge Central County Kyenjojo NRM 13. Kariisa Johnbosco Koy Buhweju West County Buhweju NRM 14. Katushabe Ruth Woman Representative Bukomansimbi NRM 15. Katusiime Annet Mugisha Woman Representative Bushenyi NRM 16. Kawalya Abubaker Rubaga Division North Kampala NUP 17. Kasaija Matia Buyanja County Kibaale NRM 18. Karuhanga Gerald Kafureeka Ntungamo Municipality Ntungamo Independent 19. Khalayi Peace Woman Representative Namisindwa NRMK 20. Kiirya Grace Paddy Wanzala Butembe County Jinja FDC 21. Kiiza Andrew N. Kaluya Kigulu County South Iganga NUP 22. Katushabe Doreen Birungi Woman Representative Lyantonde NRM 23. Kiyonga C.W.C.B. Bukonzo County West Kasese NRM 24. Muhwezi Jim Katugugu Rujumbura County Rukungiri NRM 25. Kenan Opio Busiro South Wakiso NRM 26. Kateshumbwa Dicksons Sheema Municipality Sheema NRM 27. Katusiime Jovia Woman Representative Kiryandongo NRM 28. Kiiza Kenneth Nyendwoha Bujenje County Masindi NRM 29. Kikabi Edward (Dr) Ntwetwe County Kyankwanzi NRM 30. Kinalwa James (Maj. Gen.) UPDF Representative N/A N/A 31. Kinobere Herbert Tom Kibuku County Kibuku Independent 32. Kinshaba Patience Nkunda Woman Representative Kanungu Independent 33. Kiruluuta Yusuf J. Nkerettanyi Kalungu County East Kalungu NUP 34. Kirumira Hassan Katikamu County South Luweero NUP 35. Kisekka Salim Bukomansimbi North County Bukomansimbi NRM 36. Kitiyo Patrick Kapchorwa Municipality Kapchorwa Independent 37. Kiyimba Emmanuel Bukoto County Mid-West Lwengo NRM 38. Kasule Ismail Hoima West Division Hoima City ANT 39. Khainza Agnes Shiuma Woman Representative Bududa NRM 40. Kugonza Emely Buyanja East County Kibaale NRM 41. Kungu Samuel Bamuteeze Kigulu County North Iganga NRM 42. Kwizera Eddie Wa-Gahungu Bukimbiri County Kisoro Independent 43. Kyambadde Amelia Ann Mawokota County North Mpigi NRM 44. Kyarampe Rebecca Woman Representative Mitooma NRM 45. Kyarikunda Loydah T. Woman Representative Mbarara NRM 46. Kisa Stephen Bakubalwayo Luuka South County Luuka NRM 47. Kavuma Samuel (Lt Gen.) UPDF N/A N/A 48. Kitanywa Sowedi Busongora County North Kasese NRM 49. Kizza Hakim Sawula Bukoto County South Lwengo NUP 50. Kuteesa Patrick Kimanya-Kabonera Division Masaka City NUP 51. Kwiyucwiny Grace Freedom Ora County Zombo NRM 52. Kibaaju Charity Kamuhanda Woman Representative Mbarara City NRM 53. Komol Joseph Miidi Dodoth North County Kaabong NRM 54. Karubanga Jacob Ateenyi Kibanda South County Kiryandongo Independent 55. Mwine Mpaka Rwamirama Mbarara South Division Mbarara City NRM

9 THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 14 MAY 2026 56. Kirungi Annet Pamela Woman Representative Kabarole NRM 57. Kyogabiirwe Jackie Muganda Woman Representative Kyegegwa NRM 58. Lanyero Christine Awany Woman Representative Nwoya NRM 59. Logose Sarah Annet Woman Representative Butaleja NRM 60. Lokii John Baptist (Dr) Matheniko County Moroto NRM 61. Lokoru Albert Tepeth County Moroto Independent 62. Lokoru Stephenson Yoyo Chekwii East County Nakapiripirit NRM 63. Longoli Simon Peter Chekwii County (Kadam) Nakapiripirit NRM 64. Lubega George Willy Bugangaizi South County Kakumiro NRM 65. Lubowa Ssebina Gyaviira Nyendo-Mukungwe County Masaka City NUP 66. Lugoloobi Amos Ntenjeru County North Kayunga NRM 67. Kiwanuka Sulaiman Nakifuma County Mukono NUP 68. Kuteesa Mary Kamuli Mwenge County South Kyenjojo NRM 69. Kyeyune Ivan Nakasongola County Nakasongola NUP 70. Lakisa Mercy Faith Woman Representative Alebtong NRM 71. Lenia Charity Kevin Vurra County Arua NRM 72. Mutebi Benard Mugoya Bulamogi County Kaliro Independent 73. Katooko Sylivia Damba Woman Representative Kibuku NRM 74. Kayogera Yona Busiki North County Namutumba Independent 75. Kiti Peter T’oo County Bukwo NRM 76. Lolem Micah Akasile Upe County Amudat NRM 77. Locap Peterkhen Bokora East County Napak NRM 78. Linda Irene City Woman Representative Fort Portal City NRM 79. Lokubal Emma Woman Representative Nabilatuk NRM 80. Katusiime Adrine Woman Representative Sheema NRM 81. Loluk Fidelis Logwee Napore West County Karenga Independent 82. Komakech Christopher Aruu County Pader NRM 83. Muzaid Khemis Arua Central Division Arua City FDC 84. Lamwaka Catherine Woman Representative Omoro NRM 85. Kiwanuka Abdallah Mukono County North Mukono NUP 86. Kyeyune Haruna Kasolo Kyotera County Kyotera NRM (The House was suspended at 11.42 a.m.) (On resumption at 1.00 p.m., the Deputy Clerk, Parliamentary Affairs presiding.) 87. Lokwang Hillary Ik County Kaabong NRM 88. Lowila CD Oketayot Woman Representative Pader NRM 89. Lugoloobi Willy Bageyente Bujumba County Kalangala NRM 90. Lugwar Benson Agogo North County Agago Independent 91. Lukyamuzi David Kalwanga Busujju County Mityana NUP 92. Kiwanuka Keefa Kiboga East County Kiboga NRM 93. Maala Zahrah Luyirika Makindye Division West Kampala NUP 94. Makumbi Henry Kamya Mityana County South Mityana NRM 95. Mariam Seif Woman Representative Iganga NRM 96. Mafabi Asha Nabulo Woman Representative Sironko NRM 97. Mamawi James Adjumani East County Adjumani Independent 98. Masaba Karim Industrial Division Mbale City Independent 99. Matembu Chriss Wataka Bubulo County West Manafwa Independent 100. Matovu Emmanuel Magoola Busiro County East Wakiso Independent 101. Mawanda Micheal Maranga Igara County East Bushenyi NRM

18651 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 APRIL 2026 intended for Laropi and Lefori in Moyo, Akoro and Pangila, and Padibe West in Lamwo. The institutional water supply and sanitation project This one is intended to supply the Arocha prison in Apac and the Iceme health centre and surrounding areas in Oyam. The rural growth centre schemes in Ewanga in Madi-Okollo, Edrayo in Terego, Rodo and Nyori in Yumbe. The gravity and piped water schemes are intended for Ambe GFS in Zombo, the Ogili water supply and sanitation scheme in Agago, as well as Pader. The solar-powered schemes for Achukudu solar RGC in Napak. Colleagues, I am sure that the Hon Faith Nakut is now going to give me a bit- Table 12, in the Eastern region. There are rural growth centre piped water projects that are intended for Bulange in Namutumba, Nango in Mayuge, Bubugo- Itanda in Jinja, and Kagumba in Kamuli. Additional rural growth centre schemes, one intended for Oyama RGC in Kaberamaido. The institutional water supply and sanitation schemes in Ivukula prisons and the surrounding areas in Namutumba. The public sanitation facilities are intended for Mulatsi S.S. in Mbale and Lubani SSS in Jinja. The urban and small town water system schemes under the Water and Sanitation Development Facility East. In Manafwa, Bulangira, Bukumi, Kaproron, Kadungulu, Iyolwa, Mukura, Atutur and Mbale Industrial Park. Central region The ministry intends to undertake piped water schemes in Nankondo in Ssembabule, Moone in Nakasongola and Bulera in Mityana. The institutional water and sanitation schemes - Masaka Army Barracks. The solar-powered water schemes in Kyegegwa, Rakai, Namayingo and Buvuma districts. Then the other additional schemes and extensions are intended for Ngoma, Nyanseke, Busaale, Lunya, Kapeeka Industrial Park extension and Kikuube. In Western and Southwestern regions The major towns and cluster water systems. In Nyakashaka and Rubaya in Buhweju and Mbarara, Mabira, Bukiro, and Nyabisirira, Ntungamo Industrial Park, among others. The integrated water management and development schemes Kaliro-Namungalwe and Kyegegwa-Mpara- Ruyonza-Kabagore. This is the learned DAGs area. Isingiro water and sanitation scheme That is for the Isingiro District. Institutional water schemes in Butanda Secondary School in Kabale, Rugazi Health Centre IV in Rubirizi, and Ishekye School of the Handicapped in Sheema. The rural growth schemes Kyampangara and Nyamushojwa in Kazo, Kasaba in Kyenjojo, Rwentuha in Kyegegwa and Buhanda in Mubende. The solar-powered scheme Bikone and Isule-Katebenyangorongo in Kasese; Kagunga Iremera 1, Iremera 2 in Kisoro; and the Rubanda extension scheme.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I stand here to support the motion. The southern part of Lake Kyoga lacks infrastructure to connect to the northern part of the lake. I am here to support it because this is one of the roads we have been advocating for in the physical infrastructure committee for the past 10 to 15 years. I am pleased that today this has reached what it is. Mr Speaker, additionally, the people of Serere – Kasilo – Kaberamaido and Kalaki will be beneficiaries of this project. It will improve the connectivity between the northern part and the southern part of Lake Kyoga. Needless to add, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should also look into adding a stop in Nakasongola to Galiraya, so that if you are coming from Masindi, you do not have to go to Kampala. You can connect from Masindi, Nakasongola, Kayunga, Isimba Dam, then to Kamuli, Kaliro, and finally to Pallisa. The other two roads that the minister for finance needs to look into are: Kamuli to Irundu and then Kaliro to Irundu. Once you do those roads on the southern part of Lake Kyoga, you would have improved the connectivity between the northern and the southern parts of the country. Definitely, with the ferries that are already operating and those that we are proposing to introduce on Lake Kyoga, you would reduce the time that we spend getting to Kampala. I could sleep in Kasilo and come here; within two hours, I would be in Kampala from Kasilo, rather than spending five hours. On that note, Mr Speaker, I stand here to support this loan for the construction of this road. Thank you.

…59,901 persons with disabilities. Madam Speaker, I have provided an additional Shs 404.9 billion for social protection next Financial Year 2025/2026. Water, Sanitation, and Environmental Protection To improve the quality of life, the Government continues to invest in the provision of safe water, improve sanitation, and ensure protection of the environment. These include the following: (i) Villages in Uganda with at least one safe water source have remarkably increased to eight out of every 10 villages. Nationwide, 57,951 villages out of 71,225 have been served with a safe water source. (ii) Completed construction of 259 medium and large solar-powered water supply and sanitation systems and gravity flow schemes across the country. (iii) The construction of 42 large solar-powered water supply systems is ongoing in Agago, Yumbe, Amudat, Kaabong, Kasese, Kakumiro, Sembabule, Kisoro, Rubanda, Bulambuli, Kyankwanzi, Mubende, Kyegegwa, Buyende, Nakaseke, Namayingo, Rakai and Buvuma. (iv) With regard to clean water, the construction of piped town water supply systems is ongoing in 32 towns. These include: Namasale, Kakingol, Kamuli, Ngoma Town, Lunya, Karogo Phase II, Ishaka (mobilisation), Nyakashaka, Bukumi, Kanapa, and Odongai. Construction is also ongoing in Palabek-Kal, Rhino Camp, Arra-Dufile, Lubeli Refugee Settlement, Bolori, Nyanseke, Busaale, Kibuzi, and expansion in two towns of Kiboga and Zigoti. Other beneficiary towns are: Lamwo, Lacekocot, Iri-Iri, Lorengecora, Manafwa, Butaleja-Busolwe, Tirinyi-Kibuku-Kadama- Budaka, Kaliro-Namungalwe, Rukungiri and Obongi. (v) The construction of various water supply systems in 26 districts is at varying levels of physical progress. These include: Manafwa Town Council and the installation of solar packages that is ongoing in Losilang, Kasawo (Phase I), Kabura-Mwizi (Phase I), Bukumi, Bulangira and Kyebando-Kasimbi, and Busaale Town. Also, the Government is starting the development of new piped water supply systems in Rubanda, Kabale, Alebtong, Nakasongola, and Kamuli districts, among others. Madam Speaker, I have provided an additional Shs 366.1 billion next financial year for water resource management, climate change mitigation, natural resources and environment. The priority interventions include: the construction of water supply infrastructure to increase service in the underserved communities in rural, urban and refugee settlements; increasing rehabilitation and expansion of existing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure; and increasing forest and wetland cover. Overall, I have allocated a total of Shs 11.44 trillion in the next financial year towards investing in the people of Uganda through health, education, social protection, and water and sanitation.

16835 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 9 APRIL 2025 On the overall performance of the budget under the UPF, we recommend reallocating funds from the assistance to Uganda Police Force projects to critical UPF areas. Uganda Police Force must create a comprehensive successor project for nationwide investments. The second recommendation is that the Uganda Police Force should expedite the preparation and approval processes of the CCTV Phase III Project to ensure its inclusion in the national plan budget. We reviewed the traffic and road safety and, therefore, recommend as follows: 1. An additional Shs 7.577 billion for transport equipment be provided; 2. Shs 1 billion for an IOV inspection lane and certification centre to be provided; 3. Shs 18 billion for 10 mobile inspection stations for IOV to be provided; 4. Uganda Police Force should link the EPS to the NIRA database; and 5. Uganda’s driver licensing system should be adjusted to capture details of foreigners who commit traffic offences. On police accommodation and the ongoing construction projects, we note that 74 per cent of the police officers lack institutional accommodation. However, the Uganda Police Force is working on a police accommodation project. This project is excluded from PIP. The Ministry of Internal Affairs plans to build 69,000 housing units for the Uganda Police Force and Uganda Prisons Service, and the DCIC, through a PPP arrangement. We, therefore, recommend that the Uganda Police Force accelerates the completion of the accommodation project to comprehensively address police accommodation challenges in the year 2025/2026. On the subcounty policing model – this is a flagship security solution to the country, initiated by His Excellency, the President, and it is now under implementation. The model aims to use limited resources in subcounties to improve policing services for communities, including establishing a police station in each area, following: 1. Deployment of a minimum of 18 personnel; 2. Two motorcycles per police station; 3. A counter phone and radio communication; 4. An office; and 5. Staff accommodation for at least 18 personnel. The Uganda Police Force has tested this model in Greater Masaka in the Financial Year 2023/2024, establishing 892, which is 41 per cent of the 2,190 subcounties, nationwide. In the Financial Year 2025/2026, Shs 5 billion is allocated for the construction of 30 model police stations and completing 11 in greater Masaka, along with acquiring 333 motorcycles and communication equipment. However, there is a funding gap of Shs 557 billion. We, therefore, recommend that Shs 587 billion be provided for the nationwide rollout of the subcounty policing model. On crime management, we recommend that Shs 17 billion be provided for CIID investigations and Shs 2.3 billion for crime intelligence in the Financial Year 2025/2026. On the Canine Unit, we see that expanding the Canine units to 36 locations of Budaka, Bukomansimbi, Butambala, Zombo, Adjumani, Madi-Okollo, Pakwach, Vurra, Kaberamaido, Koboko, Terego, Maracha, Moyo, Ayivuni, Buyende, Kaliro, Namutumba, Ngora, Hima, Namisindwa, Kwania, Agago, Nwoya, Amuru, Kyankwanzi, Apac, Kole, aerodromes and border points of Jinja, Soroti, Arua, Mbarara, Kisoro, Mpondwe, Katuna and Mirama Hills nationwide, requires an additional Shs 2.259 billion. The unit faces challenges with unreliable transport for sniffer dogs to crime scenes. Reliable transport is needed at the district stations, requiring Shs 28.44 billion for equipment in 29 regions.

Is the motion seconded? Okay, it is seconded by Hon. Ogwang, Hon. Wilson, Hon. Biraaro, Hon. Jane, Hon. Patience, Hon. Adriko, Hon. James, Hon. Macho, Hon. Gerald, Hon. Akello, Hon. Emmanuel, Hon. Apea, Hon. Twaha, Hon. Basalirwa, Dr Baryomunsi, Hon. Bahati, Member from Sheema, Hon. Pascal, Hon. Elwelu, Hon. Afoyochan, Hon. Okot-Ogong, Hon. Rita, Member from Zombo, Member from Alebtong, Hon. Lillian, Hon. Amos, Hon. Stephen, Dr Keefa, Hon. Enos, Hon. Baba, Hon. Max, Hon. Atima, Hon. Mourine “Matchbox”, Hon. Isamat, Hon. Joel, Hon. Mutiwa, Hon. David, Hon. Akifeza, Hon. Annet Mugisha, Chairperson of innovation, Hon. Catheline, Member for Kaliro, Hon. Noeline, Member for the elders and Hon. Kamukama. Speak to your motion.

16786 THE MORTGAGE REFINANCE INSTITUTIONS BILL, 2024 14. Vote 722 – Moroto Municipal Council - Shs 137,831,048; 15. Vote 724 - Mukono Municipal Council – Shs 157,843,584; 16. Vote 726 – Nebbi Municipal Council – Shs 38,895,597; 17. Vote 729 - Rukungiri Municipal Council - Shs 11,011,184; 18. Vote 730 - Sheema Municipal Council - Shs 4,109,634; 19. Vote 802 – Adjumani District - Shs 19,860,000; 20. Vote 803 – Agago District - Shs 81,984,000; 21. Vote 807: Amuria District – Shs 57,525,000; 22. Vote 808: Amuru District – Shs 1,271,000,000; 23. Vote 811: Budaka District – Shs 45,500,000; 24. Vote 812: Bududa District – Shs 99,504,000; 25. Vote 813: Bugiri District – Shs 107,555,970; 26. Vote 817: Bukedea District – Shs 235,603,000; 27. Vote 821: Buliisa District – Shs 31,440,000; 28. Vote 827: Butambala District – Shs 31,633,858; 29. Vote 828: Butebo District – Shs 15,360,000; 30. Vote 832: Gomba District – Shs 31,395,000; 31. Vote 836: Iganga District – Shs 37,200,000; 32. Vote 835: Ibanda District – Shs 12,000,000; 33. Vote 837: Isingiro District – Shs 2,633,333,265; 34. Vote 842: Kaberamaido District – Shs 31,589,664; 35. Vote 844: Kakumiro District – Shs 448,858,700; 36. Vote 847: Kaliro District – Shs 310,200,761; 37. Vote 848: Kalungu District – Shs 6,117,000; 38. Vote 849: Kamuli District – Shs 65,029,474; 39. Vote 853: Kapelebyong District – Shs 88,207,238; 40. Vote 854: Karenga District – Shs 39,240,000; 41. Vote 855: Kasese District – Shs 142,590,000; 42. Vote 857: Katakwi District – Shs 157,861,200; 43. Vote 858: Kayunga District – Shs 11,270,000; 44. Vote 862: Kibuku District – Shs 399,326,980; 45. Vote 863: Kikuube District – Shs 127,115,012; 46. Vote 866: Kisoro District – Shs 78,755,970; 47. Vote 867: Kitagwenda District – Shs 700,600,000; 48. Vote 868: Kitgum District – Shs 117,742,657; 49. Vote 870: Kole District – Shs 64,680,000; SUPPLEMENTARY EXPENDITURE SCHEDULE NO.3 FOR FY 2024/2025 [The Chairperson]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. First of all, on behalf of the people of Kaliro District, I would like to send my sincere condolences to the people of Sebei. Mr Speaker, I would like to appreciate the Government for considering sports, particularly athletics. If you were to look at the trend in recent years, it was not as it is now. I would like to appreciate the Government for that. Whether we like it or not, we cannot deny the fact that the late Rebecca succumbed to gender- based violence. Mr Speaker, very many people are suffering silently, and, as leaders, we need to take serious action. I will openly say that some of us are victims and we shall not hide from that fact. We speak this with emotions because what that woman went through – it is unfortunate that she died. I have seen families where people are seriously cutting each other with pangas. I, myself, have faced this in my home. I am not ashamed to speak about it. Someone threatened me with a panga, not once and not twice. It is

13516 RECONSIDERATION OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL, 2024 Under the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity, Vote 112, on a sub-programme called Ethics and Integrity, General Administration and Support, Shs 5 billion was taken away and our justification for returning it was that the funds were allocated to strengthen the adjudication of the Leadership Code Act. In addition, the funds are needed to publish the National Anti-Corruption Survey report on the perception and prevalence of corruption. The report affects the country’s credit rating score internationally, which is a benchmark for our multilateral partners. Vote 130, Treasury Operations - Under commitment fees, Shs 25 billion was taken away, and our justification to return it or reinstate it is that these are contractual obligations for the loans we have acquired for the implementation of key projects where we have not fully absorbed the funds. Therefore, the projections for the Financial Year 2024/2025 are based on existing loan stock plus agreements that will be entered in, in the Financial Year 2024/2025. Under Code 242003, an item called “Others”, Shs 300 billion was taken away, and these are funds for the Government obligations under the share subscription agreement in servicing Roko bills of exchange and payment of Electronic Financial Transfer (EFT) bank charges to Bank of Uganda, among others. Under item 242002, Interest on Treasury Bonds, an amount of Shs 100 billion was taken away, and the justification for reinstatement was that we increased Government borrowing to cater for the priorities in the corrigenda and an increase in domestic debt refinancing, which led to the increase in the interest on Treasury bond issuances. In the Financial Year 2024/2025 budget interest costs increased due to the increase in debt refinancing from Shs 8.36 trillion in Financial Year 2023/2024 to Shs 12.02 trillion in Financial Year 2024/2025, and an increase in net domestic borrowing from Shs 6.67 trillion in Financial Year 2023/2024 to Shs 8.97 trillion in Financial Year 2024/2025. Under the item of Contingency Transfers, an amount of Shs 22.74 billion was taken away and our justification for reinstatement is that Section 26 of the Public Finance Management Act (Amended), 2015, requires the Contingency Fund to be allocated an amount equivalent to 0.5 per cent of the appropriated annual budget of Government of the previous financial year. As such, Shs 169 billion was provided for the Financial Year 2024/2025 reducing the provision by Shs 22.74 billion, implying a breach of the above PFMA requirement. Under Vote 019, Ministry of Water and Environment, on a project called Integrated Water Resources, Shs 4 billion was reallocated and our justification to return it was the Government of Uganda’s counterpart funding for World Bank to finance various urban water supply and sanitation systems in the towns of Busia, Mbale and surrounding towns, Butaleja, Busolwe, Budaka, Kadama, Tirinyi, Kibuku, Namungalwe, Kaliro, Namasale, Koboko, Rukungiri, Kyegegwa, Mpara, Ruyonza, Kumi, among others. On a project called “Support to Rural Water Supply and Sanitation”, Shs 10 billion was taken away and the justification for returning it is that this is funding for the Government interventions to increase access to safe and clean water through “a source per village” in rural areas. The specific interventions include the construction and rehabilitation of point water sources in the communities, expansion of dilapidated piped water supply systems, motorising and upgrading of high-yield boreholes and solar-powered systems to expand and improve service coverage in various districts of Yumbe, Kyankwanzi, Kakumiro, Mubende, Mityana, Isingiro, Buliisa, Kasese, Amudat, Agago, Kaabong, among others. Under a project called “Building Resilient Communities, Wetlands, Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda ” , an amount of Shs 2 billion was reallocated.

13456 PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET SPEECH FY 2024/2025 Water, sanitation and environment protection As a result of Government intervention, more Ugandans now have access to safe, clean water. Coverage in rural areas is now estimated at 67 per cent and 70 per cent in urban areas. Out of the 71,225 villages, 56,617 villages have been served with at least one safe water source. In the Financial Year 2024/2025, clean water coverage will increase to 70 per cent and 85 per cent in rural and urban areas respectively. In the rural areas, the target is to reduce the distance to the nearest source of clean and safe water for human and animal consumption to less than one kilometre while in urban areas to less than 500 metres. The following are among the priorities we have budgeted for the next financial year: v. Construction of 52 large solar-powered water supply systems in 19 districts that are currently at less than 50 per cent water coverage. These are - let me mention them; Agago, Yumbe, Amudat, Kaabong, Bulambuli, Buvuma, Buyende, Namayingo, Rakai, Nakaseke, Sembabule, Kibaale, Kasese, Kyegegwa, Mubende, Lyantonde, Kakumiro, Kassanda and Kisoro; vi. Construction of another 15 solar-powered water supply systems in the rural growth centres of Lwentulege, Bugwara, Kabamba, Kikoora, Mwitanzige, Lugala, Kitenga, Bukizibu/Bumwena, Igwaya, Kidera, Bugomolwa, Kitonge - Nakasero, Kikonge, Kasese and Lubaali. This will cover a population of over 272,000 persons; vii. Completion of the construction of 31 town water supply systems and sanitation facilities in Bulangira, Kanapa, Aligoi, Opengate Kawo, Karago, Nyakashaka, Buikwe, Bundibugyo, Kapchorwa, Kamuli, Namasale, Kaliro - Namungalwe, Butaleja–Busolwe, Budaka–Kadama- Tirinyi-Kibuku, Kyankwanzi, Butemba, Ngoma, Lunya, Palabek-Kal (Lamwo), Obongo, Lamwo, Rhino Camp, Arra/ Dufile, Amuru, Kole, Alangi, Zeu, Kakingol, Iriiri and Lorengacora; viii. Construction of 17 rural water supply systems in the refugee hosting districts of Adjumani, Lamwo, Madi-Okollo, Moyo, Terego and Yumbe; ix. Progress of the construction of 26 water supply systems at various stages in Manafwa (now at 80 per cent), Mukura (40 per cent), Kidera (40 per cent), Atutur (40 per cent), Kadungulu (10 per cent), Kaproron (10 per cent), Iyolwa (20 per cent), Bukumi (5 per cent), Rubaya (50 per cent), Bethlehem - Nabigasa, Phase 1 (50 per cent), Kabura - Mwizi Phase 1 (50 per cent), Mabira (50 per cent), Bukiro (50 per cent), Nyabisirira (50 per cent), Bugarama - Karweru (50 per cent), Rwere - Kateretere (50 per cent), Kagarama – Bushura - Kibuzigye (50 per cent), Nyanseke (80 per cent), Busaale (95 per cent), Kibuzi (100 per cent), Adilang, Puranga (Pader), Kasawo, Phase 1 (5 per cent), Kyebando - Kasimbi (5 per cent), Nabilatuk and Losilang; and x. Increasing the water for production storage capacity for commercial farmers from 52.6 million cubic metres to 76.8 million cubic metres. To support the restoration of our environment and reverse the effects of climate change, Government shall undertake the restoration of 42,450 hectares of degraded wetlands along the Awoja, Kandekye - Ruhorobero, Nchwera, Chambura, Kiruruma, Naigombwa, Kibimba, Tochi, Aswa, Sezibwa, Mayanja, Muzizi, Mpanga and Lumbuye water systems. In addition, Government shall demarcate a 720-kilometre boundary with concrete pillars along the following wetlands; Kibimba, Tochi, Sezibwa, Mayanja, Muzizi,Awoja, Mpologoma, Ishasha, Kandekye, Ruhorobero, Nchwera, Chambura, Kiruruma and Naigombwa. A total of 15 million seedlings of assorted tree species shall be procured and distributed to individual farmers in several districts as well as to refugee-

>!ry \. d, \I' I "#t- F ,l 1, 1, -,'ts 01.L it.-' -.dh -r-t) +u!i---= ' 4" I I *- ,r1 t,r X M -6\ .I - ,. .,i,, t- Descrlptlon Amount (OOO'f Vote 840 Kabale District 37,399,826 2r,3t9,848 841 Kabarole District 19,649342 842 Kaberamaido District 843 Kagadi District 36,663,965 844 Kakumiro District 29,519,780 845 Kalaki District t6,394,928 446 Kalangala District 16,280,359 847 Kaliro District 3L,192,217 Kalungu District 28,705,355 848 449 Kamuli District 5r,729,233 850 Kamwenge District 3r,450,402 Kanungu District 851 47,21O,678 852 Kapchorwa District 22,472,086 853 Kapelebyong District 13,744,848 854 Karenga District 13,909,050 \ss Kasanda District 28,245,777 \-,, 8 56 Kasese District 80,380,999 857 Katakwi District 28,86t,256 Kayunga District 858 41,896,345 859 Kazo District 20,t37,t72 860 Kibaale District 19,010,095 861 Kiboga District 28,460,752 862 Kibuku District 25,8t4,730 863 Kikuube District 23,999,O82 864 Kiruhura District 23,t63,O54 865 Kiryandongo District 29,247,39O 866 Kisoro District 44,588,685 467 Kitagwenda District 20,597,57L 868 Kitgum District 26,464,995 469 Koboko District 22,845,14O 870 Kole District 28,306,987 <: L4 rb- irfi l

\ ;..t, . , tr7_. -qr- ) +qt '+- ..i \..'; \ # 25 \ 'I_- k t Vote Descrlptlon Amount IOOO'f 3 903 759 8t2 Bududa District 813 i District 6 732 40r 814 ri District B 2 879 922 Buhwe u District 6 931 990 815 816 Buikwe District 1 996 206 Bukedea District 5 081 784 8t7 818 Bukomansimbi District 1 608 998 819 Bukwo District 1 62a 696 420 Bulambuli District 6 624 913 Buliisa District a2l 2 014 563 822 Bundi District 4 633 475 823 Bun bu District 3 795 747 824 Bush District 2 860 294 825 Busia District 4 956 577 826 Butale a District 4 133 370 827 Butambala District 4 156 702 828 Butebo District 3 104 116 429 Buvuma District 2 819 974 830 ende District 6 908 t02 831 Dokolo District 2 441 613 832 Gomba District 2 92r 464 833 Gulu District 5 204 240 834 Hoima District 4 255 598 835 Ibanda District 7 545 104 836 District I 4 079 681 837 District I 9 4L6,477 838 Jin a District 3 116 502 839 Kaabon District 2 004 293 840 Kabale District 2 813 724 841 Kabarole District 3 47t 583 Kaberamaido District 5 2t4 496 842 843 di District 5 t74 031 9 009 t94 Kakumiro District Kalaki District 2 942 249 1 321 702 846 District 847 Kaliro District 4 73r 459 848 District Kal 3 594 297 L2' alL fl 4 . 844 J s+s

Yes. Hon. Obua and Hon. Jonathan –(Laughter) What Hon. Jonathan said is, when you look at schedule 1, you are looking at the location and land size of the institute and the institute here - You have Kabale located on land in that size. You have Kaliro located at that place, you have Mubende, Muni, Bunyama - Basically, those kinds of things. The issue of why the urgency, the budgetary aspects, the advertisement - If you do not have the documents, I can give you mine and you read from them. Let us first answer one thing at ago. Hon. Ibrahim, you are the one who asked about that issue and we are saying we are answering what you asked for. No, I have not read everything. Why are you talking about Kasese? I have not read everything for you.

Honourable members, can we have some silence? Honourable minister, before you bring your report, in the public gallery this afternoon, we have a delegation of all the LC III chairpersons of the Busoga subregion, from the districts of Bugweri, Bugiri, Luuka, Buyende, Iganga, Namayingo, Mayuge, Namutumba, Jinja, Kamuli and Kaliro. They are represented by the Members of Parliament from Busoga, headed by the Chairperson of Busoga Parliamentary Group. All the Basoga, stand up and we see you. (Applause) Join me in welcoming them to the Parliament of Uganda. (Applause) This is your Parliament. They are here for a two-day training on capacity building for local leaders and the role of Members of Parliament. By the time the councillors go back, they will have known the role of a Member of Parliament – not buying an ambulance, doing burials – (Laughter )- you are most welcome. Thank you so much for coming. (Mr Muzaale rose_) There is a procedural matter from the Member for Buzaaya.

Madam Speaker, Government secured a loan to make sure that all subcounties get health centres III but as we speak now, that loan has ceased. In the report, I have not heard anything to assure us the remaining subcounties without health centres III. Which arrangement does Government have to make sure that – for example, in Kaliro, specifically in Kaliro Town Council, which is very big and very soon it may even become a municipality, there is no health centre II?

Or a city, because Kaliro is very strategic, now that Saaka Bridge has been completed. Now, people from Pallisa, Madam Speaker, this is where you pass when you are heading to Buyende. It is a very strategic town but there is no hospital. When the Minister of Health came to Kaliro District, she assured the people that Bumanya Health Centre IV, which the President promised; he pledged that it would be a general hospital - the minister committed that every financial year there would be some infrastructural improvement. However, this year, I have not seen any allocation for that very hospital. That is why I see that this is a disadvantage because Kaliro is very strategic. When you go to Bumanya Health Centre IV, our health workers are so specialised and committed. That is why we get patients from all districts that are neighbouring Kaliro. Therefore, I really want the minister to clarify, and commit herself that what was mentioned last financial year, you will continue with that commitment, but –

Let me first hear from Kaliro City.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the chairperson of the Committee on Presidential Affairs for the thorough report. Ever since Kaliro became a district all RDCs do not sleep in the district; they reside in Jinja or Iganga. When problems come, these people who are representing the image of the President are not in the district. That is why I thank, the committee, for talking about establishing residence. One day, Kaliro people wanted to demonstrate and chase them away. They asked them, “does the President sleep in Kenya to lead Uganda? Why can’t you sleep in our district?” They end up-

Don’t they have where to rent in Kaliro for them to stay somewhere?

I think we need to investigate them because we have very good houses in Kaliro, but they do not want to sleep there. Secondly, it is about the banana project –

Mr Speaker, in February this year, we had a conference in Jinja where the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and Hon. Lt Gen. Kavuma presided over. He was the convener on behalf of Operation Wealth Creation. The issue was about the wetlands, whereby all Basoga who were growing rice were told to vacate the practice of growing rice. A directive was read to us verbatim and the President said that he was going to compensate people to vacate areas where they are growing rice. When the budget was read to us, I have not seen any single item that has been allocated for compensation of people. As we speak, 62 per cent of the rural population in Busoga, depends on rice growing. If they are not compensated, yet they are meant to live, how are they going to survive? Can the minister clarify on that? Secondly, in Kaliro District, they have already started sending away people from their land. I would like to interest the minister; people are coming in a pretext of vacating from wetlands, but I think they are land grabbers. You cannot tell a person that please vacate from this land. Rice cannot grow in an area where –(Member timed out.)

12424 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION Government should instead focus on addressing the challenges associated with spending local revenues at source by, for example, enforcing its policy reform to address capacity gaps, incompetence and corruption in local government. The committee also takes note of the fact that Parliament has time and again expressed the need to review the seemingly contradictory legal frameworks, but Ministry of Finance has not taken concrete steps to reverse the status quo. Committee recommendations 1. Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should withdraw the directive to local governments to remit local revenues collected by the local governments to the Consolidated Fund in line with Section 29(1) and (3) of the Public Finance Management Act. And local governments be allowed to collect, manage and spend the local revenues from a general fund account maintained at the district level in accordance with Section 80 to 82 of the Local Governments Act and other relevant laws. 2. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Ministry of Local Government expedites the process of addressing the shortcomings associated with the collection and management of local revenues at source by local governments before and at the end of the calendar year 2024. This is to aid the local governments in handling their local revenues. Under Markets and Agriculture Trade Improvements Programme (MATIP) 3 Committee observations i. All the markets built under Markets and Agriculture Trade Improvements Programme MATIP 1 and 2 are complete and functional. ii. There has been significant economic improvement and household income in the areas where the MATIP markets have been constructed. iii. There are design challenges and gaps in the completed MATIP markets that are posing serious challenges to the vendors in those markets. iv. Functionality and utilisation in some markets remain poor, for example, in Busia Municipality, where the market is functioning at about 30 per cent. v. Some cities are highly populated, hence overcrowding in the constructed markets. vi. The MATIP markets are concentrated majorly in cities and municipalities, leaving out town councils that are highly populated and require such facilities. Recommendations 1. Funds be availed for the additional eight markets under MATIP 3. 2. In addition to the eight markets, Ministry of Local Government should include Kaliro Town Council, Kamuli Municipality, Adjumani Town Council and an additional market for Gulu City. 3. Ministry of Local Government should carry out a detailed technical assessment of the constructed markets with a view of correcting the defects and design errors therein. 4. Ministry of Local Government should use the existing markets and the challenges observed in their operationalisation to inform the design for the plan of MATIP 3 markets. 5. Ministry of Local Government should pay attention during the design phase and all the consultants accountable for any design flaws. Remuneration of leaders Madam Speaker, the committee observed that local service delivery and overall development across the country is greatly dependent on motivated and well-facilitated political leaders who carry out monitoring, oversight, legislation and executive functions in local governments. [Mr Mapenduzi] SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORTS

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the committee for the elaborate report. The emergence of SACCOs in this country was for a good cause. Many entities, other than the Uganda Police Force, are establishing SACCOs in this country. I thank Hon. Macho for bringing out the issue of the Police or the Exodus SACCO. I would like to bring to the notice of this House that even local governments - I am on the Committee on Public Accounts (Local Governments)- have started SACCOs in their entities. In the last meeting or engagement with the local entities, we were in Jinja, where we met Kaliro District, where staff had started a SACCO group, and the manager of the group was the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) and similar issues were happening. That is just one example. So, my request is that when the Registrar of Cooperatives or the line ministry is looking into some of the recommendations, let them look further and inquire from other SACCOs. Let them sample them.

11581 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 2024 Introduction Mr Speaker, FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects all cloven-hoofed (two hoofed) animals. These include cattle, goats, sheep, pigs and wild animals such as buffaloes, deers and antelopes. The disease spreads very fast, through close contact between infected and non-infected animals. The disease is transmitted through aerosols (fluid droplets) breathed out by infected animals and contact with affected surfaces. The aerosols can be transported by wind to far areas. The affected animals get wounds in the mouth, feet and teats in female animals. FMD is the most dreaded disease in international trade of animals and animal products. Countries that have eradicated the disease do not allow trade with affected countries, or those that control the disease by vaccination. The disease causes significant economic losses to the farmers and to the country due to disruption in animal production, productivity and in trade of animal and animal products. Scientists and economists have estimated the economic cost of FMD to a farmer per unit livestock to be $20 per infection. The cost can be higher with repeated infections. Our target, therefore, as Government, is to not only control the disease but eradicate it. Mr Speaker, the ideal situation that enables any livestock producing country to fully control and eradicate FMD requires the following interventions: i) Undertaking a bi-annual compulsory vaccination exercise of the entire susceptible animal herd in the country (all two hoofed animals; cattle, sheep, goats and pigs). For purposes of universal coverage, compliance and bio-security considerations (since vaccines are live organisms), governments normally offer the vaccines as a public good. This, however, varies from country to country, depending on the number of animals and the budget implications for buying the vaccines recurrently. ii) Another control and eradication approach is the “test and slaughter” followed by safe disposal of the carcasses (burning and/or burying). When the veterinary authorities confirm the outbreak, they determine the affected animals and those at risk for destruction. This, however, is followed with compensation by the government, which is a very expensive practice. This is the practice in developed livestock-producing countries like the United Kingdom, among others. You kill or destroy, but compensate the farmer. iii) In addition to the above, movement control restrictions (quarantine) are always imposed either in part or as a whole in the affected geographical location depending on the epidemiological assessment by the competent authorities. The competent authorities, Mr Speaker, are veterinary authorities. These animal movement restrictions, however, are temporary measures to disrupt transmission but their duration depends on the discipline and compliance of the different stakeholders (farmers, traders, processors and enforcement agencies) and also on the country’s ability to implement interventions (i) and (ii) above. Current situation in the country Mr Speaker, there are 36 districts currently affected and under quarantine. These are; Budaka, Bukedea, Bukomansimbi, Bunyangabu, Butaleja, Fort Portal City, Gomba, Ibanda, Isingiro, Kabarole, Kassanda, Kayunga, Kazo, Kiboga, Kibuku, Kiruhura, Kumi, Kyankwanzi, Kyegegwa, Kyotera, Luuka, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Mbarara City, Mityana, Mpigi, Mubende, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Namisindwa, Ngora, Ntungamo, Rakai, Rwampara and Ssembabule. All districts neighbouring the aforementioned districts are at high risk, under strict surveillance and the authorities are advised to remain vigilant. These include; Apac, Amolatar, Bugiri, Bushenyi, Butaleja, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kaberamaido, Kaliro, Kamuli,

11350 DESIGNATION OF MEMBERS TO COMMITTEES OF PARLIAMENT [Mr Obua] 3. Hon. Rosemary Nyakikongoro – Woman, Sheema; 4. Hon. Arinaitwe Rwakajara - Workers; 5. Hon. Moses Magogo – Budiope East; 6. Hon. David Kabanda - Kasambya; 7. Hon. Amos Kankunda – Akankuna – Rwampara; 8. Hon. Samuel Okwir – Moroto County 9. Hon. Sylvia Nayebale – Gomba; 10. Hon. Josephat Tumwesigye - Bugangaizi; 11. Hon. Herbert Ariko - Soroti East Division; 12. Hon. Agnes Atim - Amolator; 13. Hon. Donald Katalihwa – Mwenge County; 14. Hon. Aggrey Bagiire – Bunya County South; 15. Hon. Samon Bwiire – Bulamogi; 16. Hon. Keefa Kiwanuka – Kiboga County East; 17. Hon. Maximus Ochai - West Budama North; 18. Hon. Solomon Silwany – Bukooli Central; 19. Hon. Derrick Orone - Gogonya; 20. Hon. Alex Ruhunda – Fort Portal Central; 21. Hon. Iddi Isabirye – Bunya South; 22. Hon. Mourine Osoru – Arua City; 23. Hon. Annet Katusiime – Bushenyi; 24. Hon. Gyaviira Ssemwanga - Buyamba; 25. Hon. John Baptist Lokii - Mathenico; 26. Hon. Muhamad Ssentayi – Bukoto County West; 27. Hon. John Teira – Budiope County North; 28. Hon. Faith Nakut – Napak; 29. Hon. Mwine Mpaka – Mbarara South Division; 30. Hon. Brenda Namukuta - Kaliro; 31. Hon. James Kaberuka – Kinizi County; 32. Hon. Lillian Aber - Amolator; 33. Hon. Catheline Ndamira - Kabale; 34. Hon. Linos Ngompek – Kibanda North; 35. Hon. Dicksons Kateshumbwa – Sheema Municipality; 36. Hon. Laura Kanushu - Workers; 37. Hon. Fred Opolot - Pingire; 38. Hon. Bernard Odoi – Youth Eastern; 39. Hon. Juliet Bashiisha - Mitooma; 40. Hon. Michael Bukenya - Bukuya; 41. Hon. Moses Aleper - Chekwii; and 42. Hon. Fadil Twalla - Tingey. Madam Speaker, I beg to designate.

11040 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT (iii) The MoLG and MoFPED should ensure that all the parishes receive the funds as required by the PDM policy. TOR 2 Eligibility of the various categories of beneficiaries of the PDM Fund Madam Speaker, in the interest of time, I will take you to page 10 which gives details on the status. The subregions reported that vetting committees and SACCO leaders have ensured that there is proportional access for the different groups. However, contrary to guidelines, some government employees and their families as well as richer persons were benefiting from PDM funds. This was reported in Buganda and Lango subregions. There were allegations of a ghost SACCO set up to benefit ineligible persons in Okwongo Town Council in Otuke District, where the beneficiaries were family members of the CDO and other district officials. In addition, a one Janet Akullu from the same district was known to be someone who was well-off owning a storeyed building, therefore, not part of those who were meant to benefit from this programme. Once reported, the disbursement of Shs 434 million was put on halt, and investigation proceeded, which helped in saving Government from losing the said amount to ghost beneficiaries. In Kole District, irregularities in payments to beneficiaries of Ogwangacuma SACCO were noted, with cases of suspected unauthorised withdrawals from the account. On examination of the SACCO account, discrepancies were noted in the bank statement of the SACCO account in Postbank. In response, Postbank explained that the discrepancies arose from erroneous export of data into Excel by one of their officers. On the issue of equity in the PDM implementation across the regions- with the same amount of funds to be given to all parishes across the country, stakeholders have raised a concern about coverage of PDM in areas with big parishes that have many villages, households and enterprise groups. Some of the examples cited include Koboko North, Gulu City, Wakiso, Mayuge and Kaliro districts. On the other hand, the Ministry of Local Governments had not disbursed any funds for Kampala City, due to the uniqueness of the city setting. The Ministry is, therefore, redesigning the programme for Kampala accordingly. On the aspect of adherence to quotas for special interest groups, The PDM guidelines provide for mandatory quotas for disbursement of the funds. The distribution is supposed to be 30 per cent for youth, 30 per cent for women, 10 per cent for the elderly and 10 per cent for persons with disabilities (PWDs). According, to the Ministry of Local Governments the quota system has been emphasised and is being realised, with women receiving the bulk of the money because they are found in all categories; that is women, youth, elderly and PWDs. All subregions indicated that the criteria were not being fully met, especially in regard to the elderly and PWDs. In some cases, the number of special interest groups in the enterprises were very low. For example, in Podo Parish, Koboko District, PWDs refused to get the money for fear of failure to repay, that is according to the regional report. Gender issues were also noted in some areas where women were denied funds unless a spouse guaranteed them. Mityana District had reports of sexual harassment hindering women from full participation in PDM. Committee observations The Committee observed the following: i. None of the sub-regions was able to present detailed data indicating the categories of beneficiaries from which the

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity and thank you, Hon. Achayo, for allowing me to give you information. Allow me to use this opportunity, on behalf of the people of Kaliro District and the Balamogi of Uganda, to congratulate you upon the double blessing. Congratulations upon becoming a Nnalongo . It is very special in our society and we cannot take it for granted. We thank God for the double blessing. I would like to give information because I am from a neighbouring district to Pallisa and Ngora. We share Lake Kyoga and we are always facing similar challenges. In Kaliro, it is now three years consecutively that we have faced a similar challenge where fishermen kill each other. As leaders, it is a big problem for us in such societies. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

I do not see properly so I am very grateful. Madam Speaker, I represent Iganga Municipality and Iganga is located on a highway along the Mbale – Jinja - Kampala Road. It serves the districts of Luuka, Kaliro, Mayuge, Namutumba and Bugweri. To our surprise, in all the arrangements – first of all, we thank the Government for renovating Iganga General Hospital to a status of qualifying it to be a referral hospital. As per the plans of the Ministry of Health, it was supposed to be upgraded to a referral hospital, but there are powerful people – I think in Iganga, we are not as powerful and supportive of the NRM government. They said that the referral hospital will be taken to Bugiri [Mr Kafuuzi] COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

10801 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2023 the prescribed time to ensure the timely preparation of the treasury memoranda and timely implementation of recommendations of Parliament; NOW, THEREFORE, Parliament, in accordance with Article 163(5) of the Constitution and Section 19(4) of the National Audit Act, 2008, resolves to adopt the recommendations of the Auditor-General in respect to the following local government entities: Entities under the Public Accounts Committee (Local Government) 1. Mbale District Local Government; 2. Mbale City; 3. Namisindwa District Local Government; 4. Manafwa District Local Government; 5. Bulambuli District Local Government; 6. Kibuku District Local Government; 7. Tororo District Local Government; 8. Sironko District Local Government; 9. Budaka District Local Government; 10. Busia District Local Government; 11. Busia Municipal Council; 12. Butaleja District Local Government; 13. Kapchorwa District Local Government; 14. Kapchorwa Municipal Council; 15. Kween District Local Government; 16. Tororo Municipal Council; 17. Bukwo District Local Government; 18. Pallisa District Local Government; 19. Bududa District Local Government; 20. Soroti District Local Government; 21. Soroti City; 22. Amolatar District Local Government; 23. Kaberamaido District Local Government; 24. Kalaki District Local Government; 25. Serere District Local Government; 26. Amuria District Local Government; 27. Dokolo District Local Government; 28. Bukedea District Local Government; 29. Katakwi District Local Government; 30. Kapelebyong District Local Government; 31. Otuke District Local Government; 32. Kumi Municipal Council; 33. Kumi District Local Government; 34. Ngora District Local Government; 35. Nabilatuk District Local Government; 36. Nakapiripirit District Local Government; 37. Karenga District Local Government; 38. Kotido District Local Government; 39. Kotido Municipal Council; 40. Amudat District Local Government; 41. Kaabong District Local Government; 42. Moroto District Local Government; 43. Moroto Municipal Council; 44. Abim District Local Government; 45. Napak District Local Government; 46. Kamuli District Local Government; 47. Kamuli Municipal Council; 48. Iganga District Local Government; 49. Iganga Municipal Council; 50. Jinja District Local Government; 51. Jinja City; 52. Northern Division, Jinja City; 53. Southern Division, Jinja City; 54. Kaliro District Local Government; 55. Buyende District Local Government; 56. Mayuge District Local Government; 57. Bugiri District Local Government; 58. Bugiri Municipal Council; 59. Namayingo District Local Government; 60. Namutumba District Local Government; 61. Njeru Municipal Council; 62. Lugazi Municipal Council; 63. Luuka District Local Government; 64. Bugweri District Local Government; 65. Buikwe District Local Government; 66. Mukono District Local Government; 67. Mukono Municipal Council; 68. Wakiso District Local Government; 69. Nansana Municipal Council; 70. Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipal Council; 71. Kira Municipal Council; 72. Mpigi District Local Government; 73. Nakaseke District Local Government; 74. Luwero District Local Government; 75. Mityana District Local Government; 76. Mityana Municipal Council; 77. Buvuma District Local Government; 78. Entebbe Municipal Council; 79. Butambala District Local Government; 80. Kayunga District Local Government; 81. Nakasongola District Local Government; 82. Masaka District Local Government; 83. Masaka City; 84. Kimaanya-Kabonera City Division; 85. Nyendo-Mukungwe City Division; 86. Kalungu District Local Government; 87. Gomba District Local Government;

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The information I would like to give to my Woman Member of Parliament is that Namutumba is constantly in load-shedding. The electricity is so intermittent to the extent that in a week, we can have power for two days and it is due to the power lines that need to be refurbished. For instance, the lines that supply power to Namutumba go via Kaliro then to Namutumba yet they would have gone straight to Namutumba; and these lines are too old that they need to be refurbished. That is the information I wanted to give.

Kaliro District, one of the strategic districts in Busoga. This district had a district engineer in acting position for over 10 years. A sensitive position of a principal auditor acting for over -(Member timed out.)

The kilometres were over 52. With the allocation of Shs 1 billion to Kaliro District, we are going to cover over 110 kilometres under maintenance. Our topography is okay, the soil texture is very fine and the scientists, those who are here, you can go and test our soil. Madam Speaker, giving the ministry powers to dictate the usage of this money is a mistake on its own. Shs 1 billion, according to the quotations of the ministry, will work for more COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR [Mr Muwanga Kivumbi]

9624 PRIME MINISTER’S TIME Hon. Bwiire Sanon Nadeeba, Member of Parliament for Bulamogi County raised a matter concerning the disruption in the movement of goods and services caused by the flooding of Naigombwa Swamp that connects Kaliro and Namutumba districts. His prayer is that I update the House on the interventions made. The Ministry of Works and Transport on 10 February 2023, inspected the Naigombwa Swamp crossing and prepared a plan for a permanent intervention. At the moment, a temporary intervention has been planned for implementation in this quarter (2023/2024) to restore connectivity and movement of goods and services. The Government is planning for a more permanent intervention. Hon. Zijjan David Livingstone came up with another question. He raised a matter of national concern on the failure to: i) Compensate the Standard Gauge Railway Project Affected Persons (PAPs)in Magamaga, Lwandago, Kakira, Wairaka, Wanyange, Bugembe and the resultant disruption in operations of the health facilities, education institutions and economic activities in the affected areas’; and ii) The need for an explanation on what was delaying the implementation of the SGR Project, expeditious compensation of the Project Affected Persons and revisiting the compulsory acquisition policy prior to payment. His prayer is, can the Prime Minister update the House on the matter concerning the status of the Project Affected Persons? Madam Speaker, Government commenced compensation of Project Affected Persons in the year 2016 and the total estimated cost was Shs 584 billion. As at July 2023, after a period of seven years, out of Shs 292.425 billion PAPS approved reports by the Government Chief Valuer, only Shs 109.38 billion has been paid. The project is currently re-assessing the Project Affected Persons from Jinja to Kampala who had been assessed in the year 2016 but could not be paid with the funds available at the time. Hon. Juliet Achayo, Member of Parliament, Ngora County, Ngora District stated that there is a need to operationalise the Maritime Act that was passed in the 10 th Parliament. However, government has not presented regulations to Parliament to operationalise this Act. Can the Prime Minister update the House on the measures being taken to improve road and maritime safety, and also inform the House when government is planning to lay the regulations under the Maritime Act? I request that I answer this because it involves water transport. My response is that the Inland Water Transport Act of 2021 is now in force. Draft regulations for improving safety have been prepared and submitted to the Solicitor- General for review and guidance. Government has also undertaken the following measures to improve road and maritime safety: 1. Sensitisation - this has already been taken care of. 2. The Ministry of Works and Transport prepared a search and rescue plan, which is being implemented. This plan highlights the responsibilities of relevant stakeholders on activities they should plan and implement during incidents on the water bodies. 3. Inspection, regulation and licensing are continuous activities conducted to weed out unworthy vessels. 4. Weather forecast systems have been procured and deployed. Currently, modalities of disseminating information are ongoing between the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Ministry of Water and Environment. 5. Increased enforcement in collaboration with security forces is ongoing, especially after signing Operation Memorandum of Understanding with security bodies with maritime presence on water bodies.

9102 ADDRESS ON THE STATE OF THE NATION 6. Nabumali High School, Mbale; and 7. Namasagali College, Kamuli, among others. In addition, Government is constructing and equipping secondary schools with laboratories and completing the construction and upgrading of technical vocational institutions in Bushenyi, Luweero, Lira, Mbale, Nyamitanga, Rwetanga, Kaberamaido, Butaleja, Ssesse, Kitgum and Kaliro, among others. The construction of 115 seed secondary schools in the subcounties, which do not have these schools at the moment, will continue in the next financial year. To improve school learning and accountability in Government-supported schools, the following will be undertaken starting next financial year: (a) Strengthen the link between education and socio-economic transformation by promotion of Science, Technology En - gineering and Mathematics in education, research and incubation; (b) Enhancing the technical capacity and skills to support industrial growth especially manufacturing; (c) Electronic tracking of enrolment, dropout and retention, and identifying learners, teachers and institutions using ICT capabilities; (d) Improving the overall staffing levels in the schools and; (e) Development of a complete national vocational qualification framework. With our oil money, we shall be able to complete our targets of a Government primary school per parish and a Government secondary school per subcounty. The railway, electricity, technical and science education as well as some national roads, will be the elements our oil money will deal with. I intend to meet with the Petroleum Authority of Uganda and the oil companies to harmonise so that we do not miss the target of 2025 as the first oil date. (Applause) I do not want this Petroleum Authority of Uganda to delay our programme with petty things; local content. Let us start. Health Over the last three years, since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Government has strengthened health systems. This included equipping regional and national referral hospitals and 225 health centres II have been renovated and upgraded to health centres III. In addition, we have strengthened the capacity of the country in vaccine development. For the Government to be able to sustainably improve health services, emphasis will be placed on transforming the health care from predominantly curative to preventive, through: (a) Timely supplies of drugs to address stock- outs as well as provision of relevant medical equipment; (b) Prevention and control of communicable diseases through immunisation; (c) Operationalising Mulago Super Specialised Hospital and expediting the construction of the Lubowa Specialised Hospital, all existing health centre IVs and health centre IIIs; (d) Strengthening the supervision and accountability role of the regional technical supervisory structures; (e) Emphasising, through radio programmes, the importance of nutrition and hygiene, among others, and; (f) Malaria prevention through killing the mosquitoes and the use of treated bed nets. Strengthening security and good governance Uganda’s borders remain secure, save for the spill-over effects occasioned by activities of negative armed groups in Eastern Congo and

8756 BUDGETARY PROPOSALS & ESTIMATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023/2024 129) Vote 844: Kakumiro District – Shs 25,000,313,000 130) Vote 845: Kalaki District - Shs 15,868,505,000 131) Vote 846: Kalangala District – Shs 14,894,914,000 132) Vote 847: Kaliro District – Shs 28,487,386,000 133) Vote 848: Kalungu District - Shs 25,170,989,000 134) Vote 849: Kamuli District – Shs 46,518,428,000 135) Vote 850: Kamwenge District - Shs 29,011,951,000 136) Vote 851: Kanungu District - Shs 41,511,765,000 137) Vote 852: Kapchorwa District – Shs 18,548,597,000 138) Vote 853: Kapelebyong District – Shs 12,049,109,000 139) Vote 854: Karenga District - Shs 10,726,827,000 140) Vote 855: Kassanda District - Shs 22,543,695,000 141) Vote 856: Kasese District - Shs 73,970,823,000

7843 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 30 MARCH 2023 The district has designated 40 COVID-19 vaccination points and 37 Hepatitis B screening centres in all health centres in the district for six days. centres in the district for six days. The health management and response teams are handling COVID-19 as well as Hepatitis B and extending effective services to host communities and refugees. Madam Speaker, we enjoin our political leaders and other community leaders to take lead in the vaccination and screening exercise of COVID-19 and Hepatitis B so that the population embraces the exercise to save the host communities and refugees in Adjumani District. Hon. Norah Bigirwa Nyendwoha, Woman Representative for Buliisa, said that many parts of the country are facing drought, which is affecting the production of food and cash crops. The farmers are entering the first season of the year and usually, it is very short with little rain. Government, over time, has been promising to support Ugandan farmers - both small and large scale - with irrigation schemes for the farmers to access water for production. However, this seems not to have taken off and many farmers are worried. Her prayers are that: I should assure this House and our farmers the extent of Government’s assurance to access water for production. When is the Government fulfilling the promise on the solar power irrigation systems? My response is that the Government has continued its efforts to invest and improve access to water for production. The Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, is supervising the construction of six irrigation schemes in different parts of the country including Mubuku II, Doho II, Ngenge and Rwengaju, to mention, but a few. Construction of the irrigation schemes including Acomai in Sironko and Atari in Kween have started. The Government has supported farmers and farmer groups by installing solar-powered irrigation schemes in various sites in the districts of Ntungamo, Hoima, Mubende, Kamuli, Koboko, Kumi, Kabale, Mukono, Kiboga, Buvuma, Ssembabule, Kayunga, Yumbe, Kaberamaido, Kaliro, Buikwe, Masindi, Butambala, Bukomansimbi, Kapachorwa, Iganga, Kaabong, Rukungiri, Amolatar, Adjumani, Mbale, Pader, Rukiga, Nakaseke and Katakwi, among others. This is to promote adoption of improved and efficient water for agricultural technologies for the crops and livestock. The Government has constructed over 1,555 valley tanks with a total holding capacity of 10,840,000 cubic metres in order to address the challenge of water for animals, especially in the cattle corridor and drought prone districts. Honourable members, even Buliisa will eventually benefit. Hon. Geoffrey Macho, Member of Parliament for Busia Municipality asked that Busia Boarder Seed Secondary School is located in Mukungu B Village, Central Parish, Eastern Division in Busia Municipality. The school was started in 2019 and had an enrolment of 497 students by the close of year 2022. The school was started as a response to Government’s policy of having public secondary schools at subcounty level. It also came as a result of a Presidential pledge. Though Busia Municipality donated land of approximately 25 acres, the Government has not come up clearly to ensure that people benefit from the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Programme (USEP). His prayers are that: 1. The Ministry of Education and Sports comes out clearly on the USEP in relation to this school before term one of 20 – Madam Speaker, these questions came earlier, but since we have not had a chance – it says at the start of the term. 2. The ministry should implement the Presidential pledge.

You had mentioned earlier; my name is Bwiire Sanon Nadeeba, MP for Bulamogi, Kaliro. I thank Parliament for having the zeal to save and protect the savers’ money. I commend the work of the committee because when you look at the time we gave them and the quality of the report; if we had given them more time, I do not think we would even need a forensic audit. There is an issue that was passed by the 10 th Parliament; and this Parliament passed this law - that this Fund should be supervised by the ministries of gender and finance. The committee has recommended that the responsibilities should almost go back to the Ministry of Finance. We have suffered -

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity. I would like to bring it to the attention of this House that I have a bridge called Saaka Bridge that is being worked on and the project is going to take 30 months. My prayer is that as they work on the bridge – they are going to tarmac the bridge but Kaliro has no single tarmac in the whole district. My prayer is to request the minister to tarmac – at least to connect from the bridge to Pallisa, then to connect from the bridge to Kaliro town. It is my humble prayer. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Hon. Brenda is being sincere. Much as you are going to tarmac the bridge, the whole town has never seen any tarmac. Just tarmac for her – there is a road where there was Kamuli, Buyende, Kaliro – at least, tarmac that one. And do some tarmacking within town. Honourable minister?

General, we also have a road, which was approved; it is not a new project per se. There is the Kamuli-Buyende- Kaliro Road. Maybe, that would help the Member of Parliament. It was budgeted for and is supposed to be at design level. The letter has not come from the minister for finance. Minister, how far have you gone with the letter for us to help the Member? Honourable Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, we welcome you back to the House. We missed you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Happy New Year. I have just been having some little lunch up there and one Member of Parliament, whom I will not men- tion, talked about this very road. You can see I have even got the exact road: Buwenge-Lu- zinga-Kaliro-Namutumba-Gadumire. Is that not the road we are talking about?

I am talking about Kamuli- Buyende-Kaliro Road. The other one is a connection.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I stand on a matter of national importance concerning Naigombwa swamp, which connects the two districts of Kaliro and Namutumba. This swamp flooded last year and my colleague, Hon. Naigaga of Namutumba and I, brought it to the attention of Parliament. COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR [Mr Zijjan]

6803 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 18 JANUARY 2023 Madam Speaker, on 17 June 2022, you wrote to the Minister of Works and Transport for urgent attention. However, up to date, there is not any signal from the ministry to respond to the cry of the people. This swamp has retarded the development and economic progress of the two districts because there is a lot of business that happens between Kaliro and Namutumba. Our people are becoming impoverished because this small stretch has now blocked small-scale traders from doing their business. It is painful that this very swamp claimed three people; two of them were children who were crossing from Namutumba to come to the better primary schools of Kaliro. Our humble prayer is that let the minister take immediate intervention to save the situation. This time around, the local people do not have the boats they were using last time to cross this swamp and access services. I beg to submit.

Honourable minister, why don’t you ask your team from Kaliro, Jinja or wherever to go and find an immediate solution?

Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is, in Kaliro District it is now two years since they started connecting electricity. Up to today, we have never seen any subcounty or village with light. My question to the Prime Minister is, when will Kaliro District be lit with power? Thank you.

Honourable, please, you do not need to come and - what we need is to ensure that Kaliro is lit quickly.

The districts to be connected are: Buikwe, Bukomansimbi, Butambala, Buvuma, Gomba, Kalangala, Kalungu, Kampala, Kassanda, Kayunga, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Kyotera, Luwero, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Masaka, Mityana, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Rakai, Ssembabule, Wakiso, Bugweri, Kitagwenda –(Interjections) - that is central. I am going region by region. In eastern Uganda, we have Amuria, Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Bukedea, Bukwo, Bulambuli, Busia, Namayingo, Butaleja, Butebo, Buyende, Iganga, Jinja, Kaberamaido, Kaliro, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Katakwi, Kibuku, Kumi, Kween, Luuka, Manafwa, Mayuge, Mbale, Namisindwa, Namutumba, Ngora, Pallisa, Serere, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Kalaki and Kapelebyong.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I had the opportunity to be on a committee that was sent out to investigate allegations against the UPDF. I covered Lake Kioga, the districts of Kayunga, Buyende; I went to Serere, Kaliro, Amolatar and Nakasongola. I also went to Bunyoro, Lake Albert, although the activities had not started. I want to tell you that the fishermen and women who are natives have no problem but the criminals who had moved from other areas had even made plots in the lake – (Member timed out.)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The committee conducted field activities in the following districts: Pader, Agago, Alebtong, Kole, Napak, Ngora, Kaliro, Sheema, Buhweju, Mitooma, Bushenyi and Ibanda - that is on page 5. We are going to the findings, observations and recommendations. These are the areas that we were looking at during our visit to those districts. However, before we went to those districts, we had a meeting with the Minister of State for Education and the management of Higher Education Students Financing Board. At a later stage, I will also come with that report and read it as it is included in this report. Therefore, I would like this House to know what we did and the observations we made. So, the following key findings, observations and recommendations have been identified for immediate action for various programmes under affirmative actions and other equalisation programmes to be implemented in the short to medium terms. Mr Speaker, the status of equal opportunities in the education sector; and the attainment of equality and inclusivity in development, is significantly predicated on the state of wellbeing, skills and competitiveness of the various categories of individuals and groups in society, as cited with the Sustainable Development Goal for quality education. While, wellbeing is dependent on the quality of healthcare services. Considering that Government of Uganda has over the past decades made significant gains in education through, inter alia, universalising primary and secondary education, according to the recently released results, the performance of Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) in northern Uganda and northern subregions, for instance, is below the national average. Therefore, the committee noted the average distance travelled by students or pupils to reach their respective schools; majority of the districts visited reported that students cover a distance of more than five kilometres. And, learners complained about long distance travel from home to school. They reported that this was associated with the challenges of rape, late reporting to school, early departure and inability to complete school homework due to fatigue or late arrival at school. Therefore, regarding access to the school environment, especially for visually impaired learners, members observed that most of them could not easily reach school since they lacked landmarks. While, wheelchair users also find it very difficult to access educational facilities in these districts. Mr Speaker, the distance to the nearest facility influences access to education services. The Ministry of Education and Sports standard is that every parish should have a primary school; and there should be a secondary school in every subcounty. So, this policy would make education accessible at that level. The committee findings also revealed that, secondary and tertiary institutions were far and inadequate in many parts of the sampled areas. This made it very hard for most of the children from hard-to-reach areas to progress to secondary level. Other children keep repeating primary seven because of no access to secondary education. Sustainable Development Goals will be evaluated in the next nine years, yet districts are performing badly with only one secondary school in each district. Teenage pregnancy has also increased due to the lockdown. The committee further observed that the cost of education services is a determinant in access to education, and many people pay highly for education in private schools. And, those who did not pay any money to schools meet the cost of scholastic materials, between Shs100 to Shs150, which is very costly for the rural people. However, in private schools, especially in urban areas, the cost is much higher compared to Government-aided education facilities. The committee also observed that the dropout rate is very high. For instance, in Napak District it is at 84 percent. The committee visited special

4976 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION needs schools, such as in Bushenyi District, where the structures are very dilapidated, and no renovation is being done; and most districts have no special needs schools that the children with disabilities can attend. Specific Observations The student loan scheme The committee observed that in an effort to assess regional balance in the operationalisation of the Higher Education Students Financing Board, a statutory body established by the Higher Education Students Financing Act (No.2), 2014, with a mandate to provide loans and scholarships to Ugandan students seeking to pursue higher education, in Ngora District, two students had benefited at the time we visited. In Kaliro, only one student; in Kole, we had three; and Pader had four students on the loan scheme in the previous academic year. And, students from most of the districts had failed to access the loan scheme due to limited or no information given about the scheme. The committee, therefore, noted that there is no regional balance in the award of student loans, especially in the northern and eastern regions; and in Karamoja sub-regionwith the lowest number of beneficiaries. When it came to staffing, whereas schools had staff establishments, these were less than 68 percent of staffing levels in most of the districts visited, with Napak District in Karamoja having the least at 53 percent. This adversely affects the quality of teaching and learning. Napak District had a teacher to pupil ratio of 1: 91. High school drop-out rates The committee observed the highest school drop-out rate was at 84 percent, as I had already mentioned, and that is in Napak District. After primary seven, some pupils do not have where to go, while others repeat P.7 four times because they cannot join secondary school. Their parents cannot afford the school fees and provision of other school requirements. Distance to schools The distance to the schools was also observed to be another big challenge. We found that children were walking about 14 kilometres to access primary school education. This has led to early marriages for girls, while the boys end up in pursuit of other livelihoods. Do these children have an opportunity for better education? Inadequate furniture for pupils The committee also observed that there was inadequate furniture in classrooms in the primary schools and there is need, therefore, to procure more. This was also a big challenge. Secondary schools The committee noted that Government has increased the number of seed secondary schools in many subcounties, while construction of additional seed secondary schools was ongoing in most of the subcounties. The committee appreciates Government’s efforts to ensuring at least one secondary school in every subcounty. Recommendations 1. The Minister for Education and Sports should provide for special needs children to benefit from inclusive education; 2. Washrooms or sanitary facilities for children with disabilities be provided in the schools; 3. The students’ loan scheme should be made accessible to all students that intend to borrow the funds for further studies, and more information about the scheme be given to the public to facilitate accessibility; 4. The district quota system should be introduced by the Higher Students’ Financing Board so that all districts will have an equal number of students accessing the Students’ Loan Scheme STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT [Mr Alyek]

4977 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 16 AUGUST 2022 5. The Ministry of Education and Sports should prioritise special needs education. A Special Needs Grant should be allocated to all districts and regional special needs schools to be created at regional level; 6. The Ministry of Education and Sports should ensure equitable recruitment of teachers trained in special needs who can handle students with disabilities in all Government-aided schools to ensure easy access to education for such students to; 7. The committee further recommends that the Ministry of Education and Sports should set concrete targets for improving the quality of primary education, particularly in rural areas, and in reducing the high dropout rates in primary schools, improving literacy and numeracy; and increasing enrolment in secondary schools; 8. Government should establish a special curriculum for the youth who can no longer join formal education. This can be a vocational school that targets skills development; 9. The Ministry of Education and Sports should explore the viability of availing relevant textbooks to public schools in some of these marginalised communities. The ultimate goal of such interventions should not only be to increase enrolment, but also aid retention and improve learning outcomes at all levels in the education value chain; and 10. The Ministry of Education and Sports should implement the Government policy of having Government-aided primary schools in all parishes to reduce inaccessibility to education. Status of equal opportunities in the health sector During the field visit, the committee observed that availability of health facilities has enhanced physical access to health care by communities. However, long distances to health facilities is one of the barriers to accessing health care services. Most communities travelled more than five kilometres from their households. In Ngora District, for example, not every subcounty has a health centre III. The policy of availability of health centres III in every subcounty should, therefore, be implemented to reduce the long distances of more than five kilometres to the nearest health facility. There is need, therefore, for affirmative action in the construction of health facilities in rural areas,. In some of the districts visited, the number of patients is overwhelming in the existing few health centres. For example, in Bumanya Health Centre IV in Kaliro District, the committee found patients sharing in-patients rooms; both women and men were sleeping in the same rooms. While in Kabwohe Health Centre IV, the committee observed that the buildings were all dilapidated, with no space for admission and no running water in place. Water was being ferried in jerrycans; and the oxygen cylinders were available, but without heads, hence, they were non-operational. The delivery room in the maternity ward is very small. Two delivery beds are available, but are too inadequate given the number of deliveries per day. The maternity ward is also in a very poor shape. The committee also observed that Government policy was intended to have health centres III in every subcouny, and health centres IV in every county. This is not, however, the case in many districts. Women are still dying while giving birth due to limited access to health care facilities. The committee also observed that in some of the districts visited, such as Ibanda, there was a training committee that coordinates career development activities for healthcare workers. The training committee reviews staff applications for training, and makes recommendations to the district service commission for authority to award study leave with pay as a means to support and guide career development accordingly.