Buvuma District

420 PRIME MINISTER’S TIME 1. The Government supports farmers with rosette-tolerant groundnut seed varieties and planting materials for short-term food security crops in the next planting season; and 2. Agricultural extension services be strengthened to educate farmers on the best farming practices, especially the management and control of groundnut rosette. Mr Speaker, my response is that I have taken note of the Member’s prayer for the Government to support farmers with rosette- tolerant groundnut seed varieties and planting materials for short-term food security crops in the next planting season. I will inform the President accordingly, and the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries is hereby put on alert. However, in the meantime, those who can afford it can go and buy Serenut 2-14, which is a rosette- tolerant variety from open markets. Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries extension technical teams are already engaging Ngora District, and every district has agricultural officers. The recommended practices are: use of certified seeds; early planting; proper spacing; inter-crop with beans or sorghum; uproot and bury infected plants; apply Cypermethrin 5-percent-EC or neem; extract if the infestation is high; and report symptoms to the subcounty extension workers. The fourth question came from Hon. Peter Okeyoh, the Member of Parliament for Bukooli Island County. According to our brother, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda did write a letter to the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, directing that power be extended to Sigulu Island, Namayingo and Buvuma Island. His question is: what is the status of the project? My response is that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development has commenced the public investment management system process. The project is currently at the project profile stage, awaiting consideration by the development committee. Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development is implementing a mini-grid project on Buvuma Island with support from the European Union, under the GET Access project. The contractor has been procured, while the submarine cable is being processed. I got a fifth question from Hon. Okeyoh, again. He stated that this Parliament amended the Mining and Minerals Act, 2022, to provide for artisanal miners. He asked: “Why are our people, in Namayingo, Kassanda and Buhweju districts, being harassed by armed men?” Mr Speaker, my response is that the Mining and Minerals Policy, 2018, the Mining and Minerals Act, 2022 and the Mining and Minerals (Artisanal Mining) Regulations, 2025, provide a legal and regulatory regime for the development of artisanal miners in Uganda. Mining is only permitted within gazetted artisanal mining zones. To enforce this, the Police Minerals Protection Unit is halting illegal mining activities outside gazetted mining zones. This is aimed at curbing environmental degradation, the spread of epidemics, occupational health and safety hazards, and the use of hazardous chemicals such as mercury. The ministry is currently organising and registering artisanal miners into associations and cooperatives, as a requirement before licensing them to operate within gazetted mining areas. The progress, so far, is that 20 artisanal and small-scale mining licences have been issued to miners in Namayingo, Kassanda and Buhweju districts. In addition, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development is engaging gold rush miners across the country. Mining in

Thank you. If we could do one minute each. Hon. Judith Nagujja from Buvuma-

Mr Speaker, you are spot on. Members should take advantage of my office because I welcome everybody and Members have received support from that office ever since I became the Prime Minister. I would like to request the Honourable member, through the District Disaster Committee of Buvuma, to put

Mr Speaker, the Government approved the solar mini-grid project from which Buvuma is supposed to benefit. I understand work was supposed to commence last March. I would like to know what is causing the delay. Thank you.

102. Maganda Julius Wandera Samia Bugwe County South Busia NRM 103. Malende Shamim Woman Representative Kampala NUP 104. Mayanja Moses Busiro County North Wakiso NRM 105. Mbalibulha Christopher K. Taban Bughendera County Bundibugyo Independent 106. Monday Julius Rude (Dr) Bukonzo County East Kasese NRM 107. Lule Eria Erick Kiboga West County Kiboga NRM 108. Meeme Sylvia (Col) UPDF Representative N/A N/A 109. Lwansasula Sarah Woman Representative Jinja City NUP 110. Modoi Isaac Lutseshe County Bududa NRM 111. Mpaata Salleh Bunya County South Mayuge NRM 112. Mubangizi Dedan Buwekula South County Mubende NRM 113. Luyimbazi Nalukoola Elias Kawempe Division North Kampala NUP 114. Masaba Muhamood Mutenyo Bungokho Central County Mbale NRM 115. Mbabazi Jacqueline Older persons Representative Western NRM 116. Migadde Robert Ndugwa Buvuma Islands County Buvuma NRM 117. Mudukoi Fred Oduchu Butebo County Butebo NRM 118. Namatovu Mastula Kamuli Municipality Kamuli NRM 119. Mugenyi Joseph Burahya County Kabarole NRM 120. Mudiobole Abedi Nasser Iganga Municipality Iganga NUP 121. Mugira James (Lt Gen.) UPDF Representative N/A N/A 122. Mugisa Margaret Muhanga Fort Portal North Division Fort Portal City NRM 123. Malinga Isaac Maikut Soi County Kween NRM 124. Masiko Henry Moses (Maj. Gen.) UPDF Representative N/A N/A 125. Mushabe Rujoki Ruth Woman Representative Kiruhura NRM 126. Mpindi Bumali PWD N/A Independent 127. Maseruka Robert Mukono County South Mukono NUP 128. Musinguzi Patrick Kashari North County Mbarara NRM 129. Muhenda Ronald Fort Portal Central Division Fort Portal City Independent 130. Muhooza Desire Woman Representative Kiboga NRM 131. Mujungu Jennifer K. Woman Representative Ntoroko NRM 132. Mujuni Asensio Maari Isingiro County South Isingiro NRM 133. Mukisa Robina Hope Woman Representative Namayingo NRM 134. Mukhaye Miriam Woman Representative Mbale NRM 135. Mulemya Ismail Sowed Busia Municipality Busia NRM 136. Mukiibi Eriasa Sserunjogi Butambala County Butambala Independent 137. Mulindwa David Isimbwa Busongora County South Kasese NRM 138. Mirembe Lydia Daphine Woman Representative Butambala Independent 139. Mugabe Robert Kitagwenda County Kitagwenda NRM 140. Mugabi Muzaale Martin Kisule Buzaaya County Kamuli NRM 141. Musa Noah Koboko North County Koboko NRM 142. Musanje Moses Njeru Municipality Buikwe NUP 143. Musasizi Henry Ariganyira Rubanda County East Rubanda NRM 144. Musila John Bubulo East County Namisindwa NRM 145. Musisi George Kira Municipality Wakiso NUP 146. Mutasingwa Diana Nankunda Woman Representative Buikwe NRM 147. Mutego Ronard Hangujja Bunyole East County Butaleja Independent 148. Nakku Fiona Female Workers Representative N/A Independent 149. Mutekanga Zadock Buhweju County Buhweju NRM 150. Mutonyi Rose Masaaba Woman Representative Manafwa Independent 151. Muyonjo Hussein Jinja North Division Jinja City NUP 152. Mwesigwa Mathias Rubabo County Rukungiri NRM

11 THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 14 MAY 2026 153. Mao Nobert Laroo-Pece Division Gulu City DP 154. Mwiru Paul Jinja South Division East Jinja City NUP 155. Nabadduka Annet Woman Representative Kibaale Independent 156. Nabakooba Judith Nalule Woman Representative Mityana NRM 157. Nabawanuka Sumayah Mubende Municipality Mubende NUP 158. Nabirye Annet Woman Representative Luuka NRM 159. Nabukenya Brenda Woman Representative Luweero NUP 160. Nagujja Judith Woman Representative Buvuma NRM 161. Najjuma Sarah Woman Representative Nakaseke NRM 162. Nakadama Rukia Isanga Woman Representative Mayuge NRM 163. Nakawuki Susan Nsambu Mawokota County South Mpigi NRM 164. Nakazibwe Hope Grania Woman Representative Mubende NRM 165. Nakisita Betty Mpongo Woman Representative Namutumba Independent 166. Nakiyi Julius Muntu Budadiri County East Sironko NRM 167. Nakut Faith Loru Woman Representative Napak NRM 168. Nakweede Harriet Woman Representative Kayunga NUP 169. Naluyima Betty Ethel Woman Representative Wakiso NUP 170. Namanya Viola Woman Representative Ntungamo NRM 171. Namara Dennis Buyaga West County Kagadi NRM 172. Namatende Eunice Woman Representative Bugiri NRM 173. Nambaziira Florence Woman Representative Ssembabule NRM 174. Nambeshe John Baptist Manjiya County Bududa NUP The Uganda National Anthem The East African Community Anthem (The House rose at 4.15 p.m. and adjourned until Friday, 15 May 2026, at 8.00 a.m.)

18621 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 APRIL 2026 be carried out at source quarterly. Further, the affected MDAs are also urged to incorporate within their budgets specified funds in order to enable them clear arrears accrued towards UCAA. The committee was informed that in regards to funds owed by the UN to the Uganda Civil Aviation, there is an MOU that states that the UN will operate at Entebbe International Airport at no cost and that UCAA will be compensated for the foregone income. The committee, therefore, recommends that the Ministry of Works liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Office of the Prime Minister to have the matter resolved and report back to Parliament in the medium term. 7.1.6 The relocation of NAGRIC from the airport The committee was informed by the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority that it acquired 67.4 acres of land formerly owned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)/ National Animal Genetic Resources Centre (NAGRIC) to facilitate the expansion of Entebbe International Airport. In order to facilitate the acquisition, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority paid Shs 2.4 billion on 20 August 2019 to MAAIF, which would enable them to relocate to land measuring 76.5 acres in Kyanuma village, Busiro. In respect to that, the committee noted that this issue was raised in the committee report of the Financial Year 2025/2026, urging MAAIF and NAGRIC to relocate and pave the way for the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority given that funds were received in lieu of the land by NAGRIC, but the status quo remains the same. The committee recommends and urges the ministers for Works and Transport and Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, in consultation with the Office of the Prime Minister, to come up with an amicable solution to the land under dispute and report back to Parliament in the medium term. 7.1.7 Ferries and inland water transport safety Ferry services in Uganda are primarily managed by Uganda National Roads Department in the Ministry of Works and Transport and private operators. They are critical infrastructure in connecting rural communities and bridging road networks across Lake Victoria, Kyoga, Albert, and the River Nile. These services significantly reduce travel times for people and cargo by serving key areas like Kalangala, Buvuma, and the Buyende-Kaberamaido route. The committee noted that inland water transport has been neglected over time with concerns about limited connectivity, ferry breakdowns, and makeshift boat use, persisting with up to 5,000 deaths occurring annually on Lake Victoria alone due to boat accidents. Madam Speaker, in respect to that, the committee takes into cognizance the ministry’s efforts towards construction of the Search and Rescue (SAR) centres and recommends that SAR centres be evenly distributed, constructed across all major water bodies. Further, island communities should be regularly sensitised on safe water transport usage given that most accidents are due to human error, like overloading, and most boats being in poor mechanical conditions. Further emphasis should be placed on regular vessel inspections in order to ensure compliance with set standards. 7.1.8 Operationalisation of the Meter Gauge Railway (MGR) Project. The committee noted that the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) is in the process of rehabilitating and upgrading the aging MGR network, including Malaba-Kampala, Tororo- Gulu, and expanding the commuter passenger services in the greater Kampala Metropolitan area under their strategic plan for Financial Year 2025/2026-2029/2030. Madam Speaker, the committee noted that in Financial Year 2026/2027, the Government has allocated Shs 161 billion to the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) towards the

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. What I want the minister to clarify on is the question of the end user. If the burden is going to be on the end user, I think that it should come out clearly. Even one of the dailies clearly indicated that if somebody uses a fridge and leaves it on overnight, we will have to pay and it has really disturbed us. People out there have got mixed reactions about this Bill saying that Parliament wants to pass a Bill that is going to burden Ugandans as end users of electricity. So, I want the minister to come out clearly and allay the fears of Ugandans. Secondly, if you efficiently use and conserve what is there, for example, the islands of Sigulu and Buvuma, what are we really going to conserve and efficiently use? I think this is a serious issue that we should not put the cart before the horse. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

…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.

17491 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 5 JUNE 2025 To achieve this goal, the Government is accelerating the construction of solar-powered irrigation schemes; medium-scale irrigation schemes, earth dams, communal and individual valley tanks, and large-scale irrigation schemes across the country. The construction works for 92 solar-powered irrigation schemes have been completed, adding an irrigation area of 900 acres. These are in the districts of Apac, Buhweju, Buikwe, Bukomansimbi, Buliisa, Bushenyi, Butambala, Buvuma, Gomba, Hoima, Isingiro, Kakumiro, etc. The new solar-powered irrigation schemes have benefitted 110,000 farmers and production yield from 120 schemes has increased to 3,600 tons per season. The major crop enterprises in these irrigation schemes include green pepper, onions, Irish potatoes, watermelons, tomatoes, apples, cabbages, pineapples, coffee, eggplants, vanilla, grapes, mangoes, and pumpkins. The construction works are also ongoing for 22 solar-powered irrigation demonstration sites in the districts of Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kole, Gulu, Napak, Abim, etc. In Nakaseke District, the construction works for the Kirema Phase 1, a medium-scale irrigation scheme, have been completed; thus adding a total of 124 hectares and benefitting 50 farmers engaged in coffee growing, passion fruits, maize, and bananas. The construction works for the Wadelai Irrigation Scheme, 1,000 hectares in Pakwach District, stands at 93.5 per cent. The construction works for the Namaitsu medium- scale Irrigation Scheme in Bududa District stands at 70 per cent. Kawumu Irrigation Scheme, which is in Luwero District, is at 90 per cent, among others. A mega irrigation scheme, Nyimur, covering 3,300 hectares, has been constructed in Lamwo District. Do you know where Lamwo is? You people, you do not know where Lamwo is? Lamwo is far away, on the South Sudan border. Other construction works include the Acomai Irrigation Scheme in Bukedea District, covering 1,480 hectares, and targeting 1,600 households; Atari Irrigation Scheme in Kween/ Bulambuli districts, covering 680 hectares, targeting 2,667 households; and Namatala Irrigation Scheme in the Budaka, Mbale, and Butaleja districts, covering 3,450 hectares, targets 4,923 households. The current production of milk stands at 5.4 billion litres at the end of 2024, compared to 2.5 billion litres in the Financial Year 2017/2018. We have also identified and secured foreign markets through government-to-government interventions, e.g. Algeria and Nigeria. These countries are now buying our powdered milk. This has resulted into an increase in the value of milk and milk products, as already pointed out, from $28.7 million in the Financial Year 2014/2015 to $285 million in the 2024 year. A new processing factory, Benni Foods, has been commissioned and is currently operational with an installed capacity of 10,000 litres of milk per day. The total value of fish catches from all the water bodies has steadily increased since the Government deployed armed forces to assist in fisheries enforcement. Currently, we are producing 658,000 metric tonnes of fish annually. The availability of raw material fish sustained operations of 12 fish processing factories; you know that debate. The fisheries unit has been able to stop overfishing or reduce it, although they have also been accused – once in a while – of being sinners, but we can audit their work by looking at the 12 factories that are now processing fish. Many of these had closed. I will meet the fisheries people soon; I will meet the traditional fishing communities, but this is one of the facts. Are the factories operating or not? Had they closed or not? When we meet, we shall discuss this. According to this one here, 12 factories are now operating, processing 658,000 metric tonnes.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you, chairperson for your able presentation of the reports. I would implore the Committee on Education and Sports to also consider island districts, for example, Kalangala where I come from, Namayingo, Buvuma and all those other islands. Government schools have been constructed in our island districts. They have pupils and students. Unfortunately, we do not have transportation from those schools to other areas of the district. For example, I have two constituencies, that is, Kyamuswa and Bujumba. Kyamuswa has four subcounties that are on the waters. These pupils cannot access the headquarters. If there is an activity and they have to get to the district headquarters, they would have to hire boats. Therefore, I implore the Government that, if you put infrastructure or a school in a far- off island, please also consider transportation of those pupils from that far area to the headquarters for purposes of either learning or travelling. In addition to what my honourable colleague said, I am in support of the report of the committee when they say that we need to harmonise salaries because in the hard-to- reach areas, you will only find the science teachers teaching and the arts teachers are not

17005 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 15 APRIL 2025 3) Oxygen plants Page 18, the committee recommends that additional Shs 8.6 billion be provided to the Ministry of Health to complete and commission the remaining oxygen plants and additional Shs 11.85 billion be provided to procure transformers that will stabilise the power supply for the oxygen plants and newly acquired medical equipment. 4) Medical equipment The Ministry of Health reported that it had acquired new imaging equipment, like CT scans, MRI, and ultrasound machines, for regional referral hospitals. This equipment requires constant maintenance that can cost Shs 7.7 billion annually. The committee recommends that additional Shs 7.5 billion be provided for the maintenance of that equipment. 5) Upgrade of health centres We can go to the recommendations on page 19. i) We need Shs 60 billion to complete the upgrade of health centres that had already been started. ii) We need an addition of Shs 7.6 billion for equipment that will be required to functionalise the upgraded health facilities. 6) Inadequate funding for the renovation and equipping of health facilities. In the second-to-last paragraph, the Ministry of Health reported that in 2024/2025, it had planned for the partial rehabilitation of 13 general hospitals. These include Kambuga, Masindi, Apac, Koboko, Kotido, Kamwenge, Kitgum, Katakwi, Amuria, Kasana Luweero, Kapchorwa, Itojo, and Muko. The total budget was Shs 39 billion, but the cumulative release from quarter 1 to quarter 3 was only Shs 12.7 billion, which is only 32 per cent. Recommendations on page 20 (i) The Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development should provide additional funds amounting to Shs 46 billion to complete rehabilitation, expansion, and equipping of Masindi, Kambuga, and Itojo General Hospitals, which are currently very old and dilapidated. (ii) The Ministry of Finance should provide Shs 20 billion, which is required to commence the rehabilitation of the foreign general hospitals, Apac, Koboko, Kotido, Kamwenge, Kitgum, Katakwi, Amuria, Kasana Luweero, Kapchorwa, in a phased manner. The Ministry of Finance should prioritise the release of the transitional development grant to address the issues of delayed rehabilitation completion. Hard-to-reach areas, such as Mayuge, Namayingo, Kalangala, Buvuma, and the rest, should be given affirmative action regarding health service delivery. 7) Status of ambulances There are 158 constituencies that have not received ambulances. The honourable members are complaining. Also, we have 14 boat ambulances, but very expensive to maintain in terms of fuel and servicing. The recommendations i) The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development provides additional Shs 54 billion to procure 158 ambulances for the remaining constituencies, including mine. (Laughter) ii) Additional funds amounting to Shs 17 billion, that is, fuel – Shs 12.8 billion and Shs 5.6 billion for servicing, be provided for the maintenance and functionalisation of the current fleet of ambulances under the National Ambulance Call and Dispatch System.

Please, tomorrow, you will give an oral answer on the Floor. I heard Hon. Susan from Buvuma, saying she had a procedural matter.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. The question of ferry workers cuts across all the UNRA ferries like the ones in Namayingo, Buvuma and other parts of the country. As you have rightly stated, Mr Speaker, it takes time to train a ferry operator and much of it is done outside the country. Now, the honourable minister is saying he is going to pay them Shs 240,000. It takes between Shs 20 million and Shs 40 million for these people to renew their seafarers’ licence and even for the specialised

Thank you, Mr Speaker. For the last two months, I have been raising issues to do with piracy on the lake. Whereas the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs have undertaken to handle this, nothing has happened. People continue to lose property in the form of boat engines and some are hacked. Last week, I visited my constituency and established that there are two Marine Police detaches, which are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There is one at Libu Island and another at Samba Island. The one at Libu is headed by a one Okello Tonny and that at Samba is headed by a one Komakech. What these marine officers do is to go deep on the lake, especially bordering Kenya and Tanzania. They confiscate fish from Ugandans and Kenyans and some from Tanzanians. The Tanzanians come back to take revenge against the Ugandans, at times hacking them or ordering them to drop their boat engines in the lake. Mr Speaker, some of our people have started relocating from the far islands. Our prayer is that the Minister of Internal Affairs should come to this Parliament to, not only mention it but also, bring a statement on the status of security in Buvuma Islands and specifically, in Lyabana Town Council, as far as fishing is concerned. Thank you.

Hon. Oguzu Lee and then the Member for Buvuma.

15980 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT question to it. (A Member rose_) “Guidance” is not provided for anywhere in our rules. Thank you. Next item. Point of procedure from the Member for Buvuma.

15921 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 30 JANUARY 2025 Subcounty has no secondary school, Jagusi in Mayuge District, where the Rt Hon. Deputy Prime Minister comes from, has no secondary school, Bumba has no secondary school and others in Buvuma. In this budget, we should address these hard-to-reach areas. Finally, I have not heard about money for elections. I sit on the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs and the budget for elections was about to recruit 5,000 policemen and then also to recruit 5,000 polling constables. It is an unfunded priority, so it is an area that we need to look at because we need peaceful elections. Instead, the committee only says that the army requested money, which is a preserve of the Uganda Police Force. It has not come – (Member timed out.)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Like a colleague has said, the budget should speak to the people and it should be people-centred. Mr Speaker, the budget does not specify, show or include the money to fund fuel for ambulances on the lake. We are grateful we got boat ambulances to help our people in all the islands – Buvuma, Namayingo and Kalangala. Unfortunately, they have not been funded in terms of fuel. A boat cannot consume water to take somebody from one island to the next or to Entebbe or a main hospital. I do not know what these people were thinking by procuring ambulances without fuel. We were even thinking that they should give them to some of us to use them as maybe tourism boats or leisure boats. What are they doing there? They are just parked somewhere and they are not helping our people. Actually, the Government should think of giving island districts hospitals. If you buy an ambulance and this ambulance has to take people from Kalangala to Entebbe to access a hospital and you have not given us fuel, it means you would rather construct hospitals for these island districts. Mr Speaker, Kalangala District is next to Masaka and one of the main means of transport from Bukakata is a ferry, but that place is a very short distance; the Government should construct a bridge. Mr Musasizi, what are you thinking about that? Can’t you, in your – you know. Can’t we - [Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka: “Order.”]- Mr Speaker, I need protection from –(Laughter)

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to speak as the Shadow Minister for Fisheries. Mr Speaker, yesterday, a boat with about 15 people capsized on Lake Victoria in the waters between Buvuma and Mayuge. These people who were on board had been arrested by the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit, who are attached to Namugongo Barracks in Jinja District. The suspects were handcuffed with ropes, had no life jackets, the boat was overloaded and all the 10 suspects died. The FPU officials survived because they had life jackets and so, they managed to swim to save their lives. Mr Speaker, this is what we have always talked about. On so many occasions, as a shadow minister, I have been here emphasising that we should table the Fisheries and Aquaculture Regulations for the law to be fully operationalised. The UPDF on the lake does not have sympathy for our people and we said, that if this law becomes operational, the marine police - as we proposed in the law - plus officials from the fisheries sector, if they were the ones on the lake, maybe such accidents would have been avoided because these are well-trained people. It is really disheartening that someone can lose a life because she or he is unable to save themselves. This is illegal - how do you arrest someone, handcuff someone with a rope, and put someone in a boat that is overloaded, with no life jacket? My God! Mr Speaker, my prayer is that these people should be compensated or their families, but even compensating them is not enough. The officials attached to the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit should be arrested and charged for negligence of people’s lives. Lastly, we should table the Fisheries and Aquaculture Regulations for the law to be fully operationalised. The UPDF is not supposed to be on the lake. It is really disheartening. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, I submit.

15770 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT all over, and you can hear that it is on both the NRM, and the Opposition sides. People are saying that their voters are asking for money to get recommendations. This is totally unacceptable, and it has got to be nipped in the bud. Mr Speaker, the process has not commenced in many places, including here in Kampala where the Electoral Commission is headquartered. I am thinking about deep rural places in Abim, Bupadhengo, Moyo, Kabale, and so forth. It is the worst of situations. The Electoral Commission told us that Kampala was given a bit of special attention and that more kits were distributed here, which is also not true. Mr Speaker, I was given information by one of my colleagues, Hon. Susan Mugabi from Buvuma. In most of these islands, and by the way, not just islands, there is no electricity, so these kits cannot operate. There is no connectivity at all. They are meant to print many forms, but they do not even have where to print them from. However, the Electoral Commission says that the process is moving on smoothly. No, that is not true. Mr Speaker, it is important that the Government concedes that there is a need for more time for this exercise because we all want it. It is good for all of us and our democracy. Let us increase the number of days because there have been glitches up to date, and in many places, the exercise has not commenced. We need more time for this process to be a free and fair one. Mr Speaker, for an election to be free and fair, it is not just on the D-Day. It begins with a process. When people feel like they are being disenfranchised - the young people, you are locking them out because of all these different quandaries - that is not a free and fair election. Can we increase the time? Mr Speaker, I do not know what your guidance is going to be, but I would like to move a motion without notice under Rule 59 of our Rules of Procedure that Parliament urges the Government to extend the duration of the update of the voter registration process by two months. It is important, and the Government can suggest whichever period. What is important is the need to extend this process - (Interjections)- So far, several days have passed, but the process has not commenced in many places. On 10 th February, the Electoral Commission is looking forward to announcing that they have stopped the exercise, yet the kits will not have reached some places. The exercise will not have been carried out. I hope that the Government will find it relevant to extend this process without Parliament having to urge it and push it around. Find it important to extend this exercise and then sort out the sticky issues. Otherwise, you may extend the time but then the sticky issues and complaints remain apparent. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

My question to the Prime Minister, Mr Speaker, is how the Government assesses priorities for different regions. I come from Buikwe District. In Greater Mukono – those are districts of Kayunga, Buvuma, Buikwe and Mukono – we do not have a public university. Recently, we heard about the issue of the prison being transferred from Luzira to Buikwe. When I talk about seed schools in Buikwe, we only have one called Isugu, out of the 15 subcounties we have in the whole of Buikwe District. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, our request is also to consider Buikwe District regarding the seed schools, as other regions have also been considered. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your understanding. It is a rare occasion, to have three sector ministers, attending a plenary but last week, on this same Floor, I raised a matter of national importance. It had to do with the piracy on the lake where some of our people were killed, and boat engines stolen daily. From the time I raised that matter, it happened yesterday and last week, and the State Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs undertook to send a team on the ground to assess this. I raised the same matter with the Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, who is in attendance. I raised the same matter with the Minister of Internal Affairs, and since then, no officer has appeared in Buvuma to assess this. I know it is the duty of the Minister of Internal Affairs and the police to keep law and order, but also of the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs to ensure that the national borders are safe. Byabaana subcounty, where these issues are happening, borders Uganda and Tanzania. Our prayer remains the same: we want the relevant ministers and agencies to go on the ground and assess the situation and see how our people are assisted now that they are here, I want commitment from them that, effective tomorrow, such occurrences will not occur.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I was saying it is not only a Buvuma issue, but the fishing communities suffer the same problem. I would suggest that the three or four ministries, the one of East African Community Affairs, the one for Security, and the one for Defence and Internal Affairs have a joint task force to address this. All of us who represent constituencies that border other countries in the lake, are insecure. For them on their side, they have means to protect their people but in these waters of our communities, we do not have security for our people. They take engines and boats and our people cannot chase them.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Let me also emphasise the same matter of national importance, about a fire outbreak in Lyabana Sub-county. I would like to give just more information that Lyabana Subcounty is one of the farthest islands in Buvuma District, bordering Tanzania. Madam Speaker, these people, specifically, their source of income is fishing. It is not like the Buvuma mainland where people are doing some agriculture. These specifically rely on fishing. The reports we are getting so far from that side indicate that so many boat engines have been destroyed. These are the ones that are used in fishing for people to earn a living.

Madam Speaker, following the information I got from you on the same subject matter regarding the Buvuma Islands, I called the Minister of State in charge of Disaster Preparedness, who indicated that I should, as a practice, advise the area Members of Parliament to ensure that the district local government of Buvuma submit a report, and basing on that report, the Office of the Prime Minister under the Disaster Department will look into what is available and will offer support to the affected families. I also sympathise with the families affected by the fire that gutted their respective residences. Therefore, may I, request my two colleagues- because that is the practice, that the District Disaster Committee submits a report. The faster the report comes; that will also pre- empt the action subject to what is available to be delivered to the families affected. May I advise. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, in Buvuma - because it is an island district, there is one specific town council, which is Lyabaana Town Council - month after month, we have piracy on the lake. I have raised this issue before. Boat engines are picked by people speaking Swahili. Last month, 40 engines were taken, and 22 people were hacked, seven of them were admitted to different health centres in critical condition. For the last so many years, we have reported but no response, and actually no senior officer from the security has gone to this area, at least to comfort the people. My question is: what arrangements does the Government have to protect members of the fishing community from the pirates? I have to be clear, this is not about the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), these are pirates. Therefore, what arrangement does the Government have to protect these people with their property and also their lives? There is no deployment in this area and it is near the Kenya-Uganda border. Thank you very much.

I put the question that clause 54 stands part of the Bill? Buvuma?

You are not “Buvuma”, Sir. (Laughter) Madam Chairperson, under clause 54, I propose to amend section 56(1) of the principal Act by inserting, after the word “Minister”, the following: “The minister shall, with the approval of Parliament, make regulations…” The justification is to ensure that Parliament examines and approves any regulations made under this Act.

No, no. Madam Chairperson, regulations are laws. Please, honourable minister, Frank, my former student. (Laughter) Madam Chairperson, the minister will make regulations to regulate the sector, but these regulations need – (Interjection) - listen to me. We have made many laws whereby there are those which can be just laid; there are those which should be approved. I would like to state that having given the minister all the powers from the beginning to the end, if you make a mistake in allowing him to make regulations and he implements them, you are in danger. This is a leading sector; it is the coffee sector. It has a lot of revenue; he can even change many things. So, Madam Chairperson, I agree with my colleague from Buvuma that “the minister may, with approval…” I am saying “may”, with the approval of Parliament.

Having listened to the debate, Madam Chairperson, I propose that the proposal by the honourable member from Buvuma be amended to read: “The minister shall make regulations and lay the same before Parliament”. I beg to submit.

Honourable, when the microphone is off, it is off. The people of Buvuma have heard.

Madam Speaker, this transition period will be supervised by the Ministry of Public Service – (Interjection) - Yes, because it is the mandated ministry. It is not true that UCDA is independent of the ministry. UCDA is semi- autonomous and whatever they have been doing, the policy guidance is from the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. There is no such thing as accreditation of UCDA. The membership of the countries for coffee is by country. Accreditation is for the laboratories. When we withdrew from the International Coffee Organisation (ICO), it meant that Uganda would not directly take coffee unless they went through another agency. This is a mischief that, you people, now supporting UCDA, had actually pointed out. I think this question was from the Member of Parliament from Buvuma. I congratulate him for appreciating that palm oil has transformed the island. However, it has transformed that island with no palm oil authority.

14740 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT to now they have not done anything and these people got loans. Early this year, on 4 th April, the President gave a directive to the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, in collaboration with the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to make sure that these people get paid and their maintenance fees are released. Can we get a commitment, as the people of Buvuma, on when these people will get their money and when the maintenance fees will be released to the outgrower farmers? We need a commitment and an update from the Government. They should also consider the time frame. Thank you.

Last month, the two ships were lowered. Unfortunately, because Government owes contractors a lot of money, Terrain Services that was constructing the dock has withdrawn because they have not been paid their balance of Shs 2.9 billion. They cannot complete the work yet His Excellency the President is supposed to go and commission these ferries in November, on his tour to the Eastern side. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, can you use your powers to direct the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to release this money such that it is not an embarrassment to Government, such that the contractor goes back on site and completes this project properly? Finally, again I want to thank the Government for starting the students’ loan scheme under the Higher Education Student Financing Board. This is a list of the students who have been provided for, for this loan scheme. The unfortunate part is - when we adopted the report of the Committee on Public Accounts (Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises - COSASE) we realised there was unfairness in the distribution. This thing was supposed to be on a quarterly basis. However, it is surprising that there are districts that have been given 65 slots and others one. We do not know where this unfairness is coming from. I can see in: i) Karenga, only one person; ii) Kapelebyong, four; iii) Lira, they are 25; iv) Mbarara, 36; v) Ntungamo is 75; vi) Wakiso, 75; vii) Amudat, three; viii) Amuria, six; ix) Buliisa, three; x) Bushenyi, 39; xi) Busia, 58; xii) Buvuma, three; xiii) Serere, eight, and xiv) Hoima, 21. Last time we said, let us be the last. I have a list for all these districts. This is very unfair because this was intended to harmonise and bring equity. When you look at where the Executive Director comes from, there are 58. Why? That was the same problem in our COSASE report. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, before they report, call these people to order and let this thing be equitably distributed on a quarterly basis. The population census has just been released today. You will get to know the population. Even where the honourable minister comes from, they are very few. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, we beg you. There is even a student from Kasilo who got 16 in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM). He is admitted to Mbarara University. He applied for engineering and he was left out. We want to request you to take action. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Honourable colleagues, in the public gallery we have our elders who worked for the East African Community. They are former employees of the East African Community. They had come to listen to the statement from the minister. Government Chief Whip, I request you to step out and consult with the Minister of East African Community Affairs to know when the statement will be ready so that they go when we have told them when we are going to handle their issue on the Floor. You will then report back to the House. The issue was raised by Hon. Migadde and supplemented by Hon. Kabuusu. Hon. Susan Mugabi of Buvuma had also raised the same and she is the shadow minister. Hon. Kabuusu – (Hon. Susan Mugabi rose_) No, the rules require us to start with the ones who raised the issue.

Madam Speaker, I am Robert Migadde Ndugwa. I am the Member of Parliament for Buvuma Islands, Deputy Chairperson Committee on National Economy, and Chairperson of the Uganda Parliamentary SACCO.

Thank you. I remember the Hon. Hellen Nakimuli of Kalangala, then Member for Buvuma raised the same issue.

Thank you so much, Mr Speaker. First, I would love to appreciate the minister and the ministry. I want to congratulate her - much as she is busy with her colleagues - congratulations upon connecting West Nile. I was on that Committee on Environment and Natural Resources together with the Rt Hon. Deputy Speaker here, pushing for West Nile to be connected and it took so long. I nearly developed ulcers but I am now happy that, yes, finally, something has happened. Secondly, the issue of connecting the three places, Buvuma, Karenga, and Obongi, is something we cannot wait for forever. We must stay nationalists. How can we afford to let the whole country get connected, we start on new projects all the time, but there are three places which have not been connected to date? We do not want to demonstrate. This one should be taken seriously. I now speak as a countryman. We need to help those areas. Back to Kumi, Mr Speaker, we have had incomplete projects arising from the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). In 2017, we pushed for the Government to help us with rural electrification. Some areas were given poles but to date, people are not using their power. It is now seven years down the road. I remember when REA was being phased out, some money was transported to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. Where did this money go because I thought that that money should have been able to complete for us these projects? To date, some of the places are not working. That one, I can tell you.

Thank you. Honourable colleagues, I remember very well when I was on that committee. Nearly every year we would be told about those three districts, Obongi, Buvuma - no, Karenga is recent because they are saying for Karenga - they transferred the district headquarters and that is what caused the problem. Then they were saying, for Buvuma, they are getting the marine cable and this was up to around 2021. For Obongi, what is the problem? In fact, I want to know what is so unique about Obongi, that we announce it every - Honourable minister, on Obongi, what is so unique that since I was a member of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, they say “Obongi, Obongi” - (Hon. Alioni rose) - Is Hon. Alioni from Obongi? (Interjection) No, for Obongi, we have Hon. Zumura. Yes, I know but Hon. Zumura is here. We have Hon. Zumura Maneno.

{,.',' REFORT OF THE AEICTORT.L COMMITTEE OIT AORICULTI'RE, IIUII.AL II{DUSTRY AND NSHERIEA ON THE AGRICULTT'RE CLUATER DEVEII)PMEI{T PROJECT AIGTAII'RE Bffil}A--.''.e lto Itlf,E oolfaar?l,EttcY I Hon Okon-Moe Janet Crace Akcch DWR Abrm PIRTY NRM 2 DWR Arnolate-r NRM 3 Hon Dr Atrm Agnes Apea Hori D. Abcr Llhen DWR l.rtgum NRM 4 Hon Akello Chnstune Erut€ County North NRM ffll# 5 Hon Dnwa-ru Jennfer DWR Meracha 6 HON Dr t.lor John Baptrst Mathcnlko County NRM NRM ? Hon Nyongorc Enock Nakas€ke North NRM k 8 Hon Kamukama Davrs Bunl,angabu County NRM 9 Hon Kabuura Barmukye Dernck NRM lo Bushen]1- lshala Muruclpaht-v Dodoth North County NRM ll Hon Komol Joseph Mudr Hon Kcsandc Bata-nngaya Grace NRM Bunya-ruguru County t\d t2 Bugahya County NRM t3 Hon Wahbl hus Hon Magoola Rachel Mmcl DWR Bugv.r.n NRM t4 Hon Mrgadde Ndugr,r,a Robert Buvuma Islsnds NRM (r 15 NRM Hon Muhumuza Davrd Mwenge County North 1

16 DWR Sembabule NRM ---<. t7 Hon Begumrsa Mary Hoa Okumu Gabnel Okoro County NRM 18 Hon Okot John Amos Agago North County NRM t- 1g Meiuzl Countv UPC h 20 Hon Akora Maxwell Ebong Patnck Hon Okot Santa OWR Aruu North County PPP a (f 2l Hon Apolot Stella kodo OWR NSora FDC 4 22 Hon Moses Walyomu Muwamka Kagoma County INDEPE NDET,TT 23 Hon Tusume Iia.rlhanga Juhus Rwampa.ra East County i\ 2 24 Hon Ola.ra Mapenduzr Ma.rtrn Bardege-LaFbr Dlvrcron INDEPE NDENT INDEPE NDENT 25 Hon Mukasa Juhus Opondo Bulumba County INDEPE NDENT 26 Hon Kayanga Ba-roda Kamuh Mutuapallty INDEPE NDENT 27 UPDF Rcpresentatrve ,H 2e Hon Mal Gen Kavuma Sa-a Hon Bwatuka Abed Krmanya Kabonera 29 NUP NUP "+4 30 Hon Mugabr Susan Hon Kyebatutrka Manlen DWR Buvuma DWR Jrnla 3l Busrro South NUP NUP 32 FDC ('.'l {r*rc' Hon Malolu Cha..les Tororo North Couaty ) Hon Ekanl,a Ceoffrel'

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-

13389 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2024 parasites. That is the rollout of anti-tick vaccines, NARO – Shs 60 billion; d) Research products and services suited for food, feed, market and industry under NARO – Shs 24.1 billion; e) Develop requisite research infrastructure to support the development of products for food, nutrition and industry in order to accelerate the agricultural transformation agenda under NARO – Shs 11.39 billion; f) Support to production, marketing and extension of oil palm in Buvuma, Mayuge and Kalangala districts under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries – Shs 24.88 billion; g) Supporting oil seed research, multiplication and agronomy in the oil seeds research, multiplication and agronomy in the oilseed growing districts under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has been provided Shs 72.65 billion; h) Support the certification and production of seeds, breeds and fingerlings to ensure seed quality, including the provision of machinery, laboratory and irrigation equipment for seed testing and evaluation under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries – Shs 30 billion; i) Establish and/or upgrade seed storage, threshing and drying facilities to ensure a sustainable supply of quality seed (storage, drying, cleaning, grading, packaging and so on) – Shs 14.18 billion; j) Purchase of assorted animal vaccines, tick acaricides, vaccine cold chain equipment and assorted laboratory reagents, consumables, and supplies for control of animal diseases under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries – Shs 18.52 billion; k) Construct disease diagnostic and analytical infrastructure for quality assurance (National Agricultural Diagnostics Laboratory and Support Centre, zonal research laboratories and compliance centres, National Veterinary Medical Stores) under MAAIF – Shs 32.4 billion; l) Revamp the National Animal Quarantine and Evaluation Centre at NAGRC&DB, Entebbe) to promote export and safeguard the national herd in case of animal imports under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries – Shs 21 billion; m) Construct and equip regional agricultural mechanisation centres, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries – Shs 70 billion; n) Procurement of tractors, matching implements (planters, hullers, harrows, trailers, ploughs, rippers, rotavators), walking tractors, and assorted equipment and machinery units under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries – Shs 23.04 billion; o) Provision of bulk water supply for water for agricultural production to support irrigation, water for livestock, desilting of dams and aquaculture – Shs 97.5 billion; p) Construction of Acomai Irrigation Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries – Shs 56.02 billion; and q) Construction of Atari Irrigation Scheme in Kween to support rice production under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries – Shs 30.42 billion; and r) Construct/improve zonal aquaculture indoor hatchery and cage culture facilities for massive fingerling production; construct seed multiplication infrastructure/facilities (greenhouses, basic laboratories, nurseries) for selected value chains; refurbishment of national aquaculture broodstock hatchery; refurbish feed facilities for formulating

13099 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 2 4 APRIL 2 024 available reduced the physical progress that could be achieved in the period. The reduction in the domestic funds available for development projects also affected the implementation of externally funded projects as domestic funding is required for counterpart funding and land acquisition. The Government had planned to upgrade roads to support tourism development, because tourism is a cash cow, and ease congestion in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan area during NDP III. However, this reduction in the resources also delayed the implementation of the key interventions and they must, therefore, be prioritised in the NDP IV. The performance of national roads Despite the setbacks and the significant reduction in funding, the Government was able to register some success in the delivery of the plan. By June 2023, the status of implementation of the NDP III programme was as follows: (i) 753 kilometres of national roads had been upgraded to paved standard, bringing the total paved stock to 6,133 kilometres countrywide. This was against the targeted 1,500 kilometres in the same period because of the COVID-19 issue; (ii) In addition, UNRA upgraded 196 kilometres of town roads within various towns and municipalities across the country; and (iii) 464 kilometres of road rehabilitation and reconstruction were completed in the same period. The details of the completed rehabilitation and upgrade projects are attached as Annex 1. The annex is very big. It has Annex 1 up to Annex 8. I would request Members of Parliament, at your own time, to refer to the annexes. Due to these interventions, as of June 2023, 59 per cent of the national paved network was in good condition, while 35 per cent was in fair condition. During the NDP III period, a large percentage of the network, which was in good condition has deteriorated to fair condition. This has created a significant maintenance backlog that necessitates an increased focus on maintenance of the paved road network in the NDP IV period as opposed to coming up with new projects, in order to protect the existing assets. Madam Speaker, the construction of bridges and provision of ferry crossings was also catered for during the NDP III period. Twenty- six bridges were constructed by the Ugandan National Roads Authority in the period from 2020/2021 to 2022/2023. The following ferries were also commissioned during the period: (i) Bisina Ferry, which plies between Kumi and Katakwi on Lake Bisina. This was commissioned in 2020/2021; (ii) MV BBB (Bubembe-Bunyama-Buggala) on Lake Victoria in 2021/2022; and (iii) MV Palm (Kiyindi to Buvuma). This was done together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries under the Oil Palm Project. Madam Speaker, the analysis showed that the available Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) is insufficient for the completion of the ongoing commitments under the development of national roads. Allocation of extra resources to the programme in the NDP IV period is required to achieve the objectives of preserving the road assets and increasing the stock and quality of the productive infrastructure is required if we are to achieve the objectives of preserving the road assets and increasing the stock and quality of the productive infrastructure as required. 2.2.3 Status of ongoing projects Madam Speaker, my ministry is currently implementing 26 national road development projects, covering 1,249 kilometres and 11 road rehabilitation projects, spanning 952 kilometres. In addition, construction of 27 bridges and 10 ferry improvement projects across the national

It was definitely gold. 200 metres (women) We took the third position this time round. Hon. Mugabi Susan from Buvuma, Uganda, earned us a bronze medal. We congratulate her . (Applause)

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to debate the report by the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. I have two observations and observation number one is that last year, we appropriated resources for extending electricity to districts, subcounties and communities that had not accessed energy. We are in quarter four of the financial year and moving to a new financial year, but nothing has happened. What is the fate of that project? A case in point is a district like Buvuma. Number two, we do appreciate that we have a lot of mineral potentials across all regions of this country. What is the ministry doing to see to it that capacity is built in these regions, in terms of both hardware and software, for the regions to be key stakeholders in the mineral sector? Lastly, we do and have just been experiencing the climate change effects recently. The departments for natural resources and environments in the district local governments play a key role in environmental conservation. Nonetheless, as Parliament, when we are appropriating, we seem not to be considering putting sufficient and necessary resources in terms of staff, equipment, logistics and budget to support the environmental officers. What is the ministry’s plan to strengthen the capacities of the district environmental and natural resources department? I thank you.

12361 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 4 APRIL 2024 The district local government is working with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to secure resources required to establish the health centre IIIs in those 11 lower local governments in Kanungu District. The third question came from Hon. Robert Migadde Ndugwa, Buvuma Islands County, Buvuma District. He says that outgrowers of palm oil in Buvuma are starting to harvest in August. However, as we speak, the investor, that is BIDCO, suspended construction of the mill, pending the government availing substantial land where a lot of it has not yet been compensated. What arrangement does the government have to ensure that people do not get stuck with their palm? My response is that in 2003, the Government of Uganda entered into an agreement with BIDCO to establish an oil extraction mill for every 3,000 hectares of crop established within a radius of 30 kilometres. As at the end of December 2023, 3,876 hectares have been planted. Ideally, the planted acreage qualifies the investor to establish a plant. The investor has already earmarked and acquired 12 hectares to establish the extraction mill. In addition, the equipment required is already imported and on site. The investor has committed to complete the construction, installation and commissioning of the plant before the first harvest, in the year 2025. Government will continue to work with the investor to ensure that this obligation is met. The fourth question came from Hon. James Baba, MP, Koboko County. In 2020, Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) procured coffee seedlings from verified coffee nursery operators throughout the country. To date, these nursery operators have not been paid any money for the coffee seedlings they supplied. The situation is disheartening to the farmers from northern Uganda who had shown a lot of interest to begin seriously growing coffee as a perennial crop, but cannot get coffee seedlings because the suppliers have not been paid. Could the Government respond to the plight of the coffee nursery operators who supplied seedlings and have not been paid? Will the coffee nursery bed operators be paid for the millions of coffee seedlings they supplied under UCDA? This is my response. The government acknowledges that coffee nursery operators from West Nile and other parts of the country supplied coffee seedlings after the Cabinet directed that the mature certified coffee seedlings be supplied to farmers in the Financial Year 2022/23 and that payment would be made once resources are available. As you may recall, honourable colleagues, the Government carried out verification of the coffee seedlings supplied and based on this verification report, the Government proposed that in the coming Financial Year 2024/25, Shs 20 billion out of the Shs 49.8 billion will be provided and a balance of Shs 29.8 billion will be paid in the succeeding financial year. Hon. Derrick Orone, Gogonyo County, Pallisa District asked, when will the Government put labour attachés or liaison officers in Saudi Arabia where we have a high number of our Ugandan girls who get problems and the embassy cannot accommodate the problems? My response is that the Government has already deployed two labour attachés to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Two External Security Organisation (ESO) officers were seconded by the ministry to take on the roles of labour attachés and have already reported to the mission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The ministry is in the process of working out the modalities of funding the labour attachés to commence work. His prayer number two was; when will other countries like Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Kuwait sign bilateral agreements with Uganda for export of labour from Uganda? This is because the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has been promising this for two years, but nothing is happening, according to Hon. Derrick Orone.

Thank you, Rt Hon. Honourable Prime Minister. Leader of the Opposition, you will come to respond to both written and oral questions. At the top of the hour, I will invite you, as per the Rules of Procedure. Honourable colleagues, I have two ways. If you know you are going to speak for more than a minute – listen – if your question takes more than a minute, you will wait until after five o’clock. Questions under the Prime Minister’s Time are sharp, focused and she also gives a response in one minute, and we have been doing it that way – no, under Prime Minister’s Time, it is well-provided for. There are no issues of – so, if you know you want to speak for long – explain matters of national importance, then, you have to wait until after five o’clock. I will start with the Woman Member of Parliament for Buvuma, Hon. Florence Nambozo and Hon. Paul Nsubuga.

Thank you. Let us have Hon. Itungo, Hon. Muwuma, Hon. Nakut and Hon. Susan from Buvuma.

Thank you. Buvuma -

Thank you, Mr Speaker. My matter of national importance is about the palm oil project affected persons in Buvuma. These people gave their land to the Government or to this project for commencement, but it is seven years down the road and they have not yet been compensated and they now do not have land for farming, are homeless all because they gave their land for this project. On Monday this week, they wanted to demonstrate by cutting down these palm oil trees because they now want their land to do farming since they no longer have land for farming to get food. My prayer is that the Government quickly compensates them because they gave their land in peace, but it is now becoming a war and they are being mistreated; the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) is torturing them by putting them on gunpoint so that they do not talk about it. Therefore, this Government should quickly intervene by compensating them. I request the Prime Minister to inform this House about when payment is commencing. The other point is that the honourable – this Government should consider revaluing and reassessing these people’s lands. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker and colleagues, I have heard about the Buvuma Palm Oil Project and I am aware that the Government is supposed to compensate those who provided the land for the project to commence. What I request the Member to do is to - if it were possible - this question is big so that I come up with a concrete answer - I request that you put it in writing so that we can consult and come up with a better answer on the Floor of Parliament.

Thank you, Mr Speaker and the minister for the statement. The minister points out that hard-to-reach areas are going to be covered and that they are going to give out standby generators and also employ the use of hydropower. That is why we say that there are some areas that need affirmative action, for example, when the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development was tasked to bring a statement indicating subcounties. It is known that islands, for example, Bukooli Islands, Buvuma Islands and Jaguzi Islands in Mayuge are disadvantaged to the extent that sometimes charging these batteries is a challenge. They are given the generator, but there is a question of fuel. We find that maybe if they have charged, they can only operate for two hours and again they are off. I do not know how the minister is going to address this issue when it comes to hard-to-reach areas. I thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Minister, for that statement. Mr Speaker, we have had illegal immigrants into the country - There is an island in Tanzania that is next to Kalangala. They come into the country, and they get IDs. Actually, they come during that time of issuance of IDs. I do not know who informs them, but they come to the country during issuance of IDs. They get our IDs, and they purport to be Ugandans and yet they steal property of people in Kalangala; fishing nets and even kill our people. Recently, there were two fishermen who were burnt; they wanted their nets, but they refused to give them and they burnt them. One of the survivors is the one who told the story. You should take this issue up, especially when issuing national IDs. Mr Speaker, he also talked about issuance of generators to especially hard-to-reach areas. We, the islanders, are told that the Government property does not cross the waters to go to further islands because I hear there is insurance and all that. I would like you to confirm to us - are these generators going to cross to the deeper islands. I have 84 islands and Buvuma has about 54, but the Government only looks at the main island where the district headquarter is and they put their property there. Mr Speaker, for reference, we got an ambulance for Kyamuswa constituency. We asked for a ferry for this to be taken and the person we asked said, no, we have to inquire from the minister to see if Government property can go there. Yet the ministry said it is supposed to go to Kyamuswa constituency. I am wondering because people in Kyamuswa also pay taxes and they need to get the services. Therefore, are these generators also going to go to the islands or they need insurance to stay at the main island? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. In a related development, I have an issue in the islands. Earlier, there used to be fewer children because parents always went to work without the children. On some islands, only men went there without the women. Women would – (Interjections) Do not confuse me. Now, the population in the islands has increased. The schools that had been built in those days cannot accommodate the increased number of children – and the facilities that are there. Some local governments that have local revenue can contribute facilities such as desks to schools. However, for some, because of their geographical location and the fishing that has collapsed, we are overwhelmed by requests for schools, scholastic materials, desks and so on. I would like the ministry - whether in charge of education or finance - that sends the capitation grant - to come in and help these schools in the islands. Island communities have the same conditions - whether in Koome, Namayingo or Buvuma. Our schools need to be helped to be at the level of the other schools on the mainland. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Indeed, it is related in form of substance but in a different area. On 23 January 2024, a nine-year-old Ephra Namwera was killed by a hippopotamus. This was the fifth victim in a period of two months at Mpondwe Village, Lufu Parish in Buvuma. Mr Speaker, we have raised such cases a number of times. Our prayers have always been that; 1. UWA should camp in the area to hunt down or trap some of these hippopotamuses. 2. UWA should take care of some of these victims because last time, people tried to take responsibility – they killed a crocodile – and UWA, instead, arrested the residents who killed the crocodile. This means the crocodile was more important than the locals. –

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity. The fisheries subsector is one area, if properly explored, can bring a lot of money to this country but this is an area that is never given attention. The fisheries subsector is always put at the periphery of the agricultural sector, yet it can earn this country a lot of money. It is my humble appeal that when we are looking for sources of funding our budget, this subsector is considered and given allocation. Government gets taxes from the fisheries subsector but little is put in to make them generate more funds. Another area that we are also likely to reap from - honourable minister of sports, with due respect to you, I happen to be your friend and a friend of your colleague, the minister of sports in Kenya - and Pamoja (AFCON). If our country is not careful, we are likely to lose out because what Kenya and Tanzania are doing is ahead. I am patriotic enough –(Interjections) - what I am saying is that it would be embarrassing for us if we do not march at the same level with our colleagues. This is an area - honourable minister, I seek your indulgence. Mr Speaker, protect me. I am so patriotic that I do not want us to lose out on Pamoja (AFCON). If we do not work on our stadium, we are likely to lose out. So, honourable Minister of Sports and the entire Parliament, it is my humble appeal that we allocate money to build this stadium and help our country host this function. It is going to bring in many tourists who will generate money through sale of our products. Finally, inland water transport - There are accidents on water that are never highlighted. Recently, we had an accident in Kalangala but there are also accidents in Bukooli Islands, Buvuma. Our people are not protected. They always pronounce a lorry or a bus accident but little is mentioned when it comes to water transport. This is an area that we should also look at if we are to develop this country on affirmative action. Thank you.

The designation of Members on the Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) is as follows: 1. Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi – Chairperson; 2. Hon. Gorreth Namugga – Deputy Chairperson; 3. Hon. Susan Mugabi - Buvuma; 4. Hon. Godfrey Saazi - Gomba East County; 5. Hon. David Kalwanga - Busujju County; 6. Hon. Manjeri Kyebakutika - Jinja City; 7. Hon. Teddy Nambooze - Mpigi; 8. Hon. Nathan Nandala-Mafabi - Budadiri County West; 9. Hon. Moses Kabuusu - Kyamuswa County; 10. Hon. Cecilia Ogwal - Dokolo; 11. Hon. Bob Okae - Kwania North County; 12. Hon. Asuman Basalirwa - Bugiri Municipality; and 13. Hon. Joseph Ssewungu - Kalungu West County. I beg to designate - yes, he is on appointments, Madam Speaker.

11282 SUPPLEMENTARY SCHEDULE NO.1 FOR FY 2023/2024 Public Debt Portfolio Analysis The committee observed that the preliminary country’s total nominal public debt stock stood at Shs 86.779 trillion as at the end of June 2023. This is equivalent to 46.9 per cent of GDP compared to 48.4 per cent as at June 2022. Of the total public debt stock as at June 2023, external debt constituted 60.2 per cent, which is US$ 14.24 billion while domestic debt constituted 39.8 per cent, which is US$ 9.4 billion. Preliminary findings from the annual debt statistical bulletin indicated that a total of approximately US$ 3.29 billion external debt was committed and remained undisbursed as at 30 June 2023. This debt would increase Uganda’s stock in the medium-term, even without signing any new loans. With the growing level of public debt due to its significance in meeting the country’s huge financing development needs, there is need to pay close attention to the cost of debt and the economic rate of return of projects financed through debt. The committee recommends as follows; (i) Given the existing global uncertainties (lower global growth, persistent high inflation in advanced economies, tight global financial conditions, slow growth in domestic revenue and climate change disruptions), the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should prudently project and manage the funding mix as well as review its priorities to avoid escalation of debt beyond a sustainable level. (ii) The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should fast- track implementation of strategies to enhance domestic revenue generation for the country and reducing or rationalising government expenditure. (iii) Acquisition of additional debt should be targeted towards those sectors that trigger export growth and contribute to domestic revenue mobilisation. Criteria for selection of beneficiary districts The committee was informed that the selection of the beneficiary districts was based on the following; climate change vulnerability of the watersheds, poverty levels of sub-regional level and watershed degradation. The committee, however, notes that some of the districts which met the criteria were omitted. For example; Namayingo, Busia, Masaka, Soroti, Kwania, Lira, Gulu, Rwampara, Ntungamo, Pakwach, Kapchorwa, Mukono, Nabilatuk, Luwero, Kalungu, Kalangala and Buvuma. The committee, therefore, recommends that the districts of Namayingo, Busia, Masaka, Soroti, Kwania, Lira, Gulu, Rwampara, Ntungamo, Pakwach, Kapchorwa, Mukono, Nabilatuk, Luwero, Kalungu, Kalangala and Buvuma should be absorbed on the climate smart project due to the climate change vulnerability of the watersheds, poverty levels of sub-regional level and watershed degradation concerns in these districts. The inclusion of these districts will not alter the value chain in their respective subregions. Conclusion The committee, therefore, recommends that the request by Government to borrow up to US$ 325 million and receive a grant of up to SDR 19.5 million (equivalent to US$ 25 million) from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group to finance the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project be approved subject to these recommendations. I beg to report.

Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to add my voice and congratulate you and the team for lobbying for Uganda to host the Speakers Conference. Between 22 and 29 September 2019, we hosted the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference here and I was one of the panellists who facilitated the topic on climate change at Speke Resort Munyonyo and it was well attended. There were resolutions that were passed in that meeting and now that we are hosting the Speakers’ Conference, I think this is a big boost to build on what has been started, since the Speakers are the Presiding Officers in the different Commonwealth countries. I also commend you for including the Committees on Environment and Climate Change amongst the discussions. As you may know, most of the small Commonwealth nations like Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji, St Kitts and Nevis, the Grenadines and the Dominican Republic are small countries that face the brunt of climate change and environmental degradation. As we talk about the Small Island Development States (SIDS), we should, in our discussion, also focus on countries that may not necessarily be part of the SIDS, including Uganda which still has small islands within itself. In most discussions at the Commonwealth, Inter Parliamentary Union or international level, islands like Koome and Buvuma are forgotten and yet they face the same problems faced in the Solomon Islands. I would like to thank you and congratulate Uganda because next year will be very busy for us. We have the Commonwealth Speakers’ Conference, the Non-Aligned Movement, the G-77 and China, the Third South Summit. These are important meetings that will build on partnerships, increase investment, and improve Uganda’s image.

Thank you, Madan Speaker. I thank my senior, Rt Hon. Prime Minister, for ably answering some of these questions about disaster preparedness and management in the country. Honourable colleagues, you need to bear with us. We have been trying our best to see how to respond to some of the disasters. As we compile all the disaster reports that we have, in the last two weeks alone, we have a bigger bunch of 27 reports from the El Nino, including Bukedea, Nakasongola and Buvuma -

I am privileged. Madam Speaker, I have already received the report from the CAO, Buvuma Island through the Member of Parliament. This morning, the Prime Minister delegated me to chair a meeting of the El-Nino to discuss with our partners how we will be able to respond to most of these disasters. We want to, in a special way, say that Buvuma has been taken as one of the first responding districts and we have also instructed our partners, especially the Red Cross, to be in position to go and do rapid response. This is not the only disaster they are facing. A month ago, they had a very bad hailstorm, during which many people were disorganised and most houses were uprooted by the strong winds. Therefore, this is the second disaster and we shall see how to respond, as the Office of the Prime Minister, as soon as possible. Thank you.

10847 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2023 Further, the Government reported that salary enhancement was suspended by one year for the Financial Year 2023/2024 and the implementation of the comprehensive salary enhancement plan will commence effective Financial Year 2024/2025, as per the 2 nd Budget-call circular, page 3(iv) issued on 15 February 2023. Recommendation 10: The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should allocate funds to Uganda Human Rights Commission to acquire at least 43 new vehicles and maintain the existing fleet. The Government reported that in the Financial Year 2021/2022, the Uganda Human Rights Commission was allocated an additional Shs 1 billion specifically for the procurement of motor vehicles. A significant allocation to the procurement of vehicles was also maintained in the budget for the Financial Year 2022/2023. The Government further reported, that vehicle purchase was frozen in the Financial Year 2023/2024, with the exception of the purchase of hospital ambulances, vehicles for medical supplies and distribution, agricultural extension services, security and revenue mobilisation (Refer to the 2 nd budget-call circular on page 4 (vi)). Recommendation 11: The Uganda Human Rights Commission should be allocated funds to acquire speed boats for two field offices (Buvuma and Kalangala) based on the islands. The Government reported that this will be considered in the medium term. In the meantime, the Vote could utilise transport means provided by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport. Recommendation 12: The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should sufficiently fund the Uganda Human Rights Commission so that it stops depending on donor funding for the execution of its core activities. Over the years, the Uganda Human Rights Commission has been supported to cover the gap created by the exit of donors. For example, funds were provided to absorb into the structure, the staff previously facilitated by donors. This information is in the second budget-call circular number 14, page 3. Recommendation 13: The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should make budgetary provisions for capital development to construct the Uganda Human Rights Commission Headquarters and regional office premises. The Government reported that the construction of new offices was halted, awaiting the finalisation of a Government campus. Only allocations for ongoing commitments under the multi-year projects and retooling projects have been provided. This information is in the second budget-call circular (page 4) (ix). Recommendation 14: The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should provide adequate funding for Uganda Human Rights Commission to invest sufficiently in Information Communications and Technology (ICT). This includes affordable internet of appropriate speed, equipment, software and applications to support case management, human rights education and monitoring. The Government reported that Uganda Human Rights Commission has an annual budget allocation of Shs 276 million for ICT. The Government committed that additional resources shall be considered in the medium term. Recommendation 15: The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should increase budgetary allocations for the health sector in line with the Abuja Declaration to improve the health needs of all citizens, specifically, including women. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development reported that they are aware that in April 2001, the heads of State of the African Union pledged to set a target of

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I do not have any pending lines, neither poles, nor wires, but in the NRM manifesto since 2011, the President has been indicating that there are two districts without power and Buvuma is one of them. We are only separated by 1.8 kilometres, which requires a marine cable from Mayuge. Mr Speaker, you will appreciate; I was with you on the Committee of National Economy and the Minister had pledged that he would not bring any other loan without the one of Buvuma. And we have approved many other loans. These loans are also paid by people from Buvuma. Of course, I am the chairperson, but at times we think that those in the kitchen are also thinking about us. My appeal is - in the statement of the Minister; I saw they are projecting 100 per cent access yet they are talking about wires and poles. I would like to see a marine cable provided in that statement and I am sure the Minister knows Buvuma very well, having been the Minister of Fisheries. This is as well your constituency. My appeal is to have power.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I sincerely thank you for this opportunity, which you have given this House, to discuss matters of electricity. These are matters of life. I know that the period we are going into is a period of accountability and I know the importance of delivering electricity in your constituencies. I would like to promise that where the issues, which have been raised, are of a technical nature, I will sit with my technical people to produce a response to them. Secondly, I have captured issues that are almost similar in the constituencies; (i) There is the issue of subcounties, which are not yet connected. 433 subcounties are in my report and I promise that that is going to be a priority. I have captured the issue of a few districts that are not yet connected, that is Buvuma and Terego or Maracha. We are working on extension of power to the districts that do not

Buvuma Islands and so on. If these could be assembled temporarily to help our people cross the river. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for your support. First of all, the report talked about juvenile cells and, like Hon. Balimwezo said, some places do not have juvenile cells and these children are put in the same cells as adults. However, in the island districts, probation officers have to transport children from, for example, Kalangala and Buvuma to Naguru and Kampiringisa. This is very costly for them, yet they are not well funded. Therefore, I suggest that the committee chairperson adds that recommendation. Also, when we talk about local councils, the people in charge of children’s affairs are the secretaries for children’s affairs – that is, the deputy chairperson of a village. This brings us back to the need to elect these people into those positions and we make them legal such that they help us with this issue of parenting. Finally, Madam Speaker –(Member timed out.)

9662 DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS ON THE STATE OF THE NATION In this century, you find pupils sitting on logs and huge stones in classrooms! Schools without toilets. Teachers without toilets. Schools in mud-and-wattle yet they are Government-aided schools. Government-aided schools without teachers. I was in Buvuma; a Government- aided primary school there has one teacher. The right to property You can now see why I listened to the President but never heard him –

9627 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 13 JULY 2023 and prior. (Applause) So, you acquire prior and then start making people beg you to pay. It is a violation of the law and I have encouraged people to take the Government to court for that violation. Wherever I have been, I have told people that I am even willing to offer pro bono services to take you to court for delayed compensation. UNRA is a culprit. So, Rt Hon. Prime Minister, your answer is very good and unconstitutional. You are supposed to compensate first, not to make people beg you to pay them. So, next time, you should inform us on the basis of your answers – whether you have any provision of law or you are very weak at enforcing the law. The Constitution is very clear; prompt, prior and adequate compensation – and “adequate” is not the same as “enough”. In Buvuma, for five years, Madam Speaker, people’s land was taken to grow palm trees, they are not growing food and they have not got any money. They are desperate and destitute. You leave your land, your house is razed down and no money comes. They are all over the place. They have an able Prime Minister. Hon. Majegere, go to the islands and see the trouble you have caused to the people of Uganda for lack of payment. Can you imagine five years and you are not compensated for the only kibanja you owned!

9300 RECONSIDERATION OF THE NATIONAL SPORTS BILL, 2023 [Ms Nabbanja] The outcome remains small. The most affected places include the west Nile region, the greater North and Karamoja regions together with the Islands of Kalangala and Buvuma. Madam Speaker and Colleagues, affirmative action has been put in place to carry out further and intensive sensitisation on the Student’s Financing Scheme Opportunities in order to attract more applicants for all regions in the Country. On Gender, the scheme has a strong affirmative policy practice that ensures that girls get additional points to qualify for funding much as the scheme attracts fewer girls in the field of science where the scheme is mostly funding the applicants. Madam Speaker, the delayed disbursement of funds to the Higher Education Students Financing Scheme was occasioned by the budget cuts in the Financial Year 2021/2022 because of COVID-19 whereby out of a total budget of Shs 29.752 billion, only Shs 15.2 billion was realised creating a shortfall of Shs 14.5 billion. However, this issue of delays in releases is being addressed together with the Ministry of Finance. 3) Hon. Komakech Christopher, Member of Parliament, Aruu County raised a matter concerning the proposal for redesigning the National Identity cards to have the feature of an individual’s contact or email and the Ministry’s plan to improve the identity card accessibility. His question is: what is the ministry’s plan to improve the accessibility of the National Identity card and position on the proposal. Madam Speaker, my response is that a proposal that seeks to improve the functionality and accessibility of the National identity cards is commendable. National identity cards play a crucial role in establishing and verifying the identity of individuals and enhancing their features can help to make them more effective in achieving these goals. Regarding the inclusion of an individual’s contact or email on the National identification card, there could be potential benefits of this feature such as the individual could easily be traceable in case of lost cards. However, it is also important to consider the flip side of it, for example, the potential security risks, personal data privacy, and the legal concerns that could arise from including such sensitive personal information on the cards without the individual’s consent. There is also the risk of enabling wrong elements to have instant access to an individual or masquerading as an individual upon the loss of a card. Madam Speaker, telephone numbers are now used for bank authentication and email verification. This move will give easy access to an individual’s finances and aid fraudulent financial transactions due to these risks as well as the ever-changing telephone and electronic addresses of individuals coupled with a legal requirement for consent regarding the availability of privacy personal data. These futures went omitted in the designing of the new National ID. Madam Speaker, regarding the issue of access, National Identification Regulatory Authority has come up with the following plans to improve identity card accessibility: 1. The mass enrolment and mass renewal exercise targeting about 17.2 million citizens is due to start in the Financial Year 2023/2024 at parish level throughout the country. Ugandans are advised to take advantage. 2. Simplification of the registration process and improvement of the online portal. The current process is complex and time- consuming due to the use of obsolete technology and equipment. The system overhaul will make the system user- friendly by simplifying the process. It is anticipated that the traffic to registration centres will be greatly reduced. 3. The number of district offices around the country increased. The newly recreated districts where there was no physical NIRA presence will be created for. STATEMENT ON BUSINESS FOR SUCCEEDING WEEK

9310 RECONSIDERATION OF THE NATIONAL SPORTS BILL, 2023 Rt Hon. Prime Minister, years ago, Buvuma welcomed a Government project of growing palm, which was intended to improve the livelihood of the ordinary residents. Many people offered land - landlords and tenants. Palm was planted in a number of areas before compensating the people. Different complaints have been made right from when Hon. Amama Mbabazi was still the Prime Minister and he visited the area. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, you also visited Buvuma, in addition to 16 other ministers who have visited over delayed compensation. My question is, aware that people have already volunteered and surrendered this land, when is the Government planning to effectively compensate these people so that they can have alternative livelihood somewhere else? Thank you very much.

9230 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT district as a hard-to-reach area so as to benefit from funds earmarked for such areas. His questions are: a) What criteria is used to determine hard-to- reach areas? b) What is the possibility of including other areas in the hard-to-reach areas category? c) Which areas are categorised as hard-to- reach? My response is that the Ministry of Public Service observed that there were areas in some local governments that had consistently failed to attract and retain skilled and capable human resource, leading to inadequacies and gaps in the delivery of services. This was observed through inspection reports, support supervision exercises and payroll status reports. These areas were, therefore, defined as hard to reach. Hard-to-reach areas are defined as remote or insecure areas that are unable to attract and retain sufficient numbers of motivated staff because of difficult living conditions. They are, therefore, “hard to work in and hard to stay in.” These areas are characterised by remoteness, insecurity and poor infrastructure, among others. In the Financial Year 2010-2011, Government approved payment of hardship allowances of 30 per cent of the basic monthly salary for public officers working in the local governments defined as hard to reach. The following 24 areas are categorised as hard-to-reach: Kotido, Nakapiripirit, Abim, Moroto, Kaabong, Pader, Kitgum, Nwoya, Amuru, Kalangala, Gulu, Bundibugyo, Adjumani, Kisoro, Kanungu, Bukwo, Ntoroko, Buvuma, Lamwo, Namayingo, Napak, Mayuge (specifically Malonge Island), Bugiri (specifically Sigulu Island), and Mukono (specifically Koome Islands). Over the years, the Ministry of Public Service has received requests from various local governments to be considered hard-to-reach areas. Consequently, the ministry carried out a study, in the year 2020, in order to review the hard-to-reach and hard-to-stay areas in the country based on the criteria of remoteness, insecurity and poor infrastructure. Out of the 63 districts that had requested to be considered, 54 were found to have hard- to-reach and hard-to-stay spots eligible for payment of the hard-to-reach allowance. In total, 340 hard-to-reach spots were identified as the qualifying localities within the 54 districts. Madam Speaker, allow me to lay, on the Table, a full list of the hard-to-reach and hard-to-stay areas in the country. In the interest of time, Members can access it. Madam Speaker, based on the criteria used, I would like to inform the honourable member that Rubanda was not categorised as a hard-to- reach and hard-to-stay district. It is also important to note that the Ministry of Public Service has not yet implemented the revised Hard-to-Reach Framework. The current priority of the Government is the salary enhancement of all public officers in a phased approach. Madam Speaker, I got another question from Hon. Francis Adome, MP for Moroto Municipality. His question was to know the Government’s plan to rehabilitate government- aided schools in Karamoja. My response is that the Government of Uganda, in collaboration with education development partners, has been providing infrastructure support to both primary and post-primary institutions in the Karamoja subregion. All the post-primary institutions (11 secondary schools and two PTCs) benefitted from infrastructure support under the Irish Aid. All secondary schools in the Karamoja subregion implementing Universal Secondary Education were provided with additional infrastructure under the World Bank support and were provided with additional classrooms to attain the recommended classroom-student ratio of 1:60. [Ms Nabbanja] PRIME MINISTER’S TIME

Mr Speaker, reading from where I had stopped, the staff of State House provide the necessary logistical and technical support for efficient and effective operations of the Presidency. State House, in turn, provides the necessary facilitation for the staff to carry out their responsibilities effectively. This is the mandate which informs the budgetary allocations across the various items. For instance, to explain what has been in the media as to whether the President, in State House, consumes Shs 500 million, we want to clarify that the expenditure on this electricity consumption is addressed to Entebbe State House, Nakasero State Lodge, the Vice- President’s residence and 23 upcountry state lodges distributed in the various parts of the country including Jinja, Mbale, Soroti, Bardege in Gulu, Arua, Masindi, Luwero, Kyankwanzi, Mubende, Fort Portal, Kisozi, Masaka, Bushenyi, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro, Kapchorwa, Ngoma, Kawumu, Mayuge, and Buvuma and five administrative office blocks that support State House and many other forms of infrastructure. In the media, there has also been a discussion as to whether the President spends Shs 350 million per year to buy clothing. Our President is one of the smartest presidents according to us who see him regularly. I just want to clarify that the item that appears under the State House Budget on beddings, clothing and footwear is meant to cover the protective gear for support staff, beddings for the state lodges, which I have read, the curtains, the various linens for furniture and State House functions as well as uniforms for staff as need arises. The categories of staff include drivers, housekeepers, caterers, kitchen staff, cleaners and the regular office staff. The State House also supports skilling programmes where you have seen young people who are skilled in various vocational skills and it usually provides uniforms. Therefore, this is to dispel the misinformation that the budget caters for clothing the President. Rather, it facilitates all these functions that I have explained. I could go on and on but that is the point I wanted to make, Mr Speaker. I hope this information clarifies the issues to do with budgeting for State House and states proper the record on the Hansard of this House. I want to appeal to all of us that we should always desist from raising sensational and unsubstantiated information, which misleads the public. I beg to move, Mr Speaker, and I thank you. (Mr Ssemujju rose_)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yesterday, we were just a little bit shocked about how the debate ended but we are pleased with your clarity of judgment in giving the way forward and the directives that you have given. Now, if it may please you, yesterday, the Deputy Attorney-General provided details about the Public Order Management Act, the Constitutional Court’s ruling, and where we stand today. He also undertook to have a practice direction authored by his department to guide all the security agencies on how to regulate public meetings and gatherings. Madam Speaker, would you please add that to the directives and give the time period within which this practice direction can be issued? This is because many police officers are still using the law that has already been nullified to restrict and make it impossible for public gatherings to happen, and yet we are well aware of what this House did regarding the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act and the position of the same. Madam Speaker, if it may please you to add to what you have enumerated; the fact that the male police officers who arrested women should be strictly disciplined. That is a matter of violation of women’s bodily integrity. Hon. Susan’s sister gave us her testimony that she was fondled by the male police officers who arrested her. The police officers who were in charge of arresting our colleague in Buvuma were all men and it is a gross abuse to the women of Uganda. We should speak clearly

Madam Speaker, I will start with the introduction. You guided that a statement be presented by the Government - that was supposed to be yesterday. In response to the incident of Thursday, 27 April, 2023 in Kampala and those before it, in some parts of the country. However, I could not present the Government statement yesterday because of the Cabinet meeting that took place on the same day. I would like to thank you for allowing me to present these statements today. Madam Speaker, let me give the background. In the recent past, we have witnessed confrontations between security personnel and political actors in various parts of the country, including Hoima, Mityana, and Kasese and recently at Parliament and Soroti. These confrontations resulted in the incident of 27 th April in Kampala, which involved 11 Members of Parliament and the police. Madam Speaker, our country is governed by the rule of law. Our rules create rights as well as obligations for all people, including citizens as well as for law and order enforcement officers. Following the incident of last Thursday, investigations into that matter, and all the previous ones were started to establish the circumstances under which they happened. These investigations will enable the Government to gather evidence surrounding these incidents and take appropriate action. In addition, this will help ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the way they did, or in the unlikely event that they do happen, they are managed better by security. A summary of these incidents, which is limited to the extent that will not jeopardise investigations is as follows: Kasese The Forum for Democratic Change, on 3 April 2023, held a leaders’ meeting successfully at Bellevue Equator Guest House in Kasese. Before the meeting started, there was confusion as the organisers had not notified Police about it, resulting in a standoff with the police authorities. However, upon notifying the police, the organisers of the meeting were immediately provided with security and the event took place smoothly. Soroti On 14 th April, Soroti City planned to hold Women’s Day celebrations. However, due to limited resources and other unavoidable circumstances, the event was rescheduled to another date yet to be confirmed. Hon. Joan Alobo, the Woman Member of Parliament for Soroti City, reportedly continued to mobilise people for the function in spite of the resolution of 13 th April in a meeting by Soroti City authorities, which postponed the event. Hon. Joan reportedly declined to attend this meeting. The tension that followed was, however, well managed by the police and the situation returned to normal. Buvuma On 19 April 2023 at around 4.00 p.m., the District Police Commander, Buvuma, briefed police officers at the Central Police Station about the unlawful assembly organised by Hon. Suzan Nakaziba the Woman Member of Parliament for that district.

The moment the boat in which Hon. Nakaziba Suzan and her team were traveling docked at Kyanja Landing Site, they all jumped out chanting NUP slogans as they moved towards the site, where a few people had started gathering. Hon. Nakaziba was requested to board the boat and abandon the assembly that she had started organising but she refused. Instead, she continued encouraging people to gather and move towards the venue of the unauthorised meeting. This prompted officers to use tear gas to disperse the crowd but Hon. Nakaziba continued advancing towards the venue. A team of officers stopped the people from moving forward but Hon. Nakaziba and her team refused as they attempted to fight the officers. Six of her team members were arrested. These are; Onyango Gad, Opondo Daniel, Matovu Stephen, Kalumba Ronald, Ssentamu Henry, and Ouma Gilbert. That is what I can report about Buvuma. Mityana On 30 March 2023, Mityana District planned to hold Women’s Day celebrations at Butayunja Subcounty Headquarters. However, due to political differences in the district, a rift emerged between the two parallel camps. As a result, the Mityana District Chairman, Mr Mugisha Patrick and Hon. Joyce Bagala, the Woman Member of Parliament of Mityana District and members of the district women

8478 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. STATEMENT ON THE BRUTAL ARREST OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT council committee, all belonging to different camps, failed to agree on the person to invite to the function as the chief guest. This resulted into confrontations, which could be avoided. Kampala On 27 April 2023, at around 7.19 a.m., 11 Women Members of Parliament attempted to march to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to deliver a petition to the minister. The honourable Members of Parliament were protesting what they called the unfair treatment of female opposition MPs by the Uganda Police Force, the Resident District Commissioners and other security agencies, which stopped them from holding Women’s Day celebrations in their respective districts. Madam Speaker, the honourable Members of Parliament, as you already know, were stopped from marching on to the Ministry of Internal Affairs but they walked out of the main entrance of the Parliamentary buildings on Parliamentary Avenue. This was followed by scuffles followed by the scuffles between the honourable Members of Parliament and the police officers. The Members of Parliament were arrested and taken to Kampala Central Police Station. They were, however, released later that day. Notable parties Madam Speaker, these incidents occurred after various honourable women Members of Parliament, seeking to hold belated Women’s Day celebrations in their areas were stopped from doing so by security agencies. The identifiable actors in all these incidents, therefore, include: 1. The Members of Parliament; 2. The Police, as the enforcers of law and order; and 3. The resident district commissioners. Issues How should the shared public space be utilised by all people in the enjoyment of their rights and freedoms created by the law? The sensitivity and duty of care to others in the public space, and how to safeguard the same as we exercise our rights is worth our attention. How should law enforcement agencies utilise their authority and powers given to them by the law, including handling and managing the consequences of a breach of the law? Isn’t it time to examine and agree on the conduct of district celebrations, after the main events at national level? These issues and many others are food for thought. Action taken An update to the House on the steps taken is as follows: 1. The honourable Members of Parliament were released by the Police; 2. Investigations have been instituted into the Kampala incident, which occurred last week. This will include reviewing the CCTV footage in order to take advantage of appropriate action; 3. As soon as the footage of what transpired in Buvuma came to the attention of the Inspector General of Police, he ordered the Police Professional Standards Unit to investigate the alleged beating and torture of Hon. Suzan Mugabi, some of her supporters and the concerned officers were summoned for interrogation. Other police officers were detained and some have been released on police bond. All these incidents are still being investigated in order to enable the Government to get a comprehensive picture of what transpired to inform action. In the medium term, we shall examine additional measures such as those regarding the use of our shared public spaces, mindful of the sum total of shared rights and

The manner in which that lady pulled my hair to the extent that I saw it in her hands forced me to box her and to defend myself because what these women had come for was not humane. We condemn the brutal arrests by some of the police officers in uniform. Some of them come in civilian wear so you cannot know whether they are anti-terrorism police officers or whether they have come to arrest terrorists. If the Government does not address this problem – leading to women Members of Parliament - You wear a “ Gomesi” to go to the streets because something is suffocating you - instead, the Prime Minister, who is also a woman, mother, and daughter comes here and makes a statement which is full of lies. Most of you saw how our colleague, the Member for Buvuma was mistreated. These things do not require the whole Government to go and investigate. People were touching her thighs, holding and tearing the buttons of our “ Gomesi” .

Thank you Madam Speaker. First of all, allow me to thank you for having rescued our honourable colleagues when they were arrested. Secondly, I condemn brutality. Madam Speaker, for the incident involving Hon. Susan, I was there. I only survived the teargas because they undermined my size. (Laughter) I was there in Buvuma. For the report the Prime Minister has given here, the police misinformed her. On that day, when I went to support my colleague on the other side – we were at Kiyindi Landing Site. Even the District Police Commander (DPC) came and took my full address. They wanted me to identify myself, which I did. Shortly after, they were asking for Hon. Susan. I did not know that they were looking for her, actually. I had never been to Buvuma – that was my first time there. Shortly after, Hon. Susan jumped in my car – actually, she was hiding in the boot of my car. The soldiers started running after us – even the police. We had to run away from that place. We connected to – I do not know which district that was, Madam Speaker. We went to another –(Interjection)- no, it was not Buvuma. We had not yet crossed. Even the speed boat that we were supposed to use was confiscated. Madam Speaker, I saw whatever happened to Hon. Susan with my own eyes; nobody told me. I condemn what happened. We went to somebody’s home – we did not know the lady – in Buikwe. We even ended up undressing and wearing somebody else’s clothes. It was that serious. On reaching the other side, we found the security officers waiting for us on the water. I refused this time – I told Hon. Susan that I have a phobia of water. So, it was Hon. Susan and Hon. Manjeri who stepped into the boat to go to the other side. Madam Speaker, it was a very nasty experience. Any person, leader or Ugandan should not be in that situation. We have Members of Parliament who are mandated to carry out their roles. Even Arua City Members, are complaining about the RCCs; they have become a headache. In Hon. Susan’s case the, RDC actually has an interest to contest in Buvuma. That is what is happening. So, Madam Speaker, I think we should look into that. If they are sent to disorganise us – Madam Speaker, as our leader, we have faith in you. Please, something must be done. On that day, I tried calling you, but the number was engaged. That is how we ended up running like mad dogs on the streets. Indeed, I condemn the brutality and those officers must be apprehended for what they did. For Arua, we may not hold guns, but if the opportunity was given for us to exchange – and they are not in uniform – you can trust me. For us, we are trained in that one, Madam Speaker. (Laughter)

Madam Speaker, the solution is, first of all, when you asked the Attorney-General whether somebody must get permission, he testified that it is not permission, but notification. It has taken two years for the police to put into force the court ruling. The Attorney-General has said he is going to write to police to notify them how they should proceed. Could he tell us when the letter will reach the police and when we shall know that the police is informed? Secondly, on the solution for Hon. Suzan, we shall not come here and romance with the issue of Buvuma. Buvuma was nasty. This was a water body, and we could have lost the Member of Parliament and we would be here lamenting. Either the Minister for Presidency or somebody concerned should tell us the action that has been taken against those errant officers because this was a water body. You cannot chase somebody around the water body like that. Some of these young men and ladies do not know how to swim, like the Member of Parliament from Arua. We could have lost someone. Therefore, could we know when a comprehensive report is coming to tell us which action has been taken? When I go to Buvuma and find that RDC there, we shall act if the government is not acting – (Member timed out.)

Mr Speaker, you gave your guidance in the Communication from the Chair. The Leader of the Opposition raised his sentiments. I want to say, from the onset, that I share the same sentiments and concerns. I watched, with consternation, that clip; that brutality was absolutely not warranted. Even so, especially coming on the hills of Buvuma - this makes it even more objectionable. What we have done thus far - and I am surprised the LOP says those honourable members are not yet released - we passed the instruction to release them unconditionally and I am going to follow through on that one. (Applause.) Secondly, I heard Members say that the actions of -

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Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity. Parliament, through the HIV/AIDS committee, together with our implementing partners, have organised an HIV/AIDS advocacy week that started yesterday and will run until tomorrow. Mr Speaker, the reason for this advocacy week is to bring Members of Parliament on board. We are not doing very well as far as the new infections are concerned and we want to rejuvenate the country in the fight against HIV. The infections are especially high among teenage girls. Out of the five teenagers who are infected with HIV, four are girls between 15 and 25. This is a very dangerous age because the girls are sexually active and are involved with different men. Mr Speaker, we are also noticing a lot of low viral suppression amongst young children, mainly in the islands of Kalangala and Buvuma – where children are dying in big numbers because they are failing to suppress the viral load. We appeal to Members of Parliament – (Member timed out.)

8276 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Tuesday, 25 April 2023 His family will also be joining us as we do this noble cause. The Prime Minister has already confirmed; she will be linking up with the LOP to follow the usual parliamentary practice of how we pay tribute. Secondly, most of you saw in our groups and in the media very annoying videos of inhumane treatment and assault of our honourable colleague, Hon. Susan Mugabi, Woman MP for Buvuma. Sometimes you ask yourself: “Who is in charge?” I think the previous Wednesday, the Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Nakadama, was on the Floor here saying; “How can anyone stop a Member of Parliament we are assigned as Government?” The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development wrote to all the Women MPs to celebrate the International Women’s Day in their districts. So, who is stopping them from doing that? It is bad. The Prime Minister promised that no Resident District Commissioner (RDC) will do that and she was going to follow it up. Yet, the next day, Soroti was stopped. We are in a situation where RDCs are proving to be more powerful than a Prime Minister. I think that is where we are going. As the leadership, we took it up. Today, we had a meeting with the Speaker who has taken up this matter as a woman. (Applause) And we, as men, have a duty to protect our women; so I joined her. (Applause) . We want the Prime Minister to bring a statement to the House. We IN THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA Official Report of the Proceedings of Parliament SECOND SESSION - 30TH SITTING - THIRD MEETING Parliament met at 2.01 p.m., at Parliament House, Kampala. PRAYERS (The Deputy Speaker, Mr Thomas Tayebwa, in the Chair.) The House was called to order. COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. The Ministry of Works and Transport made a commitment that they will build rescue centres. Accidents are incidents that are not planned, but some accidents, after their occurrence, can be managed. The Ministry of Works and Transport promised to build rescue centres at least in some of the districts on the lake: Namayingo, Buvuma, Kalangala, Koome Mukono, and some other districts that have islands. However, Mr Speaker, there are no signs of the rescue centres or that there are any efforts of them being built. We cannot continue having accidents, year after year and we come to mourn or to inform Parliament. This Government should be urged or we should be seeing some efforts that when our people, especially those in the lake, get into accidents, there are efforts by Government to rescue them. Thank you.

Mr Speaker, I want to thank you very much for standing with the women. I watched, with a lot of pain, the situation in Mityana, what happened yesterday in Buvuma, Soroti, and other areas. These are women Members of Parliament. Mr Speaker, there is something I want us to interest ourselves in. You will notice that all the functions where people have been dispersed involved women Members of Parliament and not from the Opposition. The NRM women Members of Parliament have had smooth celebrations at their functions. Why? A woman is a woman whether NRM, FDC, or DP. I want to suggest that going forward – I know the Prime Minister is going to come and tell us that they will look into this and that - Parliament adopts a resolution that states that apart from the national celebration presided over by the Head of State, all the district functions be presided over by the women Members of Parliament. This will help us solve this problem. There is one thing I am not comfortable with - and that is of inviting ministers to preside over functions in the districts. This undermines the authority of women Members of Parliament in those districts. I had a situation where Hon. Alice Alaso, while she was the woman Member of Parliament for Soroti District, the RDC then, called Ben Etonu, rushed to Arapai to preside over a function. Hon. Alice Alaso literally went and [Mr Ssenyonyi] COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

Thank you, Mr Speaker. My procedural matter is moved under Rules 7 and 8 of our Rules of Procedure. Article 91(8) of the Constitution states, “ A bill passed by Parliament and assented to by the President or which has otherwise become law under this article shall be an Act of Parliament and shall be published in the Gazette.” Likewise, Section 14 of the Acts of Parliament Act requires an Act passed by Parliament to be published into the national Gazette for the public to know the content of the Bill; the dos and don’ts. Mr Speaker, I am worried because the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, 2021 that we passed here, you informed us that the President considered and assented to it but it is not anywhere; not in the parliamentary library or public library, or on any other platform. According to Section 13 of the Fisheries and Aquaculture, Bill 2021 which talks about the establishment of the fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance unit, we removed the UPDF from operation. Mr Speaker, I watched the operation when Hon. Susan Mugabi, Woman MP for Buvuma - I was actually going to attend the celebration but when I looked at what was trending on social media, I declined. They were subjecting her for having petitioned the Government for such acts of omissions and conduct for failure by the President to assent to the Bill. In fact, I was a victim they were netting - My procedural issue is: Isn’t it procedurally right for the Clerk to always update us whenever any letter for reception of the Bill for the President for assent is effective so that we are served with it in our pigeon halls? Lastly, isn’t it procedurally right for you, Mr Speaker, to guide us whether the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill was assented to in a “smuggling” manner so that we begin to look for it also in “smuggling” away because it is not anywhere? It is a ghost Bill.

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.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am rising on a matter of national importance and this concerns the drug stock- outs in all health facilities in Buvuma. We last got the second cycle from the National Drug Authority in October; and since late November, we have not had drugs, even the essential drugs like Panadol, Amoxicillin, Flagyl and so on are not available. The Committee on Health was able to visit Buvuma late October and also witnessed this inadequacy. It visited health facilities where medical officers gave testimonies that they are only there to watch patients. In addition to these shortages, Buvuma is unique because of its geography. So, imagine a situation where one moves from an island to a health facility on another island, and is not able to find even Panadol. Imagine a situation where a mother delivers and is only sent home without any attention, not even Flagyl. My appeal is to the Minister of Health not to give promises, but assurance that they are delivering drugs in the shortest time possible - And it should be this week. I so pray. (A Member rose_)

Now, let us make it very easy. Honourable minister, tomorrow, I will give you space here to lay on the Table proof of supply and delivery of drugs to Buvuma, Amuru and Fort Portal because an SMS is not a drug. (Laughter) What the Member was saying, honourable minister - like your own Member of Parliament has said – is that the chairperson LCV, who is on the ground, is complaining. So, honourable minister, do you think it is possible for National Medical Stores to provide you a list - because they should be having it – of delivery for the whole country and we submit it here tomorrow? Please, lay it on Table tomorrow - Honourable colleagues, a point of clarification only applies when a Member is holding the Floor. Once you do not have a Member on the Floor, the point of clarification does not apply. I am the one holding the Floor, you cannot seek clarification from me. (Laughter) Tomorrow, the minister will lay on the Table all the supplies made. Thank you. Hon. Macho?

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I would like to appreciate the committee and the chairperson for the report. Apart from a salary increment for the nurses, I would also like the committee to consider the general welfare of these nurses. In the islands, which I represent as the Woman Member of Parliament for Buvuma District, there are a lot of challenges. For example, they walk long distances and move on water. On top of that, they do not have good accommodation; they do not stay in Buvuma. Hence, they deliver poor services to our people, the citizens of Buvuma. These people also need special allowances because they are working in vulnerable areas; being islands, they are considered vulnerable.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Seven years back, the Government extended the National Oil Palm Project to the islands of Buvuma District, where approximately 7,500 hectares were acquired and 5,000 hectares were dedicated to the estate, where the rest of the land was for small hold nucleus farmers. Today, I bring to your attention that since 2017, over 2,600 project affected persons in the subcounties of Nairambi, Buwoya, Buvuma Town Council and Busamuzi have not been compensated, and yet the valuation processes were concluded. Their land is also currently being utilised. We are aware that the Constitution provides for prompt payment, fair and adequate compensation for any property, prior to taking it. My question is: when are my people in the constituency going to be compensated? Thank you.

The honourable member has been to my office over the same issue. I would like to thank you, Member for Buvuma. At least we are making some progress towards helping your people - the project-affected persons for palm oil growing. Of course, we also want them to join so that they can be out growers. The challenge has been money to compensate those people. I promise you, honourable members, we shall - you and I - find a way of coming together with your district officials and have these people compensated.

6666 PRIME MINISTER’S TIME Mr Speaker, the other issue relates to the matter by my honourable sister from Buvuma – I think she has taken leave - relating to the compensation of Project-Affected Persons (PAPs). Seven years is not actually about the lack of funds; it is actually gross negligence. We know the learned Attorney-General will tell you that if that happens every two years, they have an obligation to revalue these assets. The question is: have they done so? Have they taken care of the social cost of adjustment to these communities and embedded it within the entire cost of compensation? Rt Hon. Prime Minister, it is not just now about compensation. The delay is inordinate; it cannot be about money. There is a lot of money floating around. Seven years; people surrendering their land? There is a problem. Mr Speaker, as I conclude, the issue raised by my honourable sister from Kamwenge District, Hon. Sylvia Bahireira, relating to a young lady being abused in the Middle East, should hold all of us, in a way, to hesitate. First of all, the Prime Minister needs to inform this House how many citizens have so far been returned and how many have not yet been returned. [Hon. Betty Aol rose_]

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Buvuma constituency comprises 52 islands, with the biggest island – Buvuma Island – measuring 83 square miles. Out of that, 21 square miles are presumed to be forest reserves and 25 square miles are for the Nucleolus Estate for growing palm. The balance of 19.5 square miles remains for human settlement. However, recently, we have seen an expansion of forest reserves, almost covering the whole Buvuma. To make matters worse, the Uganda Land Commission has had officers visit Buvuma for other activities. The remaining forest reserves, specifically Buloba Forest Reserve, which is 300 hectares, has been parcelled into seven plots. We do not know who the owners are. Fortunately, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is here. Mr Speaker, my prayer is that the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, together with the Minister of Water and Environment, should have a joint exercise where such issues can clearly be verified on ground so that our people can know the boundaries and extent of these forest reserves. Where we discover to be forest reserves, then as leaders and the ministry, we can sit to find an amicable solution. Those are my prayers, Mr Speaker.

Honourable minister, can you visit Buvuma –the honourable colleague even sent me some videos – and see the situation on ground.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. If PK Ssemogerere was an academy, many of us would have been part of that Academy. I studied with the late Ssemogerere’s son, Paul Ssemakula, in the same class at Namilyango College. The late, because we were from the same clan - Lugave clan - and from the islands, he called me his son. When we joined university, during our days, where I was a UYD and you, Mr Speaker, belonged somewhere else –(Laughter) Mr Speaker, we were part of this academy. When it came to 2011, I remember having a private conversation with the late Ssemogerere because I had developed political interest at a higher level. The issue was, “In which party are you going to contest?” Buvuma was an NRM stronghold. The late PK, after that conversation said, “If you are sure that you will win on an NRM ticket, you have my blessing.” Indeed, I won. Since that day, we have re – (Laughter) Mr Speaker -

Honourable chairperson, just read starting with Buikwe, Bukomansimbi, Butambala, Buvuma -

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.

6210 PRIME MINISTER’S TIME A total of 1,572 schools had been cleared by 27 September 2022. Head teachers who have challenges have also been handled differently. I want to report that there is no school that has been denied examination materials, as alleged. Madam Speaker, Secondary Science and Mathematics Teachers (SESEMAT), is a programme that started in 2005 between the Japanese Government and the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Education and Sports, to improve the teachers’ delivery, which would, in turn, lead to improvement in the performance of science and mathematics education. This intervention was started in 2005 and underwent three phases and thereafter, JICA phased out. For the sustainability of the programme, a fee of Shs 1,000 was levied on each student. Due to the non-commitment of the head teachers in remitting these funds, it was decided to tag the collection of UNEB materials to the certificate remittance of SESEMAT funds, as it was seen as the most suitable alternative to boost these collections because it targets both private and Government-aided schools. Because COVID-19 left schools closed and, therefore, no collections from students were made for the years 2020 and 2021. These years were waived off and the collections being demanded are for those of the current year 2022 and the arrears of 2019, if any. The Ministry of Education and Sports is engaging all head teachers in the country. Hon. Joseph Ruyonga, Member of Parliament, Hoima West, Hoima City stated that Government of Uganda has, over time, prioritised education reforms as an anchor of socio-economic transformation and development, as demonstrated in the various policy reforms, such as the Universal Primary Education (UPE) of 1997, and the Universal Secondary Education (USE) of 2007, among others. The introduction of UPE has led to increased demand for secondary education services by learners who complete the Primary Seven level. Nyarugabo Seed Secondary School, located in Nyarugabo Cell, Kiduma Ward, Busiisi Division in Hoima West started a community school in 2019. In June 2020, the Church of Uganda Bunyoro- Kitara Diocese donated 6.9 acres of land to the then Hoima Municipality and the land title was transferred to the names of Hoima Municipal Council, Nyarugabo Seed Secondary School. The school has 114 students from Senior One to Senior Four, studying from a community hall. The school was supposed to be constructed by the World Bank under the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project and all the necessary documents were submitted, including the land title. The council had been assured that the school was included in the Financial Year 2020/2021 budget. His prayer is that: can I please update this House on the status of this project? Madam Speaker, my response is that the Government, through the Ministry of Education and Sports, is waiting for a no-objection from the World Bank before commencing the procurement process under the Uganda Secondary Expansion Project. Question No.6 is from Hon. Moses Kabuusu, Member of Parliament, Kyamuswa, Kalangala District. The Government of Uganda obtained a loan to construct seed secondary schools in all subcounties in the country. As a result, Nekemia Memorial Secondary School was built in Buuvu Island – I think it is Buvuma –(Interjection)- okay, let me read it as it is; Buuvu Island in Kyamuswa County in Kalangala District, in the first phase under Uganda Inter-Governmental Fiscal Transfer Programme (UGIFT) and was meant to be officially opened early this year, which has not happened. It is now the third term and there is no sign of the school opening. His prayer is to know when Nekemia Seed Secondary School in Buuvu Island in Kyamuswa County in Kalangala District will be opened, as there is no substantive head

5689 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2022 The minister in charge of fisheries undertook to visit the area the next day. Through our conversation, she was committed to visiting even Kiyindi in Buikwe South and also to involve Buvuma. She is only held back from undertaking that visit by the lack of finances. She cannot move to Mukono or Buikwe because she is not facilitated. I had a telephone conversation with her and that is why I can speak with confidence about this. Therefore, Mr Speaker, whereas the ministers are in affirmative about answering the demand side -