Masindi District

411 THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 JULY 2026 infrastructural, logistical and operational costs associated with the preparation for both the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 and AFCON 2027, including Uganda’s obligatory commitment fees to CAF. In addition, the Government has approved Shs 905 billion to meet contractual intersectoral funding and administrative requirements for AFCON 2027. Mr Speaker, the additional commitments include the following major interventions: 1. Support to the upgrading of selected hotels in Hoima and Masindi through a special credit facility, in accordance with CAF standards; 2. Upgrading priority access roads, pedestrian walkways and street lighting around Hoima City Stadium and Mandela National Stadium; 3. Construction of a passenger terminal at Kabalega Airport and operationalise the facility as an international airport; 4. Upgrade of Kadiba Stadium as a training facility and support preparations for the Uganda Cranes; 5. Support to the Local Organising Committee to undertake tournament- specific preparations across its subcommittees; 6. Remodelling and upgrade of Mandela National Stadium; 7. Deployment and improvement of ICT infrastructure at airports, hotels, stadia, training facilities and hospitals supporting the tournament; 8. Upgrade of designated health facilities in Hoima, Masindi and Buseruka to provide intensive care, accident and emergency services; 9. Strengthening of sanitation and environmental hygiene services in the host city, that is, Hoima City and Masindi Municipal Council; 10. Upgrade of meteorological services to support tournament operations; 11. Improvement to water-supply infrastructure in Hoima City; 12. Upgrade and maintenance of railway infrastructure serving Kampala, Mukono, Namanve and Namboole; 13. Extension of electricity infrastructure to key AFCON facilities, including Hoima City Stadium and Kabalega International Airport; 14. Promoting Uganda as a tourism destination under the AFCON brand; 15. Waiver of visa fees for visitors during the tournament period; and 16. Pursuit of a joint PAMOJA visa with Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania to ease the movement of fans and guests. Mr Speaker, the above-mentioned interventions will be directly implemented by the Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies responsible. I will repeat that. The above-mentioned interventions will be directly implemented by Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies responsible. The Minister of Education and Sports, and the LOC will play a supervisory role to ensure timely implementation of activities by MDAs and conformity to CAF standards. The detailed updates on infrastructure development in preparation for the AFCON tournament are as follows: 1. Hoima City Stadium Works for construction of Hoima City Stadium have been completed and the Defects Liability Period will expire in December 2026. During this period, the contractor will undertake remedial works to address comments made by CAF after their recent inspection. We expect the next inspection on 31 August 2026. 2. Mandela National Stadium The Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs for design and build works for the expansion of Mandela National Stadium, Namboole under phase II was signed on 26 February 2026. Under this phase, we expect, among others, the following:

412 PRIME MINISTER’S TIME [Mr Ogwang] i) Upgrading the seating capacity from 38,000 to 45,000; ii) Improvements and expansion of the VVIP and VIP lounges; iii) Improvements in the media tribune, stadium media centre, press conference rooms, the mixed zone, spectator-related areas and medical areas, among others. Mr Speaker, the contractor has completed the design review and incorporated all observations raised by the Confederation of African Football. Structural integrity tests have also been successfully undertaken, confirming the project’s readiness to proceed. The contractor remains scheduled to complete works within the timelines stipulated by CAF, which is 31 December 2026. 3. Kyambogo University Training Facility Phase II construction works are progressing well and the facility is expected to be completed by August. 4. Makerere University Training Facility Construction works are ongoing and completion is expected by August. 5. Hoima Boma Grounds The project is on course for completion by September this year. 6. Masindi Municipal Stadium Training Facility Construction works are ongoing and the facility is expected to be completed by September this year. 7. FUFA Kadiba Stadium Training Facility The BOQs and architectural design for Kadiba are being finalised, and the site will soon be handed over to the UPDF Engineers Brigade. The scope of works includes remedial works on the pitch and installation of floodlights. We envisage completing the work by December 2026. Why the delay? The stadium was being used by FUFA till the end of the calendar year, which ended recently. It is a Federation facility for football competition. 8. Sir Tito Winyi Secondary School (Training Facility) The process of acquiring land at Sir Tito Winyi is concluded, and the Minister of Works and Transport is preparing the BOQs. Works will commence in August 2026 and will be completed in December. Why the delay? There was a complaint about the land. As per the guidance from the Attorney-General, the Government cannot invest resources where we do not have exclusive ownership of the land. So, the two parties had to be brought on board. Finally, there is a consent to that effect. Now we are ready to start working. 9. Upgrade priority access roads, pedestrian walkways, and street lighting around Hoima City stadium and Mandela National Stadium. Government is implementing a number of strategic road projects aimed at improving access to the AFCON 2027 competition and training venues while also easing traffic flow within the host cities. The works cover Jokas-Uganda Christian University Road (13.2 km). This road is going to be worked on and completed. That will ease traffic on the main Jinja Highway. Hon. Nambooze is nodding. I think let us clap for Government for that. (Laughter) Jokas-Bweyogere Road (6.2 km), Jokas-Namanve Road (3.2 km), Kireka-Kamuli- Nalya Road, Bweyogere-Buto-Namugongo Road, Kyaliwajala-Kira-Kasangati Road, and Old Jinja Road. The project also includes improvements to Kireka and Kyaliwajala junctions, as well as road linkages to the Northern Bypass through Agenda and Kiwatule as well as roads to Hoima City Stadium. The procurement process is progressing well with the evaluation of prospective contractors underway. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

413 THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 JULY 2026 10. Support the upgrading of selected hotels in Hoima and Masindi through a special credit facility in accordance with CAF standards. In preparation for AFCON 2027, the Government, in consultations with CAF, has shortlisted prospective hotel owners whose facilities will be upgraded to meet the required accommodation standard. A total of Shs 101.1 billion has been earmarked to support hotel improvement works in Hoima City and Masindi. The funding will facilitate renovation works and provide interest rate support through the Uganda Development Bank for approved service providers. Regarding the proposed new hotel at Kabalega International Airport, a number of developers have expressed interest, and the evaluation of bids is scheduled to commence on Thursday this week. Mr Speaker, as of this morning, the Rt Hon. Prime Minister chaired a meeting between the hotel owners and Uganda Development Bank to agree on the modalities regarding the timeline for the line of credit versus the position the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the bank have given. I want to say the consultations are ongoing. I am also saying that we are cognisant of the time. 11. Construct a Passenger Terminal at Kabalega Airport. This intervention is awaiting the award of a contract and confirmation of financing for the outstanding funding gap to facilitate commencement of works. Government earmarked Shs 185 billion for that project to have a terminal in Kabalega Airport in Hoima. 12. Upgrade designated health facilities in Hoima, Masindi, and Buseruka to provide intensive care, accident and emergency Services. Hoima Regional Referral Hospital: Construction has reached the superstructure stage; Masindi Municipal Hospital: excavation works have been completed, and foundation concrete works are underway. Buseruka Health Centre III: Walling works are progressing towards the ring beam level, with roofing scheduled for completion by the Ministry of Works and Transport. These works are all undertaken by the UPDF’s Engineering Brigade. 13. Upgrade and maintenance of railway infrastructure servicing Kampala, Mukono, Namamve and Namboole. Construction of a passenger boarding and drop- off station at Kampala, Namboole, Namamve and Mukono, and refurbishment and retrofitting of locomotives to support passenger transport during AFCON 2027. 14. Deploy improved ICT infrastructure at the airport, hotel, stadia, training facilities, and hospital supporting the tournament. Installation of the Wi-Fi and CCTV systems at Mandela National Stadium, Hoima City Stadium, Akii Bua, 8 training facilities across Kampala, Hoima, Masindi, Gulu, and Lira, selected hospital tourism sites, and CAF headquarters in Kampala is ongoing. Mr Speaker, I wish to assure this House that the Government remains fully committed to delivering a successful AFCON 2027. We will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that the required infrastructure, services, and support systems are completed within the agreed timelines. As preparations progress, Government will keep this House regularly informed on implementation progress, key milestones achieved, and any emerging issues requiring attention. Before I conclude, Mr Speaker, allow me again to say Akii Bua Olympic Stadium is our backup stadium. 65 per cent of its work is done. It is

417 THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 JULY 2026 about the contractors in different sectors, it is according to the procurement methods used by those respective sectors. So, I wanted to first make that clear. To be specific, Shs 1.01 billion is a loan facility, which the Government has earmarked to give to the selected hotels. I will talk about the selected hotels. What the Government has done, you all know that the lending rates of Uganda Development Bank (UDB) are 12 per cent. Here, we discuss whether we can give them at 5 per cent so that we can give them, and then also we talk about the duration of the facility. These people were having their businesses, but now the Confederation of African Football (CAF), as per our host agreement, has come and indicated specific areas they want them to improve. Some of them were not mandatory, and that is why we had to sit down with them. How were they identified? Number one, there was a CAF consultant contracted by the Confederation of African Football. It came here and went to Hoima and Masindi. The hoteliers of Bunyoro Hotel Owners Association were called and met. They visited all the facilities. We also worked again with the Uganda Hotel Owners Association together with the consultant, the leadership of the Federation of Uganda Football Association and the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and looked at these facilities. Now, it was after that scrutiny that the 10 facilities were agreed upon. That is when they brought it to my attention to chair a meeting as a co-chair of a local organising committee, that the 12 facilities were confirmed and agreed to work according to the guidelines of CAF. So, as a Ministry responsible for Education and Sports, our role is coordination, which we shall continue doing. The other one was about the involvement of the local leaders. For the record, I am aware we have elected new leaders, including some of us here. This is a new term of office. This project started in the other term. We were indeed working with the old leaders of Hoima City. I confirm that I take the observations that have been raised by the honourable member. As a ministry, formally, I will write to the local authorities in Hoima City, meet them, and directly involve them in the management. I will also explain to them what awaits them as far as AFCON 2027 is concerned. To respond to what my sister from Wakiso said, I would like to say that one of the representatives of the local authorities is meant to be on the local organising committee. I would like to confirm that for Wakiso District, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) is a member of the local organising committee. For Hoima City, - (Interjection) - can I be protected, Mr Speaker? I was talking about the involvement of the local leaders. Secondly, to my colleagues here, I will formally communicate and have an engagement with the Members of Parliament from Wakiso as a whole, because when you look at what we are doing, you will notice that the entire project is in Wakiso District. Namboole is in Wakiso. Honourable colleagues, with your permission, can I proceed and finish? The other issues that were raised, Mr Speaker, are regarding the roads, which are meant to be worked on in the Hoima cluster. It is an oversight. I promise to communicate formally to you. I had actually made it, and it was within. But the first is the Rujumba Road, which is going to have an inter-loop to Hoima City. That one is meant to be tarmacked. Lastly, timely reports to Parliament. Mr Speaker, you are the originator of the Order Paper. I am at your service as a minister in the Education docket, to report to Parliament as and when agreed. Once again, I reiterate that the Government is committed to implementing AFCON 2027. Regarding the project becoming like CHOGM, friends, I think we learn from different lessons. I studied history, and a French word was

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. For the record, I am Ismail Kasule, the Whip of the Alliance for National Transformation. Mr Speaker, I understand there are different projects going on, but which are not football- related, though they are to supplement the AFCON 2027 that Uganda is going to host together with the other countries, Kenya and Tanzania. My attention is drawn to the infrastructure projects like roads, hospitals and hotels, especially in areas where the tournament will take place like Hoima, Masindi, Lira and Kampala. I wish to the Prime Minister to inform us on the progress of the projects that are not football related but are crucial for AFCON to take place. Thank you very much.

Mr Speaker, let me start with the hotels. You are aware that we are supposed to upgrade our hotels to meet the international standards. Shs 101 billion was put in place, through the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), and we are encouraging our hotel owners to take that window so that they can upgrade their hotels, especially in areas of Hoima and some parts of Lira. Secondly, on the upgrade of health facilities, the Government is upgrading the health facility of Buseruka to a health centre IV, which is almost at the level of a hospital, so that those who are traveling from Kabalega International Airport in case of anything - we are upgrading Hoima Referral Hospital to meet international standards. We are also upgrading Masindi Hospital because we shall have a training ground in Masindi, which is also being upgraded. We are also upgrading another facility in Hoima City.

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

2 ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS 6. Abeja Susan Jolly District Woman Representative Otuke NRM 7. Abigaba Cuthbert Mirembe Kibale County Kamwenge NRM 8. Acamfua Topista District Woman Representative Zombo Independent 9. Acan Joyce Okeny PWD Representative N/A NRM 10. Achayo Juliet Lodou Ngora County Ngora NRM 11. Achia Lokiru Gabriel Jie County Kotido NRM 12. Achola Catherine District Woman Representative Pallisa NRM 13. Aber Lillian District Woman Representative Kitgum NRM 14. Acom Alobo Joan City Woman Representative Soroti FDC 15. Aayoo Joyce Makamoe District Woman Representative Abim Independent 16. Acon Julius Bua Otuke East County Otuke NRM 17. Adeke Anna Ebaju District Woman Representative Soroti FDC 18. Adidwa Abdu Bukooli South County Namayingo Independent 19. Agaba Gilbert Workers Representative N/A Independent 20. Agaba Peter Ibanda Municipality Ibanda NRM 21. Ahebwa Wilber Manyisa Nakaseke North County Nakaseke NRM 22. Akello Beatrice Akori District Woman Representative Agago NRM 23. Aine Godfrey Kaguta Mawogola North County Ssembabule NRM 24. Akello Lucy District Woman Representative Amuru FDC 25. Akello Rose Lilly District Woman Representative Karenga NRM 26. Akol Anthony Kilak North County Amuru NRM 27. Akorikin Francis Kapelebyong County Kapelebyon NRM 28. Aguti Sarah District Woman Representative Dokolo UPC 29. Akugizibwe Aled Ronald Buruli County Masindi NRM 30. Akumu Catherine Mavenjina Older Persons Representative Northern NRM 31. Alenyo Marshall Godfrey Jonam County Pakwach Independent 32. Alioni Yorke Odria Aringa South County Yumbe NRM 33. Among Anita Annet District Woman Representative Bukedea NRM 34. Magogo Moses Hassim Budiope East County Buyende NRM 35. Opolot Isiagi Patrick Kachumbala County Bukedea NRM 36. Okwere David Beecham Bukedea County Bukedea NRM 37. Namulondo Sarah District Woman Representative Buyende NRM 38. Pedun Josephine District Woman Representative Ngora NRM 39. Aeku Patrick Soroti County Soroti NRM 40. Alyela Denis Omodi Lira East Division Lira City NRM 41. Akifeza Grace Ngabirano District Woman Representative Kisoro NRM 42. Akugizibwe Lawrence Mwenge County North Kyenjojo NRM 43. Amanya Cohen Kyampene Igara County West Bushenyi NRM 44. Achia Cathy District Woman Representative Kaabong NRM 45. Acom Esther District Woman Representative Serere Independent 46. Amaniyo Draville Sheilah District Woman Representative Mukono NUP 47. Aceng Jane Ruth District Woman Representative Lira City NRM 48. Ajilo Maria Gorretti Elogu District Woman Representative Kalaki NRM 49. Adome Francis Lorika Moroto Municipality Moroto NRM 50. Ameede Agnes District Woman Representative Butebo NRM 51. Amongin Jane Frances Okili District Woman Representative Kaberamaido NRM 52. Angura Fredrick Tororo South County Tororo NRM 53. Angwech Colline Kioga County Amolatar UPC 54. Anifa Bangirana Mawogola West County Ssembabule NRM 55. Anyakun Esther Davinia District Woman Representative Nakapiripirit NRM 56. Acheng Sandra District Woman Representative Kole NRM

3 THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 13 MAY 2026 57. Alum Santa Sandra Ogwang District Woman Representative Oyam UPC 58. Akoth Angella Nzokire District Woman Representative Tororo Independent 59. Alero Tom Aza West Moyo County Moyo NRM 60. Anywar Ricky Richard Agago West County Agago NRM 61. Aogon Silas Kumi Municipality Kumi Independent 62. Aol Betty Ocan City Woman Representative Gulu City PFF 63. Arinaitwe Jeniva District Woman Representative Rubirizi NRM 64. Arinaitwe Rwakajara Katambuka Workers Representative N/A NRM 65. Aseera Stephen Buhaguzi East County Kikuube NRM 66. Asiimwe Florence Akiiki District Woman Representative Masindi NRM 67. Attan Okia Moses Soroti East County Soroti City FDC 68. Kiconco Katabaazi Patrick Rukiga County Rukiga NRM 69. Atuhwereire Arthur Kazoora Ruhinda South County Mitooma NRM 70. Atukunda Rebecca Mubangizi District Woman Representative Kassanda NRM 71. Atuto Jacinta District Woman Representative Kapelebyong NRM 72. Atwijukire Boaz Katerera County Rubirizi Independent 73. Alupo Jessica Rose Epel District Woman Representative Katakwi NRM 74. Atwijukire Dan Kimosho Kazo County Kazo NRM 75. Acora Nancy Odonga District Woman Representative Lamwo NRM 76. Atyang Stella District Woman Representative Moroto NRM 77. Auma Janet District Woman Representative Amolatar UPC 78. Auma Kenny District Woman Representative Kwania UPC 79. Avako Melsa Naima Gule District Woman Representative Yumbe NRM 80. Anyango Janet Hope District Woman Representative Busia NRM 81. Ayagalachi Jamali Bukooli County Bugiri NUP 82. Achia Remigio Pian County Nabilatuk NRM 83. Ayepa Michael Labwor County Abim NRM 84. Ayoo Janeth Phoebe Obol District Woman Representative Gulu NRM 85. Apolot Christine District Woman Representative Kumi Independent 86. Ayume Charles Koboko Municipality Koboko NRM 87. Avur Jane Pacuto District Woman Representative Pakwach NRM 88. Atugonza Allan Buliisa County Buliisa NRM 89. Baatom Ben Koryang Dodoth West County Karenga NRM 90. Babirye Kityo Sarah Bukoto County East Masaka NRM 91. Babirye Milly Babalanda Budiope West County Buyende NRM 92. Ariko Herbert Edmund Okworo Gweri County Soroti NRM 93. Kakooza James Older Persons Representative Central NRM 94. Awor Betty Engola District Woman Representative Apac NRM 95. Engola Sam Erute County South Lira NRM 96. Baryomunsi Chris Kinkizi County East Kanungu NRM 97. Nabbanja Robinah District Woman Representative Kakumiro NRM (The House was suspended at 11.38 a.m.) (On resumption at 1.29 p.m., the Clerk presiding.) 98. Auma Linda Agnes District Woman Representative Lira NRM 99. Babanga Wilfred Erima Terego East County Terego NRM 100. Babula Noel Kataike Matilda District Woman Representative Budaka NRM 101. Bahireira Sylivia Tumwekwase District Woman Representative Kamwenge NRM 102. Bakireke Nambooze Betty Mukono Municipality Mukono NUP

4 ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS 103. Kalenzi Victor Bunyangabu County Bunyangabu NRM 104. Basajjassubi Nsereko Charles Nakaseke South County Nakaseke NRM Kawuma 105. Baseke Fred Ntenjeru County South Kayunga NRM 106. Bright Tom Amooti Kyaka Central County Kyegegwa NRM 107. Bazaanya Matayo Bugabula County South Kamuli NRM 108. Begiira Samuel Youth Representative Central NRM 109. Begumisa Protazio Ndorwa County East Kabale NRM 110. Bagiire Aggrey Henry Bunya County West Mayuge NRM 111. Baryayanga Andrew Aja Kabale Municipality Kabale NRM 112. Bassajja Iddi Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality Bushenyi NRM 113. Bigirwa Norah Nyendwoha District Woman Representative Buliisa NRM 114. Bingi Patrick Nyanzi Butemba County Kyankwanzi NRM 115. Birungi Annet Workers Representative N/A NRM 116. Birungi Carolyn Nanyondo Kyamuswa County Kalangala NRM 117. Banya Emmanuel Natal Koboko County Koboko NRM 118. Biara Emmanuel Wepukhulu Bulambuli County Bulambuli NRM 119. Kabarokole Sarah District Woman Representative Bunyangabu NRM 120. Bisaso Abdul Kassanda County South Kassanda NRM 121. Bakashaba Christopher Mbarara North Division Mbarara City NRM 122. Oleru Huda Abason Aringa East County Yumbe NRM 123. Kabanda Minsa Nabbengo Kampala Central Division Kampala NRM 124. Bebona Josephine Babungi District Woman Representative Bundibugyo NRM 125. Baguma Spellanza Muhenda District Woman Representative Kyenjojo Independent 126. Batuwa Timothy Lusala Jinja South Division West Jinja City NUP 127. Byamukama Fred Bugangaizi West County Kakumiro NRM 128. Kadaga Rebecca Alitwala District Woman Representative Kamuli NRM 129. Byamukama Rogers Masindi Municipality Masindi NRM 130. Byanyima Nathan Bukanga North County Isingiro NRM 131. Byibesho Sam Kisoro Municipality Kisoro NRM 132. Byuma Oswald Dez Mawogola County Ssembabule NRM 133. Cadet Benjamin Bunyaruguru County Rubirizi NRM 134. Challa Elma Kapel Youth Representative Northern NRM 135. Chandia Benadette Kodili District Woman Representative Moyo NRM 136. Chemonges William Kween County Kween NRM 137. Chemutai Phyllis District Woman Representative Kapchorwa Independent 138. Cheutich Rufina District Woman Representative Amudat NRM 139. Dramviku Eric Sabiti Terego West County Terego NRM 140. Driwaru Jennifer District Woman Representative Maracha NRM 141. Echodu David Calvin Soroti West County Soroti City NRM 142. Edakasi Alfred Elalu-Olale Kaberamaido County Kaberamaido NRM 143. Ediau Samuel Amuria County Amuria NRM 144. Edopu Peter Edeku Dakabela County Soroti NRM 145. Ekoro Alex Irukan Bunya County East Mayuge NRM 146. Elem Leo Moroto County Alebtong UPC 147. Emaju Peter Paul Kasilo County Serere NRM 148. Eron Tonny Kwania County Kwania NRM 149. Etilu Margaret District Woman Representative Amuria NRM 150. Bagoole Ngobi John Luuka North County Luuka NRM 151. Eunice Otuko Apio Oyam County North Oyam UPC 152. Kamuntu Ephraim Sheema County South Sheema NRM

Senior comrade and colleague, you know I have a soft spot for you, but you are just being too general. The world is waiting for data from you. You took the first one, the second one, and you are going to take others. The question is: what justification are you giving by saying that you are looking for revenue? You are saying you want people to claim credits when they are foreigners, at $10 million, and the committee agrees with you. When it comes to the locals - and these are people’s representatives - they tell you to wait a second; if you want to support our local people – remember, Hon. Ogwang was here trying to clearly tell people to invest in hotels in Hoima, Masindi, Lira, and others. There is a good proposal from the committee and it is a win-win, and we come back every financial year - the issue is that you have got a percentage of this, not in a bad way, comrade. You have $10 million for a foreigner who wishes to come to invest, and the justification is that they can borrow this money cheaply. The justification for lowering the threshold for nationals is that the cost of borrowing is high. It is just a simple justification. We are also saying that we want to promote the local people to invest, because potentially, they will have to employ local people as well. Therefore, let us grow together so that this is a people-driven financial budget that you are presenting. From the revenue, we are collecting [The Chairperson] THE VALUE ADDED TAX (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2026

18634 CONSIDERATION OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR FY 2026/2027 Madam Speaker, we still grapple with the backlog of cases in this country. The Judiciary plans to increase the case disposal rate from 58 per cent in Financial Year 2024/2025 to 60.6 per cent in Financial Year 2026/2027. This will reduce the backlog from 24.2 per cent to 22.2 per cent and dispose of 291,544 cases by the end of 2026, hence the need for an additional Shs 20.12 billion in case backlog reduction strategies, such as special court sessions. The committee, however, noted that a significant number of cases committed to the High Court remained unheard for years alongside infrequent court appearances and extended intervals between hearings. Additionally, the committee is concerned that the Judiciary’s projected plan to reduce the backlog is not satisfactory due to the minimal percentage. The committee has recommended that the funding requested by the Judiciary to tackle the issue of case backlog be deferred temporarily until a comprehensive plan is provided. Implementation of the legal representation at the expense of the state in capital offences in line with the Judiciary Legal Representation at the Expense of the State The committee noted that Article 28(3) of the Constitution requires that every person who is charged with a criminal offence that carries a sentence of death or imprisonment for life is entitled to legal representation at the expense of the state. Similarly, the Judicature (Legal Representation at the Expense of the State) Rules, 2022 have revised the rates upwards for facilitation of advocates on state briefs. To be able to fulfil this mandate, the Judiciary requires an additional Shs 31.97 billion. The committee recommends that Shs 31.97 billion be provided to the Judiciary to facilitate advocates to hold these cases on a State brief. Automation of courts to eliminate delays in the management of cases The committee was informed that the Judiciary plans to roll out the Electronic Case Management System, ECMIS, to an additional 20 court stations, which include, among others: i) Masaka High Court; ii) Masaka Chief Magistrate’s Court; iii) Kalangala Chief Magistrate’s Court; iv) Sembabule Chief Magistrate’s Court; v) Kalungu/Lukaya Grade One Court; vi) Mpigi High Court; vii) Mpigi Chief Magistrate’s Court; viii) Gomba Chief Magistrate’s Court; ix) Butambala Chief Magistrate’s Court; x) Nsangi Chief Magistrate’s Court; xi) Masindi High Court; xii) Masindi Chief Magistrate’s Court; xiii) Kiryandongo Chief Magistrate’s Court; xiv) Buliisa Chief Magistrate’s Court; xv) Kigumba Chief Magistrate’s Court; xvi) Mubende High Court; xvii) Mubende Chief Magistrate’s Court; xviii) Mityana Chief Magistrate’s Court; xix) Kassanda Chief Magistrate’s Court; and xx) Kyegegwa Chief Magistrate’s Court. Madam Speaker, I have read all of them to show the balanced nature throughout the country. The committee recommends that Shs 13.739 billion be provided during the Financial Year 2026/2027 to enable the Judiciary to automate case management business processes, thereby quickening adjudication and reducing person- to-person interactions, thereby mitigating corruption incidents. Budget increase and misalignment The Judiciary’s proposed budget for the Financial Year 2026/2027 stands at Shs 633.97 billion, representing a 43.7 per cent increase from the Financial Year 2025/2026 approved budget of Shs 44.223 billion. The committee noted a 103.5 per cent increase in the travel budget of the Judiciary from Shs 43.79 billion to Shs 89.154 billion, with the Ministerial Policy Statement (MPS) showing extensive travel inland provisions totalling Shs 77.0 billion and travel abroad to Shs 12.2

18559 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 15 APRIL 2026 successful organisation and hosting of the AFCON 2027 tournament. This has been prioritised in the plans for Financial Year 2026/2027 and Cabinet has approved the attendant requisite budget for funding the intervention. Honourable members, the Government planning for AFCON 2027 has been guided by a number of key assumptions. These include the fact that the tournament will be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania. That is, it will run from 19 June to 18 July 2027. Uganda will host matches at the Mandela National Stadium Namboole, and Hoima City Stadium. The two competition stadia, together with eight attendant training facilities, must be completed by January 2027. Honourable members, the Government has demonstrated, from time to time, its commitment to undertaking. In 2024, the Cabinet not only approved the Government guarantees to the Confederation of African Football but also approved a budget of 1.35 trillion towards the infrastructure, logistical, and operational costs associated with preparations for the African Cup of Nations 2027 and CHAN 2024, including Uganda’s obligatory commitment fee to the confirmation of African football. In addition, the government has approved Shs 905 billion to meet the critical inter-sectoral funding and administrative requirements for AFCON 2027. Madam Speaker, the additional commitments include the following major interventions: i) The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development is to allocate and ring-fence - I want to repeat thus: the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development is to allocate and ring-fence funds to ministries, departments, and agencies with qualified AFCON 2027 interventions, including those requiring commitments between March and June 2026, ahead of the new financial year; ii) Government has already set aside Shs 1.01 billion to support the upgrading of selected hotels in Hoima and Masindi through a special credit facility under the Uganda Development Bank. Consultations with CAF on the standards of hotels in Hoima and Masindi have been concluded, and the engagements between the hotel owners and Uganda Development Bank are anticipated to commence on the 23 rd day of April 2026; iii) Shs 213.76 billion has been committed for the upgrade of at least 47.53 kilometres of selected roads around Hoima City Stadium and Mandela National Stadium, including Kinawataka Road, as well as the pedestrian walkways and street lighting to improve accessibility, safety, and security; iv) Shs 184.99 billion has been allocated for the establishment of a passenger terminal at Kabalega Airport and to operationalise the facility as an international airport; v) Shs 5.2 billion has been provided to the Federation of Uganda Football Association for the upgrading of Kadiba Stadium as a training facility, and Shs 12.55 billion has been committed for the interventions aimed at preparing the Uganda Cranes for AFCON 2027; vi) Madam Speaker, Shs 109 billion has been allocated to the local organising committee to support tournament- specific preparations across the 13 sub-committees, including safety and security, ICT and accreditation, workforce and volunteer, medical and anti-doping, events operation, commercial services, branding, spectators’ services, team services, legal, infrastructure management, guest management and hospitality; vii) Shs 56.2 billion has been allocated in the Financial Year 2026/2027 for the remodelling and upgrade of the Mandela National Stadium;

18560 CONSIDERATION OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR FY 2026/2027 viii) Shs 6.44 billion has been committed to ICT infrastructure deployment and improvement across airports, hotels, stadia, training facilities, and hospitals that will support AFCON 2027; ix) Shs 91.5 billion has been set aside for the upgrade of Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, Masindi General Hospital, and Buseruka Health Centre III to a required standard for intensive care, accident, and emergency response as stipulated by CAF; x) Shs 13.75 billion has been allocated to Hoima City, Masindi Municipality, and Kira Municipality to strengthen sanitation and environmental hygiene services during the tournament; xi) The government has also provided Shs 3.39 billion for the upgrade of the meteorological services; xii) Shs 6.2 billion has been identified for water supply infrastructure in Hoima City; xiii) Shs 23.33 billion is being allocated for the upgrade and maintenance of the railway at the central terminal, Kampala- Mukono line – Namanve and Namboole halt; xiv) Shs 4.6 billion has been dedicated to the construction of electricity lines to AFCON support facilities, including Hoima City Stadium and Kabaale International Airport; xv) Shs 37.85 billion has been committed for the destination marketing and promotion of Uganda under the AFCON 2027 brand; xvi) The Government has further committed to waive visa fees for all visitors to Uganda for a period of at least three months beginning one month before kick-off and ending one month after the final match; and xvii) Relatedly, the Government is pursuing a special-purpose joint Pamoja visa with Kenya and Tanzania to facilitate movement for fans and guests during the tournament. Madam Speaker and honourable members, the above-mentioned interventions will be implemented directly by the responsible government ministries, departments, and agencies. The Ministry of Education and Sports and the local organising committee will play a supervisory role to ensure the timely implementation of activities by the MDAs and conformity to the CAF standard. Honourable colleagues, our most significant challenge has been the area of sports infrastructure. I would like to assure the House that, following the Government’s commitments and decisive interventions, this matter has been addressed. The update regarding the development of sports infrastructure, in preparation for the tournament, is as follows: 1. Hoima City Stadium Works for the construction of Hoima City Stadium have been completed, and the defect liability period will expire in December 2026. During this period, the contractor will undertake remedial works to address the comments made by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after the recent inspection. 2. Mandela National Stadium The Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, for the design and build for works for the expansion of Mandela National Stadium under phase two, was signed on 26 February 2026. Under this phase, we expect, among others, the following: (a) Upgrading the seating capacity from 38,268 to 45,000 seater;

18561 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 15 APRIL 2026 (b) Improvements and expansion of the VVIP and VIP lounges; and (c) Improvements in the media tribune, stadium media centre, press conference rooms, the mixed zone, spectators’ related areas, and medical areas, among others. The contractor is currently reviewing the design to incorporate the observations made by the Confederation of African Football. Following the design review, structural integrity tests are being taken and it is expected that the contractor will execute the works within the timeframe stipulated by CAF. 3. Kyambogo University training facility The construction works under phase two are ongoing and will be completed by August 2026. 4. Makerere University training facility Construction works are ongoing and will be completed by August 2026. 5. Hoima Boma Grounds The architectural designs have been completed, and construction works will commence before the end of April 2026. 6. Masindi Municipal Training Facility The architectural designs have been completed, and construction works will commence before the end of April 2026. 7. FUFA-Kadiba Stadium Training Facility The works have been provided for in the budget, and the federation is expected to hand over the facility at the end of June because the season of the current league is ending in June. 8. Sir Tito Winyi Secondary School training facility The process for land acquisition is ongoing, and works are anticipated to commence by the end of May 2026. The foregoing clearly demonstrates the Government’s strong commitment to creating an enabling environment for the successful organisation and co-hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 (AFCON 2027) tournament. The focus now is on ensuring the timely implementation of all interventions across implementing entities, efficient coordination, and close monitoring of progress across all intervention areas. I, therefore, wish to assure this House that the Government remains fully committed to the successful preparation and co-hosting of AFCON 2027. We will continue to provide regular updates on the progress, key milestones, and emerging implementation issues of the preparations. I beg to submit, but Madam Speaker, in a special way, I thank you and your deputy for leading us to getting the rights to host AFCON 2027. I thank you so much, on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Sports.

Madam Speaker, I thank you for correctly answering my colleague, but I would also like to say the following. I invited CAF to come and carry out an inspection on our readiness. Why? The Confederation of African Football is the owner of the tournament, and because of that, they are the ones who set the standards. For that matter, when they came and inspected the facilities, they gave a report. I would like to confirm that it is that report which prompted my minister to constitute an Inter-Ministerial Committee, because if you look at what I have read here, it is on different Ministries, Departments, and Agencies outside the Ministry of Education and Sports. When she constituted the Inter-Ministerial Committee - whatever observations you have seen where the Government allocates money is within the findings of CAF. For instance, the Hoima Airport was meant to be an airport specifically for cargo, but now that we put up a stadium there, there was need for the Government to put up a passenger terminal at the airport. This is within the CAF report. Let us talk about health. CAF inspected Hoima Regional Referral Hospital and Masindi General Hospital, and picked certain provisions within those hospitals. It is through this that we sat with the Ministry of Health, in line with the guidance from the CAF report, that the following must be undertaken. That is how we allocated that money. If you talk about roads, the state of the road between Kampala to Hoima was one of the observations, which was within the CAF report and that is what made us follow up on that intervention. Regarding the roads within Hoima Stadium, they asked how we are going to decongest traffic because we are going to have 20,000 people in the stadium entering and exiting. How will they get out? That is what made us allocate that money. We gave a contractor the mandate to build the stadium, which it did. After that, CAF carried out an inspection of the stadium. Within our contract, it was very clear that we can only take that stadium if it fully meets the CAF Class Certification. CAF identified some of the areas in the stadium, which did not meet this classification. The contractor, as per the contract, is now meant to ensure that all those issues, that were identified, are corrected. The Government of Uganda is not going to spend even a dollar. Like the Speaker has said, the stadium is still within a defect liability period, within which they must make sure that work is done. CAF is coming back in August to check on whether we have done what they had identified in their report. Honourable colleagues, the Government has taken this competition as a priority for next financial year’s budget. (Applause) No wonder, you have heard the President insist that this is a project that takes priority for implementation. We are committed; we cannot get out of it. The issues identified in the CAF report are exactly what we are addressing, as the Government. Thank you, honourable colleagues.

18513 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL 2026 such as Masindi and Hoima and fall into two main categories: sugar company-owned facilities at mills – they have weighbridges at their factories or approved allocation points – and cooperatives-owned stations operated by farmers’ unions. Madam Speaker, the ministry invited stakeholders in the sugar industry, as directed, and held a meeting on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, at Imperial Royale Hotel. The meeting was open to the media. The meeting was chaired by me and attended by; iv) The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development v) Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development vi) Sugar farmers’ cooperative societies from Busoga, Bunyoro, Toro and Buganda vii) Millers from Buganda, Busoga, Toro and Bunyoro viii) District local governments – we invited District Agricultural Officers and District Commercial Officers ix) Uganda Revenue Authority x) Uganda National Bureau of Standards xi) Uganda Police Force xii) The Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) – which fall under the Office of the President xiii) The media – as I had indicated. The following were the findings from the consultative meeting that we held: 1. We discovered that Section 26 of the Sugar Act, 2026 provides for the weighing of sugarcane, ensuring accuracy in measurement, transparency in participation, and regulatory oversight. So, there is a regulation that provides for this establishment. 2. The meeting also noted a gap in the regulations regarding the weighbridge operations. Two points to note – which are not here – are that the weighbridges are also used to measure some other items, not sugarcane alone. For example, some use them to measure seed cane. Some use them to measure maize, while some use them to measure fertilisers and timber – in addition to the sugarcane. This is to avoid cheating by transporters or the case where there can be offloading while transporting. 3. The meeting further observed that the weighbridges are critical instruments of measurement as they enable farmers to ascertain the weight of their sugarcane prior to sale, thereby promoting fairness and transparency. 4. The meeting noted that most of the weighbridges are owned by millers. They establish or install weighbridges to weigh sugarcane from their sugarcane plantations established far away from their mills, and also to buy cane from farmers after ascertaining the accurate weight to facilitate business transactions. This means that when we license these people and compel them to have a nucleus plantation of 12,000 acres, not all the acres are in one place. In some cases, the acres are far away. Therefore, what the sugar millers do is to put weighbridges at those farms where they plant from. 5. It was noted that the weighbridges were not regularly calibrated and may cause cheating of the farmers. 6. The meeting was informed that these weighbridges provide employment and business opportunities for the local people around where they are established. 7. The meeting also noted that there had been several engagements regarding the

Thank you so much, Madam Speaker. I also have something related to sugarcane growing. I am a farmer and I grow sugarcane in Masindi. I just want to remind the Government that last year, the President pledged to support sugarcane farmers in the form of a Shs 45 billion grant. However, up to now, nothing has been fulfilled. Therefore, I am just reminding the Leader of Government Business that farmers are still waiting – otherwise, like the minister said, sugarcane is contributing almost 5 per cent of the GDP. So, the farmers play a big role. Thank you.

To answer the matter of the pledge, we shall follow up on the President’s pledge of Shs 45 billion. On the issue of the request by the farmers that was particular to the weighbridges in Masindi, two of them were removed. In the meeting, through consensus, we said that they should be reinstated so that the farmers do not suffer. Madam Speaker, as the Prime Minister said, apart from strengthening the regulations by the Attorney-General, the others should go on because the inspection and calibration take immediate effect. We are sending the team from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards after the Easter holidays, to go and ensure that all the operational weighbridges are calibrated and inspected, while the only existing ones can continue to operate to help the farmers as we work on the –(Interjections) - Madam Speaker, the issue is calibration and inspection. So, we are sending a team from UNBS to calibrate all the weighbridges. We shall have a report by the end of next week because they are 44 in number.

18313 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 29 JANUARY 2026 Many of the projects for which we have borrowed gross sums of money are either behind schedule or have completely stagnated. Here we are being asked to recklessly approve further borrowing. I now turn to the ministry of finance report on externally funded projects. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has been monitoring performance of these projects and done some reports. The latest report samples 66 externally-funded projects, as the table below illustrates. We have borrowed money to finance projects. Even in this budget, they are saying we should borrow another Shs 10 trillion. But look at the table. The projects in Agro-Industrialisation; seven projects here, only two have been completed. One is on track, others behind schedule. Digital Transformation: two projects, one on track. Human Capital Development: 14 projects, only one completed, one on track, 12 are behind schedule. Integrated Transport Infrastructure and Services: 12 projects for which we have borrowed money, only two completed, one on track, 18 behind schedule. I do not need to go on, but the total below is that you have a total of 66 projects sampled by the finance ministry. Only six are completed, five are on track, 55 of these projects are behind schedule, including the ones that you will see that have stagnated. I will give a list here. I will be very brief because this is not my list, it is a list of Hon. Musasizi: Kampala-Jinja Expressway. We borrowed money to do this road. Let me go to the last line. This is how the finance ministry has assessed this. The physical progress of the project is zero. Money borrowed; progress is zero. They are saying let us borrow more. That is what is in the Budget Framework Paper. Busega-Mpigi Expressway. Construction is at 46 per cent. This road was supposed to have been completed years ago. They are at 46 per cent. Part of the reason you will see, they are saying they do not have counter-funding, and then they are saying let us borrow and begin more projects. That is why I said you even offend common sense. Entebbe Airport Rehabilitation. This one, there is progress but the point is because of the delays, we are now required to pay to the contractor the total sum of $34.9 million because we delayed. The contractor says you delayed here and here, pay me money. Even this one, although progressing, it was never delivered on time. The Development of the New Bukasa Port Project. This one has not started at all, still in the preliminary. Kampala Flyover Construction. The Finance ministry says it has stagnated. Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project. They are now revising it. Time elapsed. They are revising it, yet you know each revision comes with money. Multinational Kapchorwa-Suam-Kitale and Eldoret Bypass Road Project. This one has almost been completed but after a delay. Kyenjonjo-Hoima-Masindi-Kigumba Road. The project has not been completed; more money is needed. Multinational Lake Victoria Maritime Communication and Transport Project. Here, the overall progress is from 37 per cent by the end of April. All these projects have delayed, no counter-funding, they are contracting more. Luweero-Butalangu Road. Work is at 67 per cent. A road that they started nearly 10 years ago, they have not completed a short stretch. Moyo-Yumbe-Koboko Road Project, and you keep asking why the President repeat these roads in every budget? The progress, as you have seen, on some projects, is zero. Every

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

Thank you, colleagues, for standing with the people of Bbale, Kayunga and Uganda on the need to upgrade this road. Mr Speaker, allow me to put forward only three matters. Much has been said about the same road, but I see it as a way to reduce traffic congestion in Kampala and on Bombo Road. Given Uganda’s geography, goods exported from the east to the West Nile and the north must pass through Kampala and the Bombo Road. When this road is paved and tarmacked, it will reduce all of that. It will benefit not only the people of Bbale but also the business community and Ugandans in the city. Mr Speaker, I also request that, after tarmacking this road, the Ministry of Works and Transport assess the connectivity from Bbale to Nakasongola, as this is how the objective of reducing the traffic jam can be achieved. This way, all vehicles from the east can branch off from the Nile Bridge to Jinja, Kayunga, Nakasongola and Masindi. Then, the entire burden of the traffic jam will have been reduced. Mr Speaker, for the good of the Members on the other side, this is a road that the NRM Government has promised for a long time to the people of Kayunga. For your information, President Museveni has, on three consecutive occasions while campaigning in Kayunga, promised this road. It is a debt owed by the Government to the people of Kayunga. By tarmacking it, you are paving the way to justify at least some reasonable action for the people of Kayunga. Mr Speaker, I would also like to remind Members about the safety — it is not just security but safety. The connectivity of northern to central Uganda is not only serving a security matter, but ensuring the safety of the people in transit, and the goods can easily move. Lastly, Mr Speaker, the Obote government had promised to tarmac this road; in fact, we have the Obote Memorial Portrait in Kayunga, in Hon. Amos Lugoloobi’s constituency. The Obote government aimed to tarmac this road and name it “Obote Road”. Now that Obote is not in government and he did work on this road, and Tebandeke Charles, on behalf of the people of Bbaale, has toiled a lot and moved - (Interjections) – Members, I even reached the extent of going to the bush and people misunderstood my action. I think the bush has got a lot of results. I am thinking that for any demand, maybe we should go to the bush. MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Under Annex 1, we summarised the amount of money which is budgeted for DUCAR, KCCA and road maintenance. There are national roads upgrades and rehabilitation. There are also ferry operations of about Shs 12 billion. Therefore, some of the roads like Fort Portal- Bundibugyo-Lamia - we all know that road. There was an estimate of Shs 118 billion. The requirement to do the phase for this year is Shs 50 billion. However, there was nothing provided in the budget. There is also Gulu-Atiak-Nimule Road – it is in bad shape. The other roads are Mubende- Kyenjojo Road and Ntungamo-Rukungiri Road. There is also the completion of the section of Tororo-Busia Road. We also have Najjanankumbi-Busabala Road and Rwenkunye-Apac-Lira-Puranga Road - Hon. Omara, thank you for lobbying. We also have Luweero-Butalangu Road. There is Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo – that road when you leave Koboko via Yumbe headed to Moyo. It is for upgrade. Money is being provided. There are also Yumbe-Ure, Kisubi-Nakawuka, Nakawuka-Maya, Nakawuka-Nateete, Nakawuka-Kasanje-Maya and Nakawuka- Buwaya – all those roads. The money is here. Once we approve, we are in business. There are also critical oil roads like Kabwoya- Buhuka, Kihura-Rwamwanja, Kahunge-Bwizi- Mpara, Namagumba-Budadiri-Nalugugu - these people of Mbale, the road is there to be completed. We have Moroto-Lokitanyala Road, Kira- Matugga Road – Hon. Ssemujju, thank you for lobbying - (Laughter). There is also Kabale- Bunyonyi Road – that is a tourist road, going up to Kisoro-Mahinga. We have Busega-Mpigi Expressway. We need that one badly. There is a road from Muyembe to Nakapiripirit as well as Lusalira-Nkonge- Lumegere-Ssembabule Road. Hon. Kabanda is in business. Thank you for lobbying. Hon. Namugga, the NRM Government does not discriminate. There is also Iganga-Bulopa-Kamuli – you will connect properly. This is for the former Speaker, and the current Speaker has implemented it. Thank you for lobbying. There are also critical roads like Kabale- Kiziranfumbi, Nyairongo-Kyarushesha and Masindi-Biiso. It seems nobody is excited about this one. This is an oil road.

17941 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2025 Madam Speaker, you raised a couple of pertinent issues, especially those to do with the human-wildlife conflict. I wish to inform this Parliament that we are constructing an electric fence in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls and we intend to add an additional 100 kilometres around the Murchison Falls; and we have done districts of Nwoya and Oyam. We are currently doing Buliisa, Kiryandongo and Masindi. We have done Kasese, Kitagwenda, Kanungu, Rubirizi, and we are currently doing Rukugiri. We intend to add another 50 kilometres. One of the areas that has been the biggest hotspot, is the Karenga or the Kidepo Valley Community Wildlife area. Through a directive from His Excellency, the President, but also with support of this Parliament, we are going to start by doing 128 kilometres of the Karenga, that is Karamoja, Kitgum and the districts around. We believe that in the next three to four years, we should be able to have finished fencing all these protected areas. Madam Speaker, the challenge has been because of the too much demand and pressure we have put as a population on most of these areas, most of the elephant corridors have been occupied by communities. These animals do not forget where they used to go and graze from, even as babies. They usually tend to trace where their parents probably - and it is something that they have in their memory. The only solution is to have them confined and it is something we are dealing with, plus other interventions to do with conversation and the rest. On the issues of the infrastructure - I want to thank the Government. In most of the protected areas, there is some good access and I want to assure the people around Ajai that with the reintroduction of the rhinos, definitely, you will see an improvement in infrastructure, not only by the Government, but even by the private sector. That is why it is important that we have this circuit completed and Ajai is included in the tourism circuit within the country. With those few remarks, thank you, Madam Speaker, for your support in the reintroduction of rhinos and your continued support as Parliament to the tourism sector and the support this country has given, because where there is no peace, there is no tourism. I always tell my brother, Hon. Ssenyonyi, that the only way we can sell this country is speaking good about it and selling the good. Hon. Ssenyonyi, I invite you and the entire Parliament on a one-week tour around the country so that you share, but you have a free invitation so that –(Interjection)– No, on our budget, yes -

Let me go to the piecemeal rehabilitation of general hospitals. The committee noted, with concerns, the piecemeal and adhoc nature with which government was coming up with the rehabilitation, expansion, and equipping of this general hospital, yet many of the old general hospitals across the country were in dire need for rehabilitation, expansion, and equipping, with the exception of a few general hospitals recently renovated, such as Kayunga, Kiryandongo, Yumbe, and Kawolo general hospitals. The Government, through the minister responsible for finance, intimated to the committee that it plans, in the medium term, to prioritise, among others, the construction and rehabilitation of more health infrastructure and the provision of medical equipment to improve quality of care, and the provision of specialised health care services. These include, among others, completion and refurbishment and the equipping of general hospitals that include Abim, Apac, Atutur, Bundibugyo, Kiboga, Kagadi, Kitagata, Kitgum, Pallisa, Itojo, and Masindi. Members noted the need to come up with a project model funding targeting all old and dilapidated general hospitals for rehabilitation. It is recommended that Government designs a comprehensive project model for the rehabilitation, expansion, and equipping of general hospitals across the country in a systematic way as opposed to carrying out piecemeal arrangements. This help us to match the current practices and technologies which were adopted in the new National Standards Designed for health centre facilities 2012. In conclusion, Madam Speaker, the committee has noted the Government efforts to address health systems bottlenecks and improve the effectiveness of the health sector. This project aims to enhance the quality of care in Bugiri General Hospital by upgrading and equipping it with the modern medical equipment and [Mr Ikojo] RESOLUTION TO BORROW

17907 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 2025 support the Uganda Prisons Service’s efforts in constructing the accommodation space. Also, as a sector of Justice, Law and Order, we must enhance efficiency systems to hasten the administration of justice. This would free up space in prisons. Overstay on remand Analysis of prisoners’ statistics revealed that prisoners on remand make 48 per cent of the total prisoner population so this should be taken note of. We have so many inmates in prison and the ratio is simply too high. Honourable colleagues, take note of the high ratio of custodial staff to prisoners. The Auditor-General noted that as of 30 June 2024, the staffing levels at Uganda prisons were at 14,145 staff against the approved structure of 42,724 staff, leaving 28,579 positions vacant. The number of custodial staff was at 11,576, serving a population of 79,757 prisoners, resulting in a high average custodial staff to prisoner ratio of 1:7 instead of the recommended ratio of 1:3, meaning that every staff of prison looks after seven prisoners. When you look at the table detailed down, for example, when it comes to Kampala, the prisoner to staff ratio is 1:17 in some areas. In some areas like Masaka, it is 1:12. In some areas, like Masindi, it is 1:16, meaning that the prison staff are overworked. Long distances between prisons and courts Honourable colleagues, you should note that the Auditor-General noted that the long distances between prisons and court locations, with some prisons located more than 20 kilometres from the nearest courts that prisoners need to attend. This table shows the distances between prisons and the courts. Honourable colleagues, as we read, we must pay attention to this sector of Justice, Law and Order. Operationalisation of the Prisoners Management Information System also has a lot of challenges. Under budgeting for domestic arrears The Auditor-General reviewed the approved estimates for the year and noted that Shs 9.7 billion was provided and released to settle domestic arrears. However, domestic arrears brought forward from the previous year were Shs 182 billion. The arrears were Shs 182.35 billion versus a budget that was provided of Shs 9.7 billion, causing a shortfall of Shs 172 billion in arrears versus the budget that was provided. There is a serious challenge of under-budgeting for domestic arrears. The same entity faces challenges of accumulation of domestic arrears. Inadequacy in disposing of civil and criminal cases We still have a challenge of delay in the disposal of civil and criminal cases. The table shows the delays in the prison sector. Accumulation of bail fees An analysis of refunds revealed that the percentage of bail refunds relative to the bail balance remains below 30 per cent, with only 10 per cent refunded in the Financial Years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. To date, we have an outstanding balance on bail funds of Shs 24.291 billion, meaning those who pay bail fees do not get an opportunity to receive that money back. The committee recommends that the accounting officer should consider restructuring the bail refund process through digitalisation. This would reduce the long bureaucracy and other administrative delays to improve accessibility and ensure timely restitution to litigants. The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs This one has long outstanding court awards and compensation, honourable colleagues. This is the only matter among others that is so important under the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, where the Auditor-

Before he takes the Floor, mine may not be directly connected, but it still concerns the police. I know one of the challenges of law enforcement is the limited number of police officers we have in the country. I have information that recently, the Uganda Police Force recruited a large number of youth, but after reaching the training school in Masindi for the last week, they have yet to begin training. Yesterday, they informed them that the recruitment was over and above the quota that [The Speaker] COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

Thank you. Honourable minister, when you get to know some of these things; the deterioration of the roads, potholes, and whatever, it is good to work on them before they worsen because we all appreciate that we have money problems, but we could actually work on such things earlier. Yes, honourable member from Masindi.

Thank you so much, Madam Speaker, and thank you, Minister, for the report. First, I thank you and your team that worked on Kampala-Gulu Road, especially on those potholes, which were causing several accidents, especially the head-on collisions. That was very proactive. Secondly, as we wait for the oil, the first oil, as you know, I come from the oil region. I thank, of course, the Government for the good roads. Bunyoro is one of the subregions that has the best roads because of the oil and gas. However, there is this Masindi-Biso Road. I see several trucks heavily loaded with oil-related products, struggling to go to Buliisa, because it is shorter to pass through Masindi than Hoima. Can we know the update on that road as we wait for the first oil? Thank you so much.

17706 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT own resources. The challenge, of course as I said, is resources but we know the roads. Masindi-Gulu potholes were filled by our people. For Masindi-Biso, we owe the contractor, China Railway No.7, Shs 111 billion. It was in my report. Therefore, we need to pay the contractor so that they can finish the road. Regarding Koboko-Yume-Moyo, I have talked to the Minister of Internal Affairs and I think that will be addressed. Laropi Ferry and Laropi Bridge. We have finished the design for Laropi Bridge and it has been approved by an independent consultant and the bank is willing to fund it. We are now in the final negotiations to fund the Laropi Bridge and then we shall remove the ferry. Possibly, we will take it down to Obongi where we have a challenge with its ferry. Talking about the ferries, we are actually in advanced stages of doing a detailed and comprehensive rehabilitation of the ferries. Most of them are not doing very well but we are going to rehabilitate them. This will answer the Bussi Ferry which has been doing some work under the Pakwach Bridge which was being threatened by the floating island. We had to take the Bussi ferry there. I am in talks with the Bussi team and we are soon finalising the landing site, and the ferry will come back. On the Katine-Ochero Road, we had moved to the final stage but then we got a whistle-blower. Now, when a whistle-blower comes in, the bank stops everything. The company that had been selected had issues and the bank stopped the process and advised that we re-advertise and get new contractors which has been done. We are going to the selection process. Madam Speaker, the bank has a system that for every stage, they must get a no objection from their headquarters, which has been delayed but I think it is now on the right course. Therefore, the Katine-Ochero Road will soon be completed. Regarding compensation for Nyakambu- Nyakabirizi-Nsika at Kabwohe, the compensation of these people has not yet been done and we need about Shs 29 billion. This is what I told the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; that if we get Shs 29 billion, we can start the compensation so we can acquire some land for the contractor to start as we get more money. As I said in my report, compensation is one of the biggest challenges we face on the project. I have already answered Atiak. On maritime, we are keeping an eye on maritime transport. We are not neglecting it. We have rehabilitated MV Pamba and it is now plying between Port Bell, Mwanza and Kisumu. MV Kawa, which was also grounded, is now about 85 per cent ready. We hope that by September, it will be back sailing. Madam Speaker, there is a private player who has also put a big ferry on the waters of Lake Victoria called Mpungu, which can take 20 trailers. It is a drive-on and drive-off. You can put on 20 trailers of cargo and it moves up to the other side. We are cognisant of the fact that Tanzania is aggressively developing the standard gauge and very soon, it will be in Mwanza. Therefore, traders may be moving towards using that corridor. So, we must be able to evacuate the cargo if dropped at Mwanza. We are developing that capacity within the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC). Of course, URC is still challenged with no funding; they are just struggling. We have a project under the African Development Bank moving slowly but we will be moving. The Busongora—Nyakalingijo Road is a national road. We cannot tarmac it as of now. However, I will make sure we maintain it. Madam Speaker, Kumi-Serere-Kagwara Road project is under the Islamic Development Bank and mostly everything has been done. The Islamic Development Bank is in talks with the finance ministry to finalise the financing terms. One of the new issues that the bank is bringing up is that they want to pay everything, including land compensation so that we do not

Thank you, Madam Speaker. First of all, I would like to thank the committee for the report, and I support the recommendations. Most importantly, urbanisation is very significant in the development of a community and any area. We would like to support Government and this Parliament. I was in the last Parliament, and we supported the creation of these cities. When you now look at most of these towns, which are being supported because they have become cities and municipalities under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme, for example, you notice that they have changed in terms of the structures and lives of people. The economic activities increase and social services in terms of education, health, innovations, and business get better than before. I would like to give you an example of Apac Town. After the support from USMID, the whole town has changed; it is beautiful, and businesses have increased. It is the same when you get to Masindi and Gulu. The main issue here is that this will require a lot of support from the Government and Parliament, in terms of guidelines, resources , and budget, so that where there are gaps and challenges in urbanisation, we are able to put in resources and support them to grow. So, the general principle here is that we should support the urbanisation process that the Government has undertaken, supported by Parliament. Resources are now needed, and that should be the centre of our discussion. How do we prioritise the support, as per the report of the chairperson and the committee, to push these centres, cities, municipalities, and even the rural growth centres? Employment has increased as a result of having these cities, which Parliament must support. I would like to thank the committee, and we should concentrate on what we need to do, going forward, because we know that there are challenges. Thank you, Madam Speaker. (Applause)

Thank you. Seconded by Hon. Tony, Hon. Wanzala Mutebi, Olympian, the Prime Minister, the Government Chief Whip, Dr Okaasai, Hon. Nambozo, Hon. Huda, Hon. Rose, Hon. Olanya, Hon. Edakasi, Hon. Kubeketerya, Hon. Isaac, Hon. Sarah, by this whole side including Hon. Gerald, Hon. Acrobat, Member for Masindi, Col Nakesa, Lt Col Dr Alanyo, Dr Ruyonga, Hon. Angura and Dr Ayume, the chairperson. Doctor, can you justify your motion?

Madam Speaker, we received questions from a number of Members. 1. Hon. Stella Atyang, the Woman Representative, Moroto, raised an issue that the X-ray in Moroto Referral Hospital, scanning machines, and newly constructed oxygen plants in Moroto Referral Hospital are non-functional. Her question is, when will the Ministry of Health help to repair, replace the scanning and oxygen machines and also functionalise the newly constructed oxygen plant at Moroto Referral Hospital? My response: Madam Speaker, the contract for the maintenance of X-rays and the ultrasound was awarded and the spare parts ordered for. The imaging equipment was repaired and made functional on 15 March 2025. Furthermore, the Government, through the Ministry of Health, procured a new X-ray machine, which has already arrived at the Ministry of Health stores. It will be installed in the next two weeks. Madam Speaker, the old oxygen plant was repaired and is now functional, as I have already told you. The Government is in the process of procuring an adequately sizable transformer and voltage power stabiliser under the Ministry of Energy in order for the high- capacity oxygen plant to be made functional. The current oxygen plants in Mbale, Soroti, and Lira are functional, and they are able to produce over 500 cylinders of oxygen per day, which can be supplied to Moroto in case of any high demand. 2. Hon. Akugizibwe Aled Roland (MP, Buruli County, Masindi District) The Ibaralibi-Alimugonza-Kitanyata Road (24.4 km) is in Buruli County and connects two sub-counties of Pakanyi and Kiruli, running through 11 villages. This road was recommended by Masindi District Local Government to be worked upon by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) under the Agricultural Cluster Development Project (ACDP) in 2018. The road has five major chokes and as such, is totally impassable and so far, eight people have died on this road by running water. Seven years down the road, it has not been fixed and the district does not have the resources to work on this road. That he has raised the issue of this road on this Floor more than thrice, but nothing is forthcoming. His prayer is that MAAIF should come and work on this road so that people in this area can enjoy like other Ugandans, bearing in mind that a road is one of the main enablers of development. Madam Speaker, my response is that the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, through ACDP, contracted M/S Doramine Enterprise to work on specific road chokes for both Kiryandongo and Masindi Districts. The contractor commenced works in Kiryandongo District but due to its limited financial capacity, they did not complete the works as required. Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has consequently decided to procure another contractor and

17592 MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS The implementation of the ongoing road and bridge projects under the ministry has been significantly disrupted due to prevailing funding shortfalls. Although partial payments were effected in the fourth quarter of the Financial Year 2024/2025 on some of the projects, the amounts released were insufficient to restore full momentum. Most contractors have not resumed full operations and most project sites remain partially mobilised or idle. As of July 2025, 27 projects have been affected by either full suspension or a significant reduction in progress. These projects include the following: 1. 18 projects are fully funded by the Government of Uganda, where contractors have suspended or slowed down works due to delayed payment. 2. Nine externally financed projects where delays are primarily attributed to the Government’s inability to provide timely counterpart funding for land acquisition, taxes or enabling works. The following projects are currently fully suspended due to non-payment: 1. Masindi-Biiso and Kabale-Kizilanfumbi. This is a critical oil road. The amount of money demanded by the contractor –

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the protection. As I was saying, the following projects are currently fully suspended due to non-payment: a) Masindi-Biiso and Kabale-Kiziiranfumbi, one of the critical roads. The contractor demands Shs 111 billion, so we cannot expect that contractor to continue working; b) Works on the Najjanankumbi-Busabala are suspended because we owe the contractor Shs 44 billion, and we also need money for land acquisition; c) Moroto-Lokitanyala. This one is at about 80 per cent progress, but we need to find the money so that the project can be completed; d) Mityana-Mubende. We gave the contractor, out of the money which was appropriated, the Shs 462 billion, Shs 39 billion out of the IPCs, which he had, but he told us

17524 BUDGET SPEECH iv. The government is revamping the road and drainage infrastructure within the entire Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA), to the extent that the entire city is now a construction site. Banange bebale. A total of Shs 1.4 trillion has been dedicated to improving roads and drainage within GKMA. To deal with traffic congestion arising out of the gridlock generated by roundabouts, all major junctions are being improved and signalled with traffic lights. The Kampala Flyover and Road Upgrading Project has been completed. v. Construction of 10 bridges is ongoing at an average of 74.7 per cent progress. Madam Speaker, next financial year, the Government has significantly increased the budget for road infrastructure development. I have allocated an additional Shs 790 billion, bringing the total budget for roads to Shs 4.28 trillion. The following will be prioritised next financial year: 1. Start construction and complete ongoing works for road projects as highlighted by His Excellency the President in his State-of- the-Nation Address. In addition, the roads which had been left out to be prioritised are: Puranga-Acholibur (65 kilometres); Kampala- Gayaza-Kalagi (33 kilometres); Lugazi- Buikwe-Kiyindi (28 kilometres); Kabwohe- Bwizibwera-Nyakambu-Nsika-Nyakabirizi (92.2 kilometres); Kisubi-Nakawuka-Natete- Kasanje-Mpigi-Mawugulu-Nanziga-Maya- Buwaya (71 kilometres); Busega-Mpigi (10 kilometres); Najjanankumbi-Busabala (11 kilometres); Lusalira-Nkonge-Lumegere- Sembabule (97 kilometres); Karugutu-Ntoroko (50 kilometres); Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi (15.1 kilometres), Kisoro-Nkuringo-Lubugiri-Muko (70 kilometres); Laropi-Moyo-Afoji (39 kilometres), including a bridge at Laropi, Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo (105 kilometres); Namagumba-Budadiri-Nalugugu (33 kilometres); Tororo-Busia (25 kilometres); Katuna-Muko-Kamuganguzi (104 kilometres); Moroto-Lokitanyala (42 kilometres); Hamurwa-Kerere-Kanungu (47 kilometres); Lyantonde-Kashagama-Nyabitanga-Ntusi road (57.7 kilometres); Isingiro-Rugaaga- Mutukula-Ngarama-Kashumba-Kasese on the border with Tanzania (164 kilometres) – I hope my friends who were talking to me yesterday, I have satisfied you. Masindi Bridge; and Karuma Bridge. 2. Start construction and complete ongoing works for bridges as highlighted by His Excellency the President in his State-of- the-Nation Address. 3. Commence implementation of the Kampala- Jinja Expressway through a Public-Private Partnership framework. 4. Prioritise maintenance of the core national road transport network and DUCAR. Railway Transport Madam Speaker, in November 2024, His Excellency the President launched construction of the 272-kilometre Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Malaba to Kampala. The SGR is a strategic investment for our country. It will cut cargo transport cost by half from the current $120 per ton, and reduce transit time from Mombasa to Kampala from seven days to one day, turning Uganda into a land-linked country as opposed to being landlocked. The initial works for the construction of the SGR have started. Madam Speaker, Government has completed the refurbishment and commissioning of the Mukono-Kampala Metre Gauge Railway line. In addition, rehabilitation of the 375 kilometres of the Tororo to Gulu Metre Gauge Railway will be completed by February 2026. Madam Speaker, next financial year, priority interventions will include completing the rehabilitation of the Tororo-Gulu Metre Gauge Railway line; refurbishment of the Mukono-Jinja Metre Gauge Railway line; and construction of the Standard Gauge Railway from Kampala to Malaba.

17497 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 5 JUNE 2025 Ssembabule-Mateete-Mbiriizi with a branch to Kibinge-Kyabakuza; Myanzi-Kasanda-Kiboga – abantu bange abe Kassanda akalulu mukatereeze; Kikagate Kitwe-Mirama Hill – Mama was about to kill me on this one here. Kati mponye; Kabiingo-Rugaaga-Magabi-Rakai; Luweero-Butalangwa-Ngoma-Bulyamusenyi- Masindi; Kayunga-Bbale-Galiraya. I am going to get additional money for these roads because we have been talking about them for a long time. These will be in addition to the completion of the following roads: 92km Muyembe- Nakapiripirit and 25 kilometres of service roads; 21km Kira-Matugga Road and improvement of five junctions, 26 kilometres of Tororo-Busia Road and Mayuge and Busia Town Roads, 6.6 kilometres of Kawuku-Bwerenga Road, the 100-kilometre Apac-Lira-Puranga road – these are already being worked on. They are going to be finished – and 1.6 kilometres to Namugonde-Bugiri fuel tank reservoir. The roads for maintenance or reconstruction include – 1. Kampala-Jinja Highway – 72 kilometres; 2. Busunju-Kiboga-Hoima – 145 kilometres; 3. Mityana-Mubende Road – 86 kilometres; and Mubende-Kyenjojo Road, 95 kilometres; 4. Mityana Town roads – 14 kilometres – ab’eMityana mutereze akalulu banange. Buno obuli eyo tebulina kyebukola, butabula. Muleta obusajjasajja – 5. Alwii-Nebbi Road – 33 kilometres – this is in West Nile - Pakwach and Nebbi Town roads; 6. Olwiyo-Pakwach Road – 62 kilometres; 7. Matugga-Semuto-Kapeeka – 41 kilome - tres – (Applause) Waliyo akasajja eyo e’Nakaseke. Abantu bange, mutereze ebigambo ebyo, obusajja obwo bugende bukole ebirala. 8. Tororo-Mbale-Soroti. This is a long one. 9. Soroti-Dokolo-Lira-Kamdini Road – 189 kilometres. These are ongoing already. 10. Karuma-Olwiyo – 43 kilometres; 11. Masaka-Kyotera-Mutukula Road – 89 kilometres; 12. Nyendo-Villa Maria Road – 11 kilometres; 13. Access Roads – 7 kilometres and rehabilitation of 166 kilometres equivalent of national roads that have reached their service life. What they call “service life” is zikadiye . The strategic bridges to be prioritised – there is a road in Mpigi, Kasanje – aka’town akalala bakayita batya? Kisubi. Waliwo aka town eyo munda akalala; Nakawuka. Elyo sirilabye wano. Tulina okuriteekako nalyo. Naye abantu batereze obululu banange. The strategic bridges - so I will have to add that road. I thought we had started on it. The strategic bridges to be prioritised in the next financial year include the Sezibwa Bridge along Kalagi-Kayunga Road, Katonga Bridge, Lwera Swamp, and Kalandazi Swamp. Electricity In 1986, the whole country had only one hydropower plant; Nalubaale, formerly called Owen Falls Dam, built by the British in 1954, and commissioned by our late auntie, Queen Elizabeth, with the maximum capacity of 150 megawatts of hydroelectricity. There are now four large hydropower plants at Nalubaale, Kiira, Isimba and Karuma, with a combined generation capacity of 1,163 megawatts. Other sources such as Kigwabya and XsaboKonge Solar Power in Mubende have added another 888 megawatts. This brings the total installed electricity generation capacity to 2,052 megawatts. However, given the growing electricity demand arising from the new manufacturers, this is very inadequate and the available capacity will run out in about five years from now. When people talk of surplus, there is no surplus. It will very soon be overtaken.

Vot Dcnljtloa tmillUOxOOO| 7L7 Kumi Municipal Council 10,187,986 7L8 Lttffi^ Municipal Council 9.351.388 7L9 Makindve.Ssabambo MuniciDat Council 15,#o,7L6 720 Masindi Municipaf Council 12,665.581 721 Mityana Mtrnicipal Council 12.658.962 722 Moroto Municipal Council 6,850,672 723 Mubende Municipd Council 12957.3L7 724 Mukono Municipal Council 24.'LO.782 725 Nansana MuniciDal Council 27.496.367 726 Nebbi Municipal Council 6.115.006 727 Nieru Municipal Council 15.34L.297 728 Ntunsamo Municipal Council 6.592.735 729 Rukuruiri Municipal Council 12,562.835 730 Sheema Municipal Council 16.140.486 731 Tororo Municipal Council 11.941.028 801 Abim District 24,678,573 802 Adjumani District 38.784.017 803 Asago District 33.692.572 804 Alebtong District 25,987.41O 805 Amolatar District 23.785.271 806 Amudat Distriet 13.077.618 807 Amuria Distric't 27,488,129 808 Amuru District 22.202.541 809 Apac District 26.403.359 810 Arua District 19,164,690 811 Budaka District 30.600.919 8L2 Bududa District 34.758.340 813 BuEiri District 38,222,8L5 814 Bugreri District 23,784,357 District 1 D \$ F ,r =

Vota Dclodgtlo fm*,{gGIEo0(Il 876 Kyegegwa District 31.470.913 877 Kyenjojo District 41.947.987 878 Kyotera District 40,338.213 879 Ianwo District 22.L74.Ot2 880 Lira District 27.502.131 881 Luuka District 30,991,532 882 Luurcrc District 78.LO3.724 883 Lwengo District 32.483.519 884 Lyantonde District 21,935,852 885 Madi-Okollo District 2t.f3/.L.5g2 886 l{anafua District 32.457.37r 887 Maracha District 29,492,485 888 Masaka District 14.615.925 889 Masindi DisEict 27.738.604 890 Manrge District 4),514,128 891 Mbafe District 42966,325 892 Mbarara District 27.253.74L 893 Mitooma District 36,257,O32 894 Idi@Pistrict 35.248.748 895 Moroto District 15.165.026 896 Moyo District 24,948,054 897 Meigi Distrist 33.986.704 898 Mubende Distrbt 30.641.693 899 Mukono District 55.925,165 900 Nabilahrk District LL.358,444 901 Nakapiripirit District .rl L3.874.296 902 Nakaseke District ,7/ 43.L87.786 903 Nakasonsola District d{// 31,982,802 904 Namafiinso District w, 27,875.777 905 r*i"irraoo Pi"oi", -l7EF r\ 1 \P ? - s 4FE)-. s

Votc Dcfclpt*rr Anrurd |UGXOOO'| 706 Ibanda Municioal Council L.232.L52 707 Iganm MuniciDat Council 497.83L 708 IGbale Municioal Council 2.413.306 709 IGmuli Municiod Council 1.508.152 I(aochomra MuniciDal Council 1.140.129 7LO 7tt Iksese Municioal Council 923.66L 7L2 Kira MuniciDal Council 8.168.523 7t3 Kisoro Municipal Council L.232.446 714 Kitsun Municioal Council r.040.555 715 Ibboko Municipal Council 1.349.879 716 I(otido Municipal Council 596.380 717 Kumi Municipal Council 1.059.786 7t8 LvcE.zj Municipal Council t.075.923 7L9 Malcindve-Ssabagabo Municipal Council 15.639.553 720 Masindi MuniciDal Council 1.848.406 72L Mitvana MuniciDat Council L.840.299 722 Moroto Municipal Council 468.386 723 Mubende Municipal Council 1.990.O70 724 Mukono Municipal Council 10.464.554 725 Nansana MuniciDal Council 9.753.903 726 Nebbi MuniciDat Council 460.063 727 Nienr Municipal Council r.516.439 728 Ntunsamo Municipal Council 684.105 729 RukunEiri MuniciDal Council 1.403.150 730 Sheema Municipal Council 1.903.114 73L Tororo Municioal Council 726.683 801 Abim District 2.350.879 802 Adiumani District 2.901.938 803 AEaso District 5.t49.726 804 Alebtonc District 3.305.496 805 Amotratar Distrist 2.952.94L 806 Amudat District 2,53t.739 807 Amuria District ,,_-}{R 4.131.956 808 Amuru District k-nT/ 3,261,950 809 Apac District \ <) r*s 2,876,L67 810 Arua District /, (tffif ,a /V 2,6TL,ssT 811 [ 3.ses.2sz Budaka District /v) ru \gr7 8t2 l/\./ \tfll Bududa District ^a. 4.20L.546 Yt s 55 lPage ,ft €= ] r I

17142 BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR THE FY 2025/2026 Butalangu to Ngoma to Masindi. Where is the second phase? You are also supposed to work on the road from Kisule-Nakaseke-Kapeka. That was a presidential pledge. When I talk about roads in my district, Nakaseke or greater Luwero, you know what we are talking about. We contributed a lot to the coming of this – (Interjections) - Yes, we contributed a lot, so you have to prioritise us. How can Greater Luwero have a few kilometres that are tarmacked? Let us be ashamed, honourable minister. Even now, from Butalangu to Ngoma, the road has become impassable. We have gotten hurt and annoyed. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. This very Parliament approved a loan from the Islamic Development Bank for the construction of the Masindi Port Ferry. However, up to now, nothing has been done on that road. I would like the honourable minister to clarify because the contract was signed, but there is nothing on the road. Honourable minister, you need to clarify to our people because that is a bridge that most of us use whenever we are going to the Lango subregion. Secondly, I do not know whether the honourable minister knows that most of the roads that were under the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) are no longer passable. For example, I have a road called Aduku-Nambieso Road. That road has been cut off, children can no longer access school, and the community can no longer access Nambieso Health Centre III. Mr Speaker, this road connects our people from Nambieso to Aduku, those going to the Health Centre, our main market in Aduku and the district headquarters, which are in Aduku. The chairperson of the committee has recommended that we need to get some money for the rehabilitation of that road. I also support the recommendation of the honourable chairperson. Thank you

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.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity. I thank the chairperson and the committee members for the good report. For starters, wealth is health or health is wealth. I am hoping to address myself to Masindi Hospital, which was built in 1922. It has actually outlived its existence. I am happy that it has been highlighted as one of the beneficiaries. We just hope that our dream will come to pass this time around because it has been appearing in all these financial years, but nothing has come to pass. Secondly, on the issue of national insurance, the Committee on Gender, Labour, and Social Development visited Zambia and we found out that Zambia’s national insurance policy is working. Zambia is one of the poorest countries. We have a good report. I do not know whether it has ever been presented here, but Zambia is doing very well on national insurance. Let us probably have another debate on this insurance. It is workable, practical and it will solve a number of our problems. Thirdly, in the report, I do not know whether there is a budget for prevention, which is better than cure. Committee chairperson and minister, do we have a budget for prevention? This is because some of these diseases can be prevented so that we do not go to hospitals. What have you put under that item so that we have very few people going to hospital and prevent disease? Lastly, on Village Health Teams (VHTs), have you put anything for them because they do a lot of work in our communities? Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.

During that Sitting, works immediately commenced and Karuma Bridge was handed over partially, in December, to allow movement of light vehicles and buses, but leaving out some critical works. Due to the above, the Ministry of Works and Transport works has announced a second closure of Karuma Bridge, which should have taken place by yesterday, 10 March 2025. As a result of this closure, traffic will now massively be diverted to use Rwenkunye- Masindi-Apac route. As I talk, we are at risk because the operators at the Masindi Port ferry have job insecurity, which hangs in balance. Initially, operators were being paid -

16675 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 11 MARCH 2025 The reason for the closure is that during the first phase, we worked on some spans which could accommodate the light vehicles and now, we got funds to fix the remaining spans so that we open the bridge fully. Why we did not close it yesterday is because we wanted to avoid the past mistake when we closed it and we had issues on Masindi Port. Our Masindi ferry for Masindi Port is down and we had also a few challenges because we had not accessed the money but now we have accessed it. The tentative date is the 17 th Day of this month. We anticipate that by that time; we shall have enough manpower to handle the passengers via Port Masindi. We are doing that not to punish you but to ensure the bridge is fully open to all vehicles. That is the short-term intervention which we have. The long term intervention is that on 20 th of this month, we are signing a contract with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which have given gave us a grant to reconstruct that bridge. Then the issue - Since Public Service is here, we know very well that the Bill was assented to and these people had no work. As Ministry of Works, through Public Service, we had to call them back on contract. When we gave them a contract, it stipulated the salary, which they are supposed to earn according to public service standing orders. There is no way we could go beyond the Shs 240,000 you are talking about. The other side, they were on a contract, which expired. We gave them a contract depending on the directive and guidance from the Constitution through the Public Service. We have however paid them their salaries. Maybe if Public Service advises, we can increase it, depending on which law I do not know. Thank you very much.

16664 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION [Ms Nabbanja] PRIME MINISTER’S TIME in this region. Feasibility studies and site assessments are being conducted and plans are underway to secure funding and commence construction in the Financial Year 2025/2026. ii. On the support of Holy Family Missionary Hospital, given the critical role of the Holy Family Hospital in Nyapea in providing health care services to the people of Zombo District and neighbouring areas, the Government acknowledges the urgent need for infrastructure improvements. In 2019, assessments condemned key facilities, including the outpatient department and maternity ward. The Ministry of Health is exploring interim support measures such as the feasibility of allocating funds for renovations and deploying medical personnel to bolster the hospital’s capacity while plans for a new hospital are being finalised. Hon. Gafabusa Muhumuza, Bwamba County, Bundibugyo says, “The Bundibugyo General Hospital is in a very bad state in terms of physical infrastructure, obsolete medical equipment and gross inadequate medical personnel. The district leadership, including Members of Parliament, has raised this matter several times to the Government, but there has not been a satisfactory response. The X-ray machine stopped working last year and their people are suffering as they are referred to Fort Portal. His prayers are: i. When is the Government going to do general rehabilitation of the hospital? ii. When will the Government procure and deliver the necessary equipment, including the X-ray machine, operating tables, operating trolleys and lamps, and instrument sets for different surgical procedures.” Mr Speaker, my response is that Bundibugyo Hospital is currently facing challenges related to congestion, dilapidated infrastructure, outdated equipment and understaffing. That is true. The Ministry of Health is currently prioritising expansion and rehabilitation of hospitals to match the new structures at different levels. The Ministry of Health is currently assessing all the hospitals and facilities in order to come up with a comprehensive plan that includes the following: i. Infrastructure expansion and rehabilitation, increasing bed capacity and improving existing buildings to meet current health care standards and also reduce patient congestion; ii. Provide modern medical equipment; iii. Ensure that the utilities, that is water and power, are of quality in terms of reliability and stability; and iv. Recruiting additional health care professionals and providing continuous training to improve service delivery. Mr Speaker, the Government is exploring funding sources to expedite the renovation process and address the pressing needs of Bundibugyo Hospital and many others like Masindi, Kagadi, Bugiri, to mention but a few. The fourth question came from Hon. Dr Abdul Byakatonda, MP Workers and his prayers are: i. “What immediate measures is the Government implementing to mitigate the impact of the U.S funding freeze and ensure uninterrupted HIV treatment for 1.4 million Ugandans? ii. What strategies are in place to prevent job losses or reintegration to get high-level skills among Uganda’s 12,551 community health workers whose roles are now at risk due to the withdrawal of U.S support? iii. Given that Uganda currently allocates only 6.5 per cent of the national budget to health, when will the Government fulfil its Abuja Declaration commitment to increase health funding to 15 per cent?

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The matter here regards the ban on weighbridge operations along roads and trading centres in Busoga, Buganda and Bunyoro subregions by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives as a measure to combat the alleged sugarcane theft and poaching in Uganda. The same matter has a ministerial directive from the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Kahinda Otafiire, directing the suspension and halting operations of the weighbridges, citing a judgment delivered on 7 January 2025 by Justice Issa Sserunkuma of the High Court in Masindi in which the court quashed orders of assistant registrar in Miscellaneous Application 0025 and 0026 of 2024. A copy of the minister’s directive is hereby attached. Mr Speaker, for the minister to ban operations of weighbridges along roads and trading centres as a measure to combat theft and poaching and promote traceability is completely out of touch with reality in the sugarcane industry as these are not near to the issue – (Member timed out.)

16582 THE CONTRACT FARMING BILL, 2023 Contract farming is a unique arrangement that requires specific legislation, just as public procurement and disposal of public assets are unique and would not fit under the Sales of Goods and Supply of Services Act. We also scrutinised the Tobacco (Control and Marketing) Act. In 2015, tobacco farmers in the districts of Kanungu, Kibale, Kakumiro, and West Nile petitioned Parliament against Continental Tobacco Uganda Limited for failing to pay farmers who supplied tobacco leaves worth Shs 5 billion, which were sold to the company. Instead of paying the farmers, the company technical officers opted to confiscate the contract books from the farmers. The Tobacco (Control and Marketing) Act does not regulate farmers’ relationships with suppliers and contract farming. The Act regulates the supply of seeds just for quality assurance, harvesting, and marketing (sales). It does not deal with the contractual relationship with the seed supplier but rather provides the seeds with quality assurance to be followed while procuring them. The Act and the statutory instrument issued under the same Act gave the Government a big role in ensuring that seeds planted are of given standards. It was easier for the Government to control the value chain. This is no longer the case. The statutory instrument under the same Act does not clarify each party’s obligation to the agreement or address what happens when there are acts of God. It does not further envisage different interests vested in the land and how they may affect the enforcement of sponsorship agreements. The law and regulations do not provide for dispute resolution or the role of local government in settling disputes. The Sugar Act Over the last 10 years, the sugar industry has been expanding production by 20 per cent per annum. The boom has been legitimised through narratives of “Poverty eradication and prosperity for all Ugandans”. Much of the cane supply for this expansion comes from the out- grower farmers who are currently supplying about 50 per cent of the total cane required by the major sugar factories. The out-growers and smallholder farmers to sustain the supply of sugarcanes required financial support and technical expertise to improve their farms to enter commercial farming in the aftermath of state removal from the provision of agricultural services and inputs under the marketing boards and cooperative system. Thus, the sugar corporations end up having contracts with the supplies to provide the farm inputs, as farmers shall supply canes at the time of harvest. However, farmers and buyers have complained about sugarcane overexploitation, corruption, mistreatment, and missed payments, sparking friction between sugarcane out-growers and sugar corporations. Farmers in Hoima, Masindi, Mayuge, and Jinja complained. Whereas the Sugar Act, Cap 242 under section 24 provides for sugar agreements between the out-growers, the smallholder farmers, and -

Hon. Akiiki of Masindi -

Thank you. Honourable, what is your name? Hon. Akiiki Florence of Masindi is there and she happily loves the name. Yes?

Madam Speaker, I am lucky that I worked as a Minister of State for Health General Duties, so I know most of these things. We are rehabilitating hospitals in a phased manner. We started with three: Kayunga and Yumbe hospitals. We are going to add Bugiri and Masindi hospitals -(Interruption)- No, but I am telling you the truth. I am giving information from the main source. Yes, because I am the Leader of Government Business. PRIME MINISTER’S TIME

15976 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT The CDF, who is one of the supervisors of the General Court Martial, has said that Dr Besigye can only get out of prison in a coffin. He had even arranged to kill him and went ahead to identify a tree in Gulu - and that is why I sympathise with you. Sometimes, these jobs - I think one time we may need – one time, the late Prof. Khiddu Makubuya was asked to offer advice to the President and he said, “ In law, you may or may give no advice ”. That is how he used to talk. “In this case, I choose to give no advice.” That is what he told the President and that is one of the reasons he was eventually sacked. What advice do you give to a person who has made the statements that the CDF has made? Then, the President, who went to Luweero to fight, killing people because he wanted power – (Interjections) - Yes, in Luweero they were not hunting; they were killing. He even speaks about how he was robbing guns from different barracks in Kabamba, Masindi to Hoima. He lights up. The trouble is that you support him but you do not read his books because if you did, you would find all this information. He went to Luweero, killed, robbed banks, including one in Kabale, and then he said he was fighting point number one of the NRM, which is democracy. He has now said that judges do not rule. So, who rules Uganda? Is it the President and his son? That what they say is sacrosanct and even the Attorney-General is wasting his time. So, I would like the Attorney-General to help me understand whether you can advise two military men who have already expressed themselves. Finally, Mr Speaker, the Constitution does not allow Parliament to take any decision whose effect will alter a judgement of the court. In advising these military people who are not listening, the Attorney-General was talking about an amendment. Can he tell us- I listened to Hon. Fox Odoi very carefully and I want to thank him; he said there was nothing to amend. However, the Attorney-General said that they advised him to amend. What are you advising them to amend, Sir? Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity. In Nakaseke, that is part of Ngoma, in Hon. Nyongore’s constituency, Wakyato, and Kinyogoga, wild animals from Masindi attack our people. Two years back, I raised the matter before Parliament but the ministry has never come to rescue our people by way of compensating them. The ministry should have a clear approach or programme on how to remove wild animals from the public. Lastly, about sensitisation, our people are not aware of it; they were not given community awareness. A sensitisation campaign should be done by the ministry in areas adjacent to national parks. Thank you.

15844 STANDING COMMITTEE R E PORT Mr Speaker, as if that was not enough, every year towards the eve of the election;-December of the last year to election, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs writes to our district Chief Administrative Officers asking them to send lists of people who deserve compensation, and that has been done severally. In the last election, in December 2020, the list was again compiled and nothing happened after the list was compiled. This year, I am sure the Attorney-General is planning, together with the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, to do the same. (Applause) The people of Karamoja deserve justice. I will tell you why our people are in Masindi. Do you think they took a tour there? No! In 1978, the Government abandoned armour in Moroto Barracks. The criminal elements went to the armour and ransacked everywhere in our community. Our people ran to Masindi, where they live to date. There is a community that speaks only Nga Karamojong. They have never returned home. It was not for exploration. It was because of that criminality. Therefore, when I hear compensation being discussed and Uganda thinks that Karamojongs have compensated themselves - that is unfair. We do not have the facts and that was why you laughed – (Interjections) - when Hon. Sylvia submitted. Yes, there was a civil war in this country. It did not happen in only small parts. It happened everywhere in the country. If you want us to talk about civil wars -my father’s village was burned down three times consecutively. Every government that comes must burn it first. We have never been compensated and have not asked for it. Mr Speaker, if we are thinking about compensating for political victims who suffered the political crisis or civil war arising from political change, it should cover the whole country. Every part of Uganda suffered. (Applause) I am interested in that policy. In fact, I recommend that the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs make a consultative process for developing that policy. I am sure you will not think about it alone. You need our input into that policy to help the country. I submit. ( Applause )

Thank you. Recently, we signed a contract with Tecnovia Company to tarmac a road from Lusalira- Kasambya-Nkonge-Sembabule, where Kabamba is and we are very grateful for that, as the people of Mubende. (Applause) As we talk now - I know most of you will be coming to Mubende – you will see the road from Mityana up to Kasambya is under reconstruction by Energo Company Limited. (Applause) The road from Mubende, Kakumiro up to Hoima was tarmacked by the NRM Government. You can cross from Gulu, go to Masindi, go to Hoima, and come up to Mubende without passing through Kampala. The Government is now going to work on a road that I have just mentioned. So, you will be able to connect from all parts of the country through Mubende without driving on a murram road. That is a contribution by the National Resistance Movement. Lastly, Mr Speaker, I want to join the minister and the Government in inviting you to Mubende on Sunday, the 26 th of January. Come and sleep there so that our hotels can get visitors. Come and eat our food - (Member timed out.)

We can go to Page 20 of the report, which is on the general observations on the status of abattoirs. We start with functionality and suitability of the infrastructure. I am not going to read everything; I will just summarise. The committee established that there are no standard designs of abattoirs/slaughterhouses in the country. It was noted that most of the local governments construct poorly designed infrastructure which do not meet the basic public health requirements, which compromises hygiene and sanitary conditions. All the facilities visited had variations – some were old, some new, some moderate, and some small. Only 12 (63 per cent) of the 19 facilities visited had standing structures - Masaka, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Masindi, Hoima, Jinja, Iganga, Mbale, Lira, Soroti, City Abattoir and Kalerwe. With the exception of the new facility in Hoima, the rest of the structures were in poor condition manifested by the poor wall conditions, poor roofs and floors, and lacking tiles and terrazzo.

15676 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT The majority of the facilities were operating without power services because of a lack of connection to the power grid, while others such as Mbale City abattoir were disconnected due to unpaid power bills. Sanitary Facilities The major sanitation facility was VIP latrines. Out of the l9 facilities visited, only nine (that is 47 per cent) had VIP latrines. The condition of the latrines, however, was very poor, manifested by lack water supply, dilapidated structures, smelly and many lacked demarcations for the male and female staff. Some facilities such as the Hoima City abattoir did not have a latrine facility while others such as City Abattoir, Kalerwe, and Mukono had a shared facility with the market vendors. Functionality of the waste management and disposal processes The facilities visited lacked proper waste disposal systems. By the nature of their operations, slaughterhouses generate a lot of solid and liquid waste such as rumen, dung, blood, and condemned internal organs, among others. The poor disposal poses significant environmental concerns such as pollution, operational hygiene and sanitary conditions in and around the slaughter facilities. Waste segregation and storage With the exception of the Mbarara new City Abattoir, nearly all the facilities lacked a waste storage management system. What was common in all the facilities was that the waste was cast in open spaces but segregated according to type. For example, Masaka and Mbarara city abattoirs had segregated spaces for keeping hooves and cow dung. In Mbarara, the segregated liquid was, for instance, channelled into a fish pond which was built for the purpose of consuming waste from the abattoir while the excess was channelled into the lagoon. Disposal Only three (16 per cent) of the facilities visited had drainage systems. Some of the facilities which had drainage systems and lagoons to which liquid waste was disposed include Masaka City abattoir, Mbarara City modern abattoir, Jinja City abattoir and the Pork Master Ricks in Masaka. The drainage systems for other facilities were in a poor status. The City Abattoir drainage runs into Nakivubo Channel while the drainage systems of Masaka, Kalerwe, Masindi were stagnant and visibly too old to provide appropriate drainage which caused stenches and pollution. Availability of incinerators and records The majority of the facilities had no functional incinerators to destroy condemned internal body organs, carcasses, and condemned animals unfit for human consumption. Only Iganga Municipal abattoir, KCCA, and Kalerwe had smal1 incinerators which were visibly less functional and inadequate. Considering the huge traffic of cattle, especially at the City Abattoir, the need for a modern and functioning incinerator is important for taking care of the condemned animals and inedible carcasses. Other facilities such as Iganga, Lira, and Mbale destroyed solid waste and condemned parts by burning, causing unnecessary environmental pollution. Lagoons The slaughtering process involves bleeding, skinning, dressing, and postmortem inspection. At this stage blood, urine, faecal matter, and other secretions are produced. Inadequate sanitary and hygiene conditions can lead to direct meat contamination and further expose the workers to various diseases and antibiotic- resistant strains of bacteria. Improper waste disposal and non-compliant effluent discharge can further result in water and air pollution and water-borne diseases.

15677 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 22 JANUARY 2025 Slaughterhouses can, therefore, impact public health and environmental health. During the oversight, the committee observed that some facilities had lagoons into which they disposed of the wastewater. That is Lira, Masaka, Mbarara, and Masaka pig slaughter facilities, Fort Portal, Iganga and Mukono. Others such as the City Abattoir and Kalerwe did not have a natural lagoon, hence disposing their liquid waste into Nakivubo Channel and Kalerwe swamps, respectively. The cases of Kalerwe, Masindi, Masaka and Hoima were worse because the drainage had stagnated. The drainage areas were visibly very dirty and stained with black material. The Masindi Municipal abattoir drainage was blocked; therefore, all liquid waste had stagnated. The stagnated waste and water emits a bad smell and is also a breeding area for maggots, which were evident, and a constant presence of houseflies. Recommendations (i) The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) should come up with dedicated standards for waste management for the different levels of slaughterhouses. (ii) All the facilities should have functional incinerators for the destruction of both animals and carcasses unfit for human consumption. (iii) The operators of the slaughterhouses should invest in value addition so that they add value to some of the by-products like animal hides, skins, and milk. This will facilitate sustainable utilisation of slaughterhouse waste and the challenge of solid and effluent waste management will be managed. This can take the form of processing solid waste such as cow dung into farm manure and others such as inedible carcasses for fish ponds, while the blood can commercially be processed into chicken feeds. (iv) District, city, and municipal authorities should provide Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to guide the personnel on the dos and don’ts of waste disposal and handling of liquid and solid waste from abattoirs. (v) NEMA should constantly conduct environmental impact assessments before construction and develop sustainable practices that minimise habitat disruption. Environmental concerns The committee notes that Section 9 of the National Environment Act (NEA), Cap 181 stipulates NEMA as the principal agency in Uganda for regulating, monitoring, supervising, and coordinating all activities relating to the environment. Specifically, the establishment of abattoirs is regulated by the Authority under Section 113, Schedule 5(7)(f) of the NEA, which provides for activities and slaughterhouses to undertake an Environmental and Social Impact assessment (ESIA) before the commencement of their activities. Therefore, NEMA has a key role to play in ensuring that abattoirs operate in a healthy environment and that they do not negatively impact the environment. The committee was informed that as of September 2024, only 21 abattoirs in different locations had conducted and submitted to the Authority, ESIAs for consideration of decision. The ESIAs identify potential significant environmental and social impacts of abattoirs/ slaughterhouses and how these impacts can be mitigated to prevent or minimise harm to the environment. Recommendations i) NEMA and local authorities such as District, City, and Municipal Health and Environmental Offices should conduct constant monitoring and supervision to ensure that all guidelines concerning

2 TERMSOFREFERENCE: The General objective of the oversight was to assess the general status of abattoirs/ slaughter houses in the country. The Specifrc Objectives included: i. To assess the functionality and suitability of the facilities, infrastructure. ii. To establish functionality of utilities (water, electricity, sanitary facilities). iii. To establish the functionality of the waste management and disposal processes; level of sanitation and hygiene, waste disposal and management. iv. To assess the availability and competences of the human resources. v. To determine the availability and compliance to the legal and regulatory provisions. vi. To establish the quality assurance processes followed by abattoirs 3 METHODOLOGY: In execution of the Instruction, the Committee; a! Constituted regional teams. b! Developed a structured observation checklist that was used to obtain information about key parameters in the selected abattoirs/ slaughter houses. cl Conducted oversight visits to slaughter facilities in selected districts and cities that included; Mukono, Jinja, Iganga, Mbale, Soroti, Lira, Gulu, Mbarara, Masaka, Fort portal, Hoima, Masindi and Kampala. dl held meetings with stakeholders such as District, Municipal and City Veterinary Officers, facility owners, traders and workers to obtain detailed information about the operations of the slaughter facilities. el Held meetings at Parliament with: i. Ministry of Water and Environment ii. Ministry of Health Rg

Recommendations i. Ministry of Agriculhtre, Anlmal Industry and. Pisherles and the Cttg authorltles should. uork towards the expedltious completion oJ the new Jacilitg. il. The slaughter House in Kiryateete East should be closed lmmediatelg the neu facilitg is compteted and stq.rts operdtion. 6.5 Masindi District The Masindi Abattoir is located along Masindr-Kafu Road. The structure is in a poor state, with cracks on the slaughter slab, stained walls with a lot of decay, poor drainage and waste disposal. At the time of the oversight, 5.00p.m, it had rained and therefore the place was clogged with water and smelly hides. Generally there is need to overhaul the structure to achieve public health standards of clean meat and a modern municipal abattoir. 6.6 Mukono District The Committee visited one slaughter house in Mukono; Kamme Valley Slaughter House. Kamme Valley Slaughter House is a privately owned slaughter house that operates in a government owned market known as Kamme Market in Mukono Municipality. It is the main and biggest slaughter house in Mukono District. Mukono District has about five other privately owned slaughter slabs in the five sub counties. 6.7 Jinja City The Committee visited the Jinja City abattoir which is a government facility located in Jinja Southern Division. There are four privately owned slaughter slabs in Jinja City. The Jinja City abattoir was constructed around 1950, hence quite colonial and in dilapidated state. As seen in Fig. l, the abattoir was under renovation by the city council at the time of the committee visit. L4 sn

lv more suitdble and stdnd.drd. abattoir should be built to meet internatlonal standards of expot t. Jor Kannpala, KCCA should proulde tenders to operate and rnaintain the rrbrrttoirs and not onlg limit them to reuenue collectlon to enable mrrlntend.rl.ce of the factlities. 5.13GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATUS OF ABATTOIRS: 6,13.1 Functionalityandsuitabilityofthe Infrastructure: The Committee established that there are no standard designs of abattoirs/ slaughter houses in the country. It was noted that most local governments construct poorly designed infrastructure which do not meet the basic public health requirements which compromise the hygiene and sanitary conditions of the facilities. AII the facilities visited had variations; some old, some new, some moderate and some small. The facilities are either owned by government, privately owned or tendered out. Most of the facilities visited slaughter at least 10 to 30 cattle and about 10 to 15 goats per day. Taken together, the number of animals handled by the facilities selected in the five regions fall in the category of small size abattoirs which sit on an average of 1-2 acres of iand and handle up to 30,000 animal units per year. Only 12 (63%) of the 19 facilities visited had standing structures; (Masaka, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Masindi, Hoima, Jinja, Iganga, Mbale, Lira, Soroti, City abattoir and Kalerwe). With exception of the new facility in Hoima, the rest of the structures were in a poor condition manifested by poor wall conditions, poor roofs, floors and lacking tiles and terrazzo. Al1 the facilities had slaughter spaces, however, with the exception of the new facility in Hoima City, the slaughter as for all other facilities were 20 NFJ

5,73.3.2 Dtsposcl Only 3 (16%) of the facilities visited had drainage systems. Some of the facilities which had drainage system and lagoons to which liquid waste was disposed include Masaka city Abattoir, Mbarara city Modern Abattoir, Jinja city abattoir, The Pork Master Ricks in Masaka. The drainage systems for other facilities were in a poor status. The city Abattoir drainage runs into Nakivubo channel while drainage system of Masaka, Kalerwe, Masindi were stagnant and visibly old to provide appropriate drainage which caused stenches and pollution. The solid waste such as cow dung, hooves, skins and hides, horns and inedible meat parts were dumped in open spaces. with exception of cow dung which was reportedly collected by farmers for processing manure for banana pla,tations, the rest of the solid waste was poorly attended too due to lack of disposal management systems. In this case, the use of cow-dung by farmers is arguably the most sustainable means of disposing it off and reducing the magnitude of the problem. Further, other facilities openly burn the solid waste such as horns and other inedible meat and other solid waste. During the oversight visit to Iganga Slaughter House, horns were being burnt and this causes a lot of pollution accompanied by a very irritable smell. 6.l4Availability of iucinerators and records Majority of the facilities had no functional incinerators to destroy condemned internal body organs, carcass and condemned animals unfit for human consumption. only Iganga Municipal abattoir, KCCA and Kalerwe had smal1 incinerators which were visibly less functional and inadequate. considering the huge traffic of cattle especially at the city Abattoir, the need for a modern and functioning incinerator is important for taking care of the condemned animals and inedible carcass. Other faciiities as Iganga, 25 FI.,i

Lira and Mbale destroyed solid waste and condemned parts by burning, causing unnecessary environmental pollution. 6.15Lagoons The slaughtering process involves bleeding, skinning, dressing/ evisceration and post mortem inspection. At this stage blood, urine, fecal matter and other secrehons are produced. Inadequate sanitary and hygiene conditions can lead to direct meat contamination but further expose the workers to various diseases and antibiotics resistant strains of bacteria. Improper waste disposal and non-compliant effluent discharge can further result in water and air pollution and water borne diseases. Slaughter houses can therefore impact public health and environmental health. During the oversight, the Committee observed that some facilities had lagoons into which they disposed the wastewater (Lira, Masaka, Mbarara, Masaka Pig slaughter facility, Fort Portal, Iganga and Mukono). Others such as the City Abattoir and Kalerwe did not have a natural lagoon, hence disposing their liquid waste into Nakivubo channel and Kalerwe swamps respectively. The cases of Kalerwe, Masindi, Masaka and Hoima were worse because the drainage had stagnated. The drainage areas were visible very dirty and stained with black material. The Masindi Municipal abattoir drainage was blocked therefore all liquid waste had stagnated. The stagnated waste and water emits a bad smell ald is also a breeding area for maggots, which were evident and constant presence of houseflies. @ 26 FRr"

I incinerators to destroy condemned internal body organs, carcass and condemned animals, unfit for human consumption. Some facilities like Masaka City Abattoir cow- dung is disposed on the open ground but fortunately, constantly picked by farmers for processing manure for banana plantations. The use of cow-dung by farmers is arguably, the most sustainable means of disposing it off and reducing the magnitude of the problem. 5 Drainage a Only 3 (16%) of the facilities had drainage syste ms. Some of the facilities which had drainage system and lagoons to whrch liquid waste was disposed include Masaka City Abattoir, Mbarara City Modern Abattoir, Jinja City abattoir, The Pork Master Ricks in Masaka. The drainage systems for other facilities were in a poor status and some. Facilities such as Masaka City Abattoir, Hoima, Masindi Kalerwe had a full and stagnated lagoon, which caused uncomfortable smell. 6 Water supply and availability a a Only 5 (260lo) had running (tap) water, connected to the UNWSC. The rest such as the Masaka Pig slaughter space, Hoima City Abattoir depend on water ferried using jericans. Some of the facilities with water connections reported intermittent connection and breakdowns. For instance, in Masaka City

That road is from Masindi to Kikomanyombo gate. It goes to Para and exits at Tangi to Pakwach.

Yes, there is also another route, from Rwenkunye, where we have a ferry; Masindi Port. We put another ferry on Masindi Port to facilitate the big traffic which was almost 3 kilometres on both sides. Therefore, I report that at least the vehicles have greatly reduced. I am told that it is now – (Interjection) - you will get a chance. Madam Speaker, I am told that all the buses and passengers that go through Kikomanyombo do not pay. Reason being, that the buses take many people. The other issue is that the reserve came into force in 1962. Since that time, we have attracted tourists. According to UWA, the many small cars - if allowed to pass - are more than 300 daily. The UWA officials cannot give security to people in those small cars, since there are

Thank you. Mr Speaker, you are aware that on 23 September 2024, the Ministry of Works and Transport temporarily closed Karuma Bridge to pave the way for rehabilitation works on the old Karuma bridge. As a result, traffic was diverted to alternative routes including the Rwekunye-Masindi Port, Apac route where passengers use ferries to cross the Nile. Mr Speaker, this diversion has created a worrying situation on the ferry services at Masindi Port that requires immediate attention. Before the diversion, only about 10 to 20 vehicles would use the route on a daily basis. However, at least 400 vehicles are now using that route daily and only about 250 vehicles cross the River Nile while the rest of the vehicles have to wait for a day or days. This is because the two ferries on Masindi Port are small, old and not in good mechanical condition. The official time for ferry operations is from 6.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. but with this new pressure, the operators work up to 10.00 p.m. and those extra hours are considered voluntary hours. Mr Speaker, there are already a few instances where the ferries have developed problems in the middle of the water, and you can imagine the risk, panic and pressure that the people face. I, therefore, pray as follows: 1. The Ministry of Works and Transport takes immediate action to deploy bigger and modern ferries at Masindi Port to match the current traffic demand; 2. The Ministry of Works and Transport should introduce night shifts and motivate the operators by paying them for the extra hours on the job; and 3. The two ferries currently in operation should be improved on and put in good mechanical condition to safeguard the lives of the citizens. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. On Sunday I was in the same place he is talking about. We had one smaller ferry there which we removed and replaced with a bigger one. We went ahead and added another ferry, so now there are two there. And our people operate from 5.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. As I speak, the two ferries which are there, are able to manage the number of vehicles which are crossing from that side. Should there be many vehicles, we have the capacity to add another ferry bigger than that. Meanwhile, yesterday the President also directed the Prime Minister to add another ferry which was there in the 1960s crossing from the tour road. However, at Masindi Port, currently, the situation is normal. Vehicles are crossing and by the time we close at 10.00 p.m., we do not leave any vehicle unattended. Maybe what we can look at is for those who come between 10.00 p.m. and 5.00 a.m. We can look into the special arrangement which we can give to them and deploy officers to work between those hours. Thank you very much.

Thank you Mr Speaker. I rise on the issue of the River Kafu Bridge. I recall that at the beginning of this week, we handled River Kafu of the Masindi- Kampala Road. I saw it necessary to bring the

14366 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT House to recall that sometime last year, the Kafu Bridge on the Hoima Kampala Road over flooded. Actually, it necessitated us to change route and take the Masindi route up to Hoima. When you summoned the Minister of Works and Transport, he stood here and promised that after the rains stopped, the Ministry of Works and Transport would engage whoever was necessary and whatever was needed to ensure that they do constructive work on the bridge. Many dry seasons have come, Mr Speaker, and the ministry is nowhere. If you passed there today, the water is dangerously rising and it is being worsened by the traffic diversion on the Gulu-Kampala Road because of the Karuma Bridge; all the heavy traffic now has gone to Hoima. It is dangerous. I am here with my prayers: i. That the minister explains to us why he did not live up to his word when he stood here on the Floor and told Members what he was going to do when the rains subsided. ii. The honourable Minister of Works and Transport is among the most disciplined ministers we have. Why would he lie to the House? What programmes does he have? I thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am happy with my honourable sister who has agreed that I am disciplined; and disciplined people do not tell lies. Kafu is a very big river. It rotates from the Nakasongola side. It goes through Masindi up to the border of Kiboga and Hoima. Her issue is quite different from the one I mentioned on the Floor yesterday but one. She has been on our neck and we are happy that we have been updating what has been going on. Currently, we have added an addendum to the contractor who is on the Busunju-Hoima Road to work on the Kafu Swamp. I must inform you that your official letter informing you of this is on the way. It will come tomorrow. We have already instructed him to take up that matter, as we look for the money to work on the other hand, which cuts from the Nakasongola side. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is true that the price of sugarcane has come down because of a number of factors and as you know, we are running a liberal economy. The only way the Government can intervene in such a sector is through a piece of legislation. When we brought the Bill here, Mr Speaker, you participated in the negotiations and the honourable member from Masindi was one of those opposing the continuation of the Bill. Today, I am extremely happy that the honourable member has realised the point that we were making. Anyway, we have finished the consultations on the Bill and we are now ready to consider it so that the price setting; the minimum price of sugar cane can be determined through a legislation. I thank you.

In the interest of time, I shall just read the highlights of the committee findings because this matter has been on the Order Paper since Wednesday. I am sure the honourable colleagues have addressed themselves many other issues in the report. On 12 September 2023, the Rt Hon. Speaker directed the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources to study and revert to Parliament on a petition submitted to her office by the Environment Governance Institute on behalf of the Project-Affected Persons of the Karuma Hydropower Project. The committee considered the petition in accordance with Rules 30(6) and (7) of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament and hereby wishes to report. Karuma Hydropower Plant is a run-off river plant located along the River Nile, northwest of Uganda. It is 23.5 kilometres upstream of the Masindi-Gulu Highway. The project area falls within the Kiryandongo and Oyam districts, located in the vicinity of Karuma Village and Murchison Falls protected areas, including the Karuma Wildlife Reserve. The project utilises a gross head of about 700 meters and a design discharge of 1,098 cubic meters for the generation of 600 megawatts (six units of 100 megawatts each). It has six different generation turbines. In a letter dated 5 September 2023, the Environment Governance Institute petitioned the office of the Speaker on behalf of the Project-Affected Persons who were affected by the works on the Karuma Hydropower Plant and requested that the Speaker sets up an inquiry to look into how compensations of these persons had been done by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. The petition by the Environment Governance Institute recognises that in 2021, the Government of Uganda, facilitated by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, initiated the acquisition of 465.52 hectares of land in Karuma and Awoo villages in Mutunda Subcounty of Kiryandongo District and Nora and Akurudia villages in Kamdini Subcounty of Oyam District to make way for the construction of the hydropower plant. Energy Infrastructure (PVT) Limited was contracted in 2010 to prepare and carry out a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and a livelihood restoration assessment for the Karuma Hydropower Project. Consequently, between October and November 2011, it undertook a population census and land survey on behalf of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development to assess the socioeconomic characteristics and property evaluation of the affected individuals. This data was used to compile a Resettlement Action Plan report that was finalised in 2012. Notable is that the Government set 16 January 2012, as the cut-off date, signalling that any development made on the affected land after that date would not be compensated and that the Government had taken over the property of the Project-Affected Persons (PAPs). The grievances of the PAPS in the petition included: i) Failure to relocate vulnerable APAs; ii) Lack of social services; iii) Uncertainty about the proposed relocation areas in Lapono Village in Nwoya District; iv) Unfair land acquisition; v) Lack of a grievance reporting platform; and vi) Presence of ghost landlords. Mr Speaker, the prayers of the petitioners included, among others: [Mr Ariko] ADDRESS BY H.E. THE PRESIDENT OF UGANDA

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to thank the chairperson for the detailed report and to associate myself with most of the recommendations. There are two issues that I want to comment on. One of them is on corporate social responsibility. Mr Speaker, you are aware that corporate social responsibility as an important aspect of any development project. Kiryandongo District got a raw deal. At first, we were promised a hospital and a secondary school but later, we learnt that the hospital was taken to Masindi Army Barracks. We have waited for the only secondary school but we have not received it, to date. Our people are not happy as far as the corporate social responsibility is concerned. We cannot host this very big project and come up with nothing completely. On the issue of the land title, the chairperson said it all. However, our people are worried, especially those who were compensated but the land has not been transferred from the Government’s name so that these land titles are returned to the owners. People are worried that they are going to lose their land. They fear that the process of acquiring letters of administration, especially when somebody dies, will be longer for them to acquire back their land titles. We pray that this august House works together with the community and continues to support their cries, as they have been presented before the community. It is very true that the people who opted for resettlement have suffered the most. They have been rendered homeless up to now. I pray that we support these communities so that they can be resettled. I thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to give you information as pertains to Karuma Bridge. Personally, I went under the bridge. Work is ongoing. The bridge was designed and is sitting on six spires. Out of those systems supporting the bridge, four have given way. We made an assessment. The old deck - the deck is a construction where the vehicle passes - is completely worn out with cracks. Underneath the bridge, there is what we call a florescence – the white stuff, which indicates that the whole components of the bridge – the reinforcements – have already given way. We discovered that the team already constructed the platform, which necessitates movement under the bridge. Madam Speaker, about five of us from the committee went under the bridge - myself and my deputy chairperson. They promised that after two weeks, they would permanently close the bridge. However, they told us that before they close, they have taken samples for testing which – (Interjections)- these are technical things. After the test results, they said they would permanently close the bridge. Madam Speaker, the issue is: that before they permanently close the bridge, they should provide an alternative route. As I speak now, the alternative route which is Masindi Port Ferry has a very small ferry. If you go there right now, people spend five days without being crossed and animals are dying. So, we are demanding for an additional ferry at Masindi Port. Also, the other route from Zengebe through Amolatar should be worked on because the whole access road from Nakasongola is completely submerged. The road needs to be raised and worked on so that accessibility is achieved. Finally, as they improve the bridge, we propose that they also work on the approaches of the bridge at Karuma because as you enter from this side, the bridge is on the curve; as you enter from Nwoya, there is a long curve and the other side of the Karuma, there is also a long curve. So, we propose that they widen the curve and provide a pedestrian walkway because our people are at a risk. Thank you.

Thank you. The second one is Pakwach. Madam Speaker, Pakwach has a challenge that we have also identified. When we were doing the Tangi Road from Masindi, the engineering tampered with the topography of that place and for that reason, each time it rains, there is flooding around the bridge that is compounded by the floating island. As we speak, the teams that are doing drenching have already arrived in Pakwach. They arrived two days ago but started work seriously yesterday. I do not want honourable colleagues to think that this work was started because the issues were raised here. It was already something that we had intended to do and it is being done to make sure that the floating island is removed so that the bridge does not give way. That will happen with the rest of the region. The last one is Nebbi-Arua. While we are working on a permanent rehabilitation, we have also directed the company to do forward maintenance. I would like to assure my honourable colleagues that we will do some forward maintenance so that Nebbi- Arua becomes motorable. Right now, we acknowledge that it is bad, but I want to assure this Parliament that a comprehensive report will be presented to it so that we can capture all that has been stated, including issues of

Madam Speaker, in accordance with Article 90 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and rules 159(c), (d), (e), (f) and 189 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament of Uganda, the Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure is mandated to exercise oversight and ensure effective utilisation of resources and implementation of policies related to physical infrastructure development. In fulfilment of this mandate, the committee embarked on a field visit to Northern Uganda from the 4 th to 10 th August 2024, to assess the status of roads, bridges, aerodromes and railways in the region. The visit aimed to evaluate the condition, usage and maintenance of transport infrastructure, with a focus on roads, bridges, aerodromes and the railway. The committee sought to gather fast-hand information on the progress of the ongoing projects, identify challenges and determine necessary interventions to improve the region’s infrastructure. This report presents the findings and recommendations of the committee aligning with its oversight role and contributing to informed decision making for the development of Northern Uganda transport infrastructure. The committee visited the following sites: a) Karuma Bridge; b) Pakwach Bridge; c) Masindi Port Bridge; d) Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach Road; e) Rwenkunye-Apac-Lira-Puranga-Acholi Bur Road; f) Tororo-Mbale-Soroti-Lira-Kamdini Road; g) Tororo-Gulu Railway Line; h) The Regional Mechanical Workshop and Logistics; and i) Moroto Road. Madam Speaker, this report presents a critical opportunity for lawmakers to address the transportation challenges in Northern Uganda. The committee’s field visit focused on evaluating the current state of integrated transport infrastructure and services, identifying key bottlenecks, and engaging with local stakeholders to understand their experiences and perspectives.

14042 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT through the National Park during the period when emergency restoration works are being undertaken on Karuma Bridge. Construction of the new bridge at Karuma The committee was informed by URRA of plans to construct a new bridge over the River Nile at Karuma. The commencement date for a new bridge is expected to be September 2026, after feasibility studies are completed among others. The current Karuma Bridge was constructed in 1962 with a design lifespan of 50 years. The ongoing repair works are expected to increase the service life of the bridge by a further two to five years. Therefore, it is imperative that the Government of Uganda considers a long-term solution to the movement of traffic at Karuma and construction of the new bridge - It is an ideal proposal by the committee. The committee recommends that UNRA should expedite the completion of the necessary processes, including feasibility studies, designs, acquisition of land and sourcing of funding in order to ensure that construction of a new bridge at Karuma can commence as planned in September 2026. Impact of temporary closure of the bridge The committee observed that due to temporary closure of the bridge, travellers are experiencing delays in reaching their destinations, and movement of goods and services has been significantly affected. Despite Karuma Bridge being a crucial artery for commerce in West Nile and Northern Uganda areas, it facilitates the movement of goods and services between regions and supporting numerous businesses. Currently, heavy goods vehicles have been diverted to alternative routes, including through Murchison Falls National Park and through Eastern Uganda - through Masindi port, and via Eastern Uganda, therefore increasing the travel time, cost of transportation, and inconveniences to road users. The committee observed that alternative route through Masindi port is overwhelmed by increased traffic and negatively affected by floods. In addition, the public facilities at Karuma and Kamdini such as toilets have been strained due to increased numbers of passengers on either sides of the bridge as they await transportation using smaller vehicles across the bridge. The committee received a memorandum written by the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce, Lira Branch (UNCCI), to execute a directive of the UNRA on the 3 August 2024, expressing concern about the significant bottlenecks to the transportation of the goods. The committee further recommends that UNRA should expeditiously undertake emergency repairs on Nakasongola-Zengebe Road to enable interim transportation of people, goods, services, while repair works at Karuma Bridge are ongoing. UNRA should immediately deploy another bigger ferry at Masindi port and increase the working hours of the ferries due to the significant increase in diverted traffic that the committee witnessed at Kungu Landing Site. UNRA should expedite the repair works so that normal traffic flow is restored over Karuma Bridge. Madam Speaker, another elephant in the room is Pakwach Bridge Assessment of Pakwach Bridge The committee noted that the bridge was commissioned in 1969 and has been in existence for over 55 years with minimal maintenance. The committee observed that there were structural cracks on the abutments, expansion joints had failed, and embankments on the western bank of the river had weakened with visible erosion. In addition, there was floating vegetation underneath the bridge surrounding the structure

14044 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT Therefore, the structural integrity of the bridge would be affected over time if the embankment was not protected. The committee recommends that UNRA should urgently build a retaining wall and undertake sheet piling at the exposed embankment in order to protect it from further deterioration and likelihood of catastrophic failure. Masindi Port Bridge Delayed construction of the Masindi Port Bridge Madam Speaker, the Masindi Port Bridge is expected to be completed under Phase 4 of the Rwekunye-Masindi Port-Apac-Lira- Puranga-Acholi Bur Road Project. It should be appreciated that the bridge is under procurement and, therefore, the commencement date is yet to be established. UNRA informed the committee that Islamic Development Bank, who are financing the road projects, has committed to funding the bridge works at Masindi Port. The committee noted that the construction of this bridge is a long-time Presidential pledge, and therefore, delays in the commencements of works on the Masindi Port Bridge are expected to affect the optimisation and the under- construction of Rwekunye-Masindi Port-Apac- Lira-Puranga Road. Madam Speaker, this is because upon completion of the road, there will be diverted traffic on the road, leading to an increase in the number of vehicles using the newly constructed road. Consequently, the delays will be longer, since more vehicles will be using the new road, and yet only a single ferry remains being used at the crossing point. Madam Speaker, further, the committee observed that the temporary closure of Karuma Bridge has increased traffic at Masindi Port Bridge. The committee was informed that the Masindi Port ferry broke down due to a lot of work. The committee, therefore, recommends that: i) UNRA provides a bigger ferry to manage the situation. ii) The Government should expedite the sourcing of funding and identification of a contractor to undertake construction of the Masindi Port Bridge. The National Roads Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach Road The committee was informed that rehabilitation of the Karuma-Pakwach Road is currently ongoing under two separate lots, namely; Lot 1: Karuma-Olwiyo, which is 43.5 kilometres, then Lot 2 is Olwiyo-Pakwach, which is 62.5 kilometres. The works on the two lots are being undertaken in separate contracts, but the same contractor. The previous works on the road were completed in 2007, with a design lifespan of 15 years. The scope of the works for Lot 1 constitutes rehabilitation works, mainly comprised of provision of an asphalt concrete overlay on the entire section to replace the existing double bituminous surface treatment. These works are to ensure that the service life of the existing road is extended by at least seven years. For Lot 2, the road is to be reconstructed and the whole road to be widened with benched, earthworks and gravel fields. The final road conforms to the design class II paved standard with asphalt and concrete surface. I invite the honourable colleagues to refer to Table 3 and 4: Works Construct Details for the Rehabilitation of the Olwiyo-Pakwach Road is therein. Madam Speaker, the committee also examined issues of the delayed payments to contractors. The committee noted with concern that the contractors were demanding money for unpaid works since Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) remained outstanding. The total value of the unpaid IPCs was Shs 15 billion, that is to say, Shs 2 billion on Lot 1 and Shs 13 billion on Lot 2. The works contract

Thank you, Madam Speaker for giving me this opportunity. I would like to concur with all my brothers and sisters who have brought out our plight of the roads and bridges of northern Uganda. There is another problem that was caused by the Karuma Bridge that has now affected us because many of the vehicles are diverted to go through Masindi. Most of the buses leave Kampala a bit late and spend the night around the area where you enter through the national park –

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. May the record show that I appreciate the input of the committee for the excellent work done. The committee in their findings did make very good recommendations, but they excluded key roads in Lango, inter alia, the road that connects Dokolo-Amolatar. This road, Madam Speaker, did appear in NDP III and was approved in a supplementary budget. I am not privy to the NRM manifesto but I am alive to the information that it was in the NRM Manifesto. It beats my understanding how this road has disappeared and never has it surfaced anywhere yet it shares a nexus with Dokolo-Ochero, which is being worked on. Is it because the line minister has close proximity with Dokolo-Ochero? May I be informed? Secondly, Madam Speaker, Masindi Port Bridge was approved in the budget. We did approve a loan. We coded the loan 1795. At the same time, Ochero-Katine loan was approved and coded 1796. I am persuaded to think that Masindi Port that was the initial inventor of the loan that Katine benefited from has disappeared but Katine is being worked on. What has Lango done not to get this road? Madam Speaker, with the closure of Karuma, my constituency road of Dokolo-Amolatar is overloaded; it is un-motorable. If the line minister deems it fit to close Masindi Port and overloaded our road, let it be tarmacked. Lango wants to hear this. I submit. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. I am speaking on behalf of the Lango Parliamentary Group. I would like to first of all give credit where it is due. I want to thank the Government for the Lira-Kamdini Road, which is now almost getting completed and also the construction of Rwekunye-Apac- Lira-Puranga Road which is ongoing. However, on the issue of the ferry, Masindi Port Ferry is the oldest in the country, and it is really outdated. I would like the Ministry of Works to consider this immediately because it is breaking down almost every day and it is affecting traffic. Madam Speaker, on the RALP road; the Rwekunye-Apac-Lira-Puranga Road, some of our people have never been compensated. I would like to ask the Minister for Works and Transport; when will the compensation get completed? This is because our people have sacrificed the land where the roads pass, yet they have never been compensated. The road is passing via Kole District where most of the people in the area of Akalo and other areas up to Puranga have not been compensated. I want to talk about Dokolo-Amolatar Road and ask the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development because His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda, wrote a letter of pre-financing to use the Chinese company that was ready to tarmac the Dokolo-Amolatar Road, in 2021. The President gave the directive to the minister for finance to accept pre-financing so that this road is constructed, and the payments are completed after three years. Madam Speaker, the minister for finance should give us an answer as this road should have been finished by now. The Lira-Aloi-Abim Road is 179 kilometres. This was under the National Development Plan III, and in the NRM Manifesto as well. I would like the minister for finance to also respond, together with the minister for works. Lastly, on the road maintenance fund of Shs 1 billion, not every district is the same. Kole District and other parts of the country are covered by water. If we use the Shs 1 billion for only swamp crossings, installing box culverts and others, it is not enough, even in your constituency.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. In 2021, during my maiden speech, I presented the issue of Masindi Hospital and we were promised that Masindi Hospital, alongside Kambuga, where my vice- chairperson comes from, would be rehabilitated in the Financial Year 2022/2023. The money was put in the budget, but not released. Three years down the road, Masindi Hospital is in a dire state. They promised that we would have Shs 50 billion to rehabilitate that hospital. My question to the Prime Minister is: when is Masindi Hospital going to be rehabilitated to the level that the people of Masindi were promised? Thank you very much.

Mr Speaker, at least I was a minister for health and I know that we are rehabilitating these hospitals in a phased manner. Masindi is for next financial year. Then, we will have Kagadi and Bugiri in that order. Masindi is going to be rehabilitated, I promise. Kambuga is being rehabilitated. Be patient. We are coming.

Honourable colleagues we are debating and I want you to bring out all these questions because, in the end, this is a matter which must go to the Natural Resources Committee. When they bring these risks here, it is very difficult to scrutinise deeply. I know the minister can engage with the committee very well. They scrutinize, in detail, and then Members can appear before the committee, for those who have issues. Then we have this matter well concluded. I have picked mostly men; I want to pick ladies first. Therefore, I request all men to sit. I will start with ladies who have been here, not those who just entered. The ones who just entered know themselves. Honourable members for Kiboga, Kalangala, Dokolo, Gulu, you are very many. Honourable member for Mukono, because you have complained, honourable member for Mbale. This is time for ladies, you are men. Honourable members for Masindi, Buhweju, Sheema, Kumi, Napak, Bugiri, Fort Portal, Jinja, Abim, and Adjumani.

13812 PRIME MINISTER’S TIME [Mr Barugahare] Affairs) needs to work on together with the Parliament so that these matters are addressed as soon as possible so that these children’s homes get cars. I am inspecting the homes - I was in Mbale two days ago, Fort Portal the other day, and Masindi on Friday, I intend to go to Gulu next week and Arua a week after and then Kampiringisa. So let Parliament and Cabinet work together to have this budget for the juvenile and rehabilitation centres increased so that – (Interjections) - I will give you an example of Fort Portal remand home. It has a block with asbestos and these are condemned materials. So, why don’t we remove the asbestos and put iron sheets? We need to work jointly as Parliament and Cabinet to have this addressed. Hon. Nakato of Buyende raised the issue of having only Nakabango where 16 youths were selected from every district. So far the Government has started with 18 skilling centres country-wide in every sub-region but out of those 18, they allocate every district – like in the central region -Buganda, you have one in Kayunga but the capacity to hold so many is not there. That was a Presidential Initiative; the budget has not been expanded for the same. Hon. Okot Boniface thanked the President and the Government for celebrating International Youth Day on the right day. I want to thank the President as well for having allowed this to happen. Hon. Namugga raised the issue of the Shs 43 billion that was meant to be revolved as per the Auditor-General’s report and it has not been revolved. This will be investigated and we shall report back to Parliament.

13828 PRIME MINISTER’S TIME PRIME MINISTER’S TIME The effort to serve the citizens in these two subcounties with clean, safe and affordable water has proven extremely difficult. Effort by the district water office and development partners to supply water from hand pumps and mini water systems has proved futile due to extremely low water tables in the two subcounties. Kimengo Subcounty, according to him, is located 26 kilometres from the National Water and Sewerage Treatment Plant at Kiyanja along Kampala Road. He believes that water can be supplied to the Kimengo community from the water treatment plant. Kijunjubwa Subcounty is located approximately 32 kilometres along Masindi - Nakaseke Road, with the nearest water point 25 kilometres away. They also look at exploring the possibility of water supply from National Water and Sewerage Corporation to this community. Currently, these two subcounties are located outside the National Water and Sewerage Corporation area of jurisdiction. The Ministry of Water and Environment allows National Water and Sewerage Corporation to extend up to these subcounties and provide the required resources so that water is availed to these areas as soon as possible. Mr Speaker, we acknowledge the challenges of providing safe water for the two subcounties of Kimengo and Kijunjubwa in the Masindi District. Kijunjubwa Subcounty has a total number of 22 villages without safe water in Kijunjubwa Parish, while Kimengo subcounty has a total of seven villages in Kibanja and Kimengo parishes without safe water. The Ministry of Water and Environment is exploring advanced techniques of carrying out groundwater investigations to enable funding of more sustainable areas for groundwater development; to address the challenges related to groundwater availability in water stressed areas of Kimengo and Kijunjubwa. Once the options of using groundwater are exhausted, the Ministry will explore the option of developing safe surface water sources from River Kafu and its boundary Kizi to serve Kimengo and Kijunjubwa Subcounties respectively. These rivers are located within 10 and eight kilometres from the respective subcounties of Kimengo and Kijunjubwa as a more sustainable source of water for these sub- counties of concern. Mr Speaker, I beg to submit. (Applause)

RESPONSE: Rt Hon Speaker and Honourable colleagues, the fencing of Jupanziri Health Centre III shall be complete before 3oth December, 2024. There were delays in mobilizing manufactured materials due to distance. 8. Hon. Akugizibwe Aled Ronald, Member of Parliament, Burull County Kimengo and Kijunjubwa are two sub counties that are water stressed and yet have a very high population that is highly productive in both crop and animal husbandry. The efforts to serve the citizens in these two sub counties with clean, safe and affordable water proven extremely difficult. o rts by the District Water Office and Development ers to supply water from hand pumps and mini ater system has proved futile due to extremely low water tables in the two sub counties. Kimengo sub count5r is located 261<ff1from the National Water and Sewerage Treatment Plant at Kiyanja along Kampala Road. I believe that water can be supplied to the Kimengo community from the Water Treatment Plant. Kijunjubwa sub count5r is located approximately 321<m along Masindi Nakaseke road with the nearest water point 25krn away. We also look at exploring the possibility of water supply from National Water and Sewerage Corporation to this community. Currenfly, these two sub counties are located outside the National Water and Sewerage Corporation area ofjurisdiction. PRAYER: 16

s/N Hospltal Name Dlstrict 32. Kyenjojo General Hospital Kyenioio 33. Kalisizo General Hospital Kyotera 34. Luwero General Hospital Luwero 35. Lyantonde General Hospital Lyantonde 36. Masindi General Hospital Masindi 37. Mityana General Hospital Mityana 38. Moyo General Hospital Moyo 39. Mukono General Hospital Mukono 40. Nakaseke General Hospital Nakaseke 4t. Nebbi General Hospital Nebbi 42. Itojo General Hospital Ntungamo 43. Anaka General Hospital Nwoya 44. Pallisa General Hospital Paltsa 45. Rakai General Hospital Rakai 46. Kitagata General Hospital Sheema 47. Tororo Qeneral Hospital Tororo 20

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for finally ensuring that this matter gets on the Order Paper. If we had discussed this matter then, we would not have done post-mortem; we would have solved some problems. I need to register my disappointment with the Business Committee. They should have prioritised this matter, which they did not do. So, honourable colleague from Masindi, if you are looking for who to blame, the Business Committee has some answering to do. Secondly, I should register my –

You are debating in anticipation. Honourable members, as I said, I am going to read the President’s letter. The letter is addressed to the Right Honourable Speaker, Parliament of Uganda, Kampala. It is dated 22 June 2024. The Reference is: “Budget Reallocation by Parliament.” The letter reads: “The recent case of the Members of Parliament that were arrested for some alleged offences has again highlighted the mistake of Members of Parliament interfering with the constitutional mandate of the President of budgeting for the Country by reallocating monies budgeted for the core sectors of the economy. In the last four financial years, the Members of Parliament have reallocated a total of Shs 3.71 trillion. This is real sabotage. When we reconstructed the Kampala-Masaka Road, we used Shs 440 billion. Therefore, diverting Shs 3.71 trillion in four years is equivalent to aborting nine big roads of the Kampala-Masaka type, or a much larger number of smaller roads. You know very well the important roads that we have been struggling with. You have seen how much the Tirinyi-Pallisa- Kumi Road has helped the people of the area by avoiding the need to pass through Mbale City when they are travelling to Soroti. You have seen how the Musita-Mayuge- Namayingo-Busia Road has helped the people of that area. You have seen how the Mukono- Katosi-Nkokonjeru-Nyenga Road has helped the people of that area. Yet, for the Tirinyi- Palisa-Kumi Road, we used Shs 443.42 billion only. How much happier would Ugandans be, if we had tarmacked the Kumi-Ngora-Serere- Bugondo Road; the Soroti-Amuria-Acan Pii- Patongo-Abim Road; the Kanoni-Mityana Road; the Myanzi-Kassanda-BukuyaKiboga Road; the Ssembabule-Lyantonde-Rakai Road; the Luwero-Butalaangwa-Ngoma–Masindi Road; the Bwizibweera-Nsiika-Nyakabirizi Road; the Nakivaale-Rakai Road; the Fort Portal-Kijura Road, etc.? I have written on this issue - see my letter dated 28th April 2020. The Attorney-General has guided on the matter. The courts have guided, yet the practice goes on. There are three mistakes involved here and these are: (i) Indiscipline in budgeting; (ii) Sabotaging national priorities; (iii) And now the suspicion of massive corruption. I am, therefore, writing to request that this practice stops. As per Article 91(3)(c) of the Constitution of 1995, I decline to assent to the Appropriation Bill, 2024 and return it to Parliament, and request that no reshuffling of the Budget should ever happen again without the input of the Executive. Apart from the legality and constitutionality of the issues involved, there is common sense. Sprinkling money by MPs to get cheap popularity in constituencies will make us lose to focus on core items. How can patriots be part of this mistake? Signed by the President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.”

13463 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 13 JUNE 2024 v. The planned 60,000 barrels per day refinery in Kabaale, Kikuube District, is progressing very well. The land for the project sites and associated terminal has already been acquired by the Government. Technical designs for the project are ready. The Government is working with Alpha MBM Investments from the United Arab Emirates to build the refinery; vi. The Government enforcement of the national content policy has ensured that up to 93 per cent of the jobs in the oil and the gas sector go to Ugandans. A total of 13,607 jobs have, so far, been given; and vii. In addition, the companies investing in the oil and gas sector are contracting locally. Since 2021, contracts worth $1.796 billion have been awarded to Ugandan companies out of the total contract investment of $7.162 billion. Madam Speaker, in a bid to ensure the security of supply of petroleum products, Uganda National Oil Company Limited (UNOC), in partnership with the private sector, will commence the importation of all our petroleum products beginning in the first week of July this year – which is near. Madam Speaker, next financial year, I have provided Shs 920.86 billion for the oil and gas sector to prioritise the following: i. Development of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline hub in Tanga; ii. Continued construction of the EACOP, including the necessary infrastructure to facilitate adherence to high-quality environmental standards; iii. Procurement and dissemination of the 57,000 liquefied petroleum gas cylinders to promote clean cooking; iv. Establishment of petroleum geoscience laboratory; and v. Equity contribution for the refinery. Integrated Transport Infrastructure and Services Madam Speaker, a total of 205 kilometres was added to the paved network during Financial Year 2023/2024, increasing the total paved national road network to 6,338 kilometres, representing over 30 per cent of the national road network. The following roads were completed during the financial year: Atiak-Laropi (66 kilometres); Masindi-Biiso, Hohwa- Nyairongo-Kyarusheesha-Butoole and Kabaale-Kiziranfumbi Road (97 kilometres); Moroto-Lokitanyala (42 kilometres); Rukungiri- Kihihi-Ishasha/Kanungu (78.5 kilometres); Kapchorwa-Suam (73 kilometres); and Masindi Park Junction and Tangi Junctions- Para-Buliisa roads (159 kilometres). In addition, three bridges were completed and construction of 36 critical strategic bridges is ongoing. The completed bridges are: i) Kampala Flyover and road upgrading; ii) Lugogo Bridge connecting Nakasongola District and Ngoma in Nakaseke, via Kasozi; and iii) Saaka Swamp crossing in Pallisa. With regard to air transport, the following were accomplished during the year we are talking about: i) Ninety per cent completion of Kabalega International Airport in Hoima. The remaining 10 per cent comprises critical air navigation, meteorological communication and airport operational facilities; ii) Ninety per cent completion of the expansion and rehabilitation of Entebbe International Airport, including modernisation of the departures and arrival areas of the terminal building; and

13464 PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET SPEECH FY 2024/2025 iii) Maintenance of 13 aerodromes, including Arua, Gulu, Pakuba, Masindi, Lira, Kidepo, Moroto, Soroti, Tororo, Jinja, Mbarara, Kasese and Kisoro. Madam Speaker, with regard to water transport, the following were accomplished during the financial we are talking about - we are winding up: i) Completed the construction of three strategic ferries, namely; Amuru-Rhino Camp Ferry and two ferries for Bukungu- Kagwara-Kaberamaido (BKK) route on Lake Kyoga; ii) Completed the construction of the Maritime Training Institute in Namasagali, and commenced construction works for the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) at Mwanza; iii) Completed 46 per cent construction works for search and rescue centres at Kaazi and 25 per cent at Kaiso, Panyimur and Zengebe landing sites; and iv) Continued with the development of new Kampala Port at Bukasa. With regard to railway transport, the following were accomplished during this financial: i) Acquired a 161-kilometre corridor for the standard gauge railway between Tororo and Mayuge; ii) Twenty eight per cent completion of rehabilitation of Tororo-Gulu Metre Gauge Railway; and iii) Completed emergency refurbishment and rehabilitation of the Malaba-Kampala- Namanve Metre Gauge railway. Madam Speaker, during Financial Year 2024/2025, more focus will be put on maintenance of the roads we have built, building a few new strategic roads, accelerated rehabilitation of the metre gauge railway and commencement of construction of the Standard Gauge Railway. I have provided a total of Shs 4.989 trillion for that purpose. In particular, the following transport infrastructure will be undertaken: Roads and Bridges i. Tarmacking of an additional 306 kilometres of roads under the ongoing projects; ii. Completion of upgrading of 210 kilometres of the following roads: Muyembe- Nakapiripirit (92 kilometres) and 25 kilometres of service roads; Kira-Matugga Road and improvement of five junctions (21 kilometres); Tororo-Busia Road (26 kilometres) and Mayuge and Busia town roads (18 kilometres); Kawuku-Bwerenga Road (6.6 kilometres) and Namugonde- Bugiri Road (1.6 kilometres); selected town roads (7.5 kilometres), in Pallisa and Kumi (12.2 kilometres); and remedial works on Ntungamo-Kabale-Katuna Road (65 kilometres); iii. Commencing the upgrading/construction of 643 kilometres of the following road projects: Kisoro-Lake Bunyonyi Road Kisoro-Mgahinga National Park Headquarters Road; Koboko-Yumbe- Moyo Road; Yumbe-Ure Road; Kitgum- Kidepo; Namagumba-Budadiri-Nalugugu Road; Katine-Ochero Road and 2.9 km of town roads in Kaberamaido and Kalaki towns; Kyenjojo-(Kihura)-Bwizi- Rwamwanja-Kahunge and Mpara- Bwizi; Iganga-Buloopa-Kamuli; and Jinja-Mbulamuti-Kamuli-Bukungu; and Jinja City roads; Kisubi-Nakawuka- Natete; Nakawuka-Kasanje-Mpigi; and Nakawuka-MawuguluNanziga-Maya- Kasanje-Buwaya roads; iv. Upgrading to bitumen standard (tarmac) 16.9 km of roads in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, and Gomba District; v. Completing the construction of 20.2 km of Kayunga-Nabuganyi Road; vi. Completing the construction of Kakiri- Masulita-Mawale Road (23 km);

13467 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 13 JUNE 2024 things we aspire to achieve. It is the bedrock for socio-economic transformation, democracy, and all the human rights and freedoms we all cherish. Accordingly, as we have done before, the Government will continue to prioritise peace, security, and the rule of law. Next financial year, I have provided a total of Shs 9.588 trillion, of which Shs 481.4 billion will be for the administration of justice to ensure that Uganda remains a peaceful and accountable country with law-abiding citizens. Some of the priorities in these programs include: Security of person and property i. Strengthening the capacity of security agencies to address emerging security threats and ensuring combat readiness of security agencies to protect life and property; ii. Enhancing military capacity through the acquisition of various assets and strengthening the surveillance infrastructure; iii. Supporting joint military operations in the region; iv. Building an effective crime response system targeting sophisticated crimes such as terrorism, other transnational crimes, arms proliferation, illegal entry into our country, money laundering, cybercrime, espionage, smuggling of contraband, human trafficking, and others; v. Supporting the civil authorities in combating threats as well as managing the refugees in line with our refugee policy; and vi. Improving the welfare of the military, police, prisons, ISO, and ESO personnel through salary enhancement. Justice Law and Order Strengthening justice, law, and order service delivery systems by: i. Recruiting 10 more High Court judges in commercial and land divisions to enhance adjudication of commercial and land cases to eliminate the backlog; ii. Recruiting five more justices of Court of Appeal in line with the Judicature (Amendment) Act, 2024; iii. More investment in court automation to cover an additional 10 courts to enhance efficiency, reduce human contact, and by extension reduce incidents of corruption; iv. Promotion of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism to complement the formal adjudication of cases; v. Starting construction of regional Courts of Appeal in Mbarara and Gulu; High Courts in Hoima and Masindi; Chief Magistrate Courts in Amolatar, Bubulo, Rakai and Katine; and Magistrates Grade I Courts in Busembatia, Nyarushanje, Rubuguri and Adwari; vi. Promoting the use of scientific evidence in the investigation and prosecution of cases, including the construction of the National DNA Data Bank at the Government Analytical Laboratories at Wandegeya; vii. Mass enrolment for and renewal of national IDs and the automation of immigration and business registration services; and viii. Reforming laws and due processes to ensure faster and expeditious resolution of disputes, among others. Natural Disaster Response and Management Madam Speaker, I am about to close. During the Financial Year 2023/2024, the Government supported 53,930 households with relief food

13390 THE EXCISE DUTY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2024 feed at the Aquaculture Research and Development Centre in Kajjansi; establish and/or upgrade seed storage, threshing and drying facilities to ensure sustainable supply of quality seed under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries - Shs 134 billion. Transport infrastructure development The Government plans as follows: 1. Start construction of the SGR and continue implementing preparatory activities for SGR; that is update of feasibility studies for the western and eastern routes, and undertaking environment, social, economic impact assessments; acquisition of right of way for SGR (206 acres) of land are already acquired in seven districts. That is Tororo to Mayuge, among others – Shs 2.221 trillion; 2. Maintenance of 13 aerodromes; that is Arua, Gulu, Pakuba, Masindi, Lira, Kidepo, Moroto, Soroti, Tororo, Jinja, Mbarara, Kasese and Kisoro – Shs 3 billion; 3. Construction and upgrade of national roads and bridges – Shs 1.27 trillion. Some of these include – (Interjections) - colleagues, this is on roads. The Government plans to spend Shs 1.27 trillion and I will mention some of the roads: a) Hoima-Wanseko Road – Shs 141.1 billion; b) Kampala Flyover – Shs 69.8 billion; c) Construction of 66 selected bridges – Shs 54.2 billion; d) Rwenkunye-Apac-Lira-Acholibur Road – Shs 238 billion; e) Kisoro-Mgahinga National Park Headquarters Road – Shs 83.26 billion; f) Moyo-Yumbe-Koboko Road – Shs 180.6 billion; g) Upgrading of Kyenjojo-Kiruhura-Bwizi- Rwamwanja-Kahunge, Mpara-Bwizi – Shs 50 billion; and 4. Upgrading of Jinja-Mbulamuti-Kamuli- Bukungu Road from gravel to paved standard – Shs 34.5 billion. Continuation of the rehabilitation of over 450 kilometres of national roads. Some of those roads include: a) Kampala-Jinja Highway – Shs 20 billion; b) Busunju-Kiboga-Hoima – Shs 25.05 billion; c) Mityana-Mubende Road and Mityana Town Roads inclusive – Shs 42.38 billion; d) Alwii-Nebbi road and upgrading of Pakwach and Nebbi Town Council roads in total – Shs 17 billion; e) Rehabilitation of Karuma-Pakwach Road – Shs 20.05 billion; and f) Reconstruction of Matugga-Semuto- Kapeeka Road – Shs 61.12 billion; 5. Rehabilitation of district, urban and community access roads will continue under the Ministry of Works and Transport. There is Shs 142.3 billion; and 6. Shs 1 billion to each district, city and municipality for road grading, murram and compacting. In total, Shs 176 billion has been allocated for this purpose; Colleagues, in the last financial year, they are roads that the Ministry of Works signed contracts for and work has started. Those ones are worth Shs 33 billion, but they are not yet completed and not even paid. There are those where contracts have been signed but work has not commenced. They are worth Shs 33 billion. There is a whole list in the annex. There are also roads where the contracts have been procured but have not been signed, worth about Shs 13 billion. In the last cash release, the Government gave this particular vote Shs 19 billion, whereas the total requirement is Shs 79 billion. So, the budget at base is Shs 26 billion. We must recommend Shs 34 billion to cover those roads. The list of those roads covers the whole country. 7. The following ferries development/ construction will be undertaken. The total for this ferry is Shs 11.8 billion. That is: a) Substantial completion of two Bukungu- Kagwara-Kaberamaido (BKK) ferries and their landing sites; SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT [Mr Achia]

13391 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 MAY 2024 b) Construction of two Lake Bunyonyi ferries and their landing sites; c) Construction of permanent ferry landing sites and their access roads; and d) Continue to operate the 11 ferries namely Nakiwogo, Kiyindi, Bisina, Masindi, Kyoga-I, Kyoga-II, Albert Nile-l, Laropi, Obongi, Amuru, and Sigulu. Shs 592.08 billion to address flooding, traffic congestion, poor road infrastructure, un- signalised junctions, provision of street lighting and storm water drainage enhancements in Kampala. Tourism Development a) Shs 11.29 billion for the Mt Rwenzori Tourism Infrastructure. This includes improving the existing trails and establishing shorter ones, improving the existing bridges taking into consideration the flush floods, providing eco-friendly accommodation facilities, improving the safety of tourists by establishing rest points along the trails, among others; b) Shs 8.24 billion for the development of Museums and Heritage Sites for Cultural Tourism; c) Shs 12.77 billion for the development of Source of the Nile tourism - infrastructure that includes the construction of modern piers, docking places for boats, and other amenities. Human Capital Development Health Services 1. Shs 702.79 billion - Global Fund for TB, AIDS and Malaria; 2. Shs 349.68 billion - GAVI Vaccines and Health Sector Development 3. Shs 57.8 billion towards Uganda’s COVID-19 response and emergency preparedness; 4. Shs 57.4 billion for the construction and equipping of the Uganda Heart Institute 5. Shs 38.56 billion towards infrastructure development at Uganda Cancer Institute; 6. Shs UGX 20.05 billion towards rehabilitation and construction of general hospitals; and 7. Shs 12.7 billion for the establishment of Regional Oncology and Diagnostic Centres. Members, what is important here is that we have provided Shs 27 billion for buying ambulances for the remaining constituencies. The details are in the annexes attached. Maintenance of equipment at Mulago National Referral Hospital An addition, Shs 10.4 billion for the completion of the 150 staff housing units; Shs 26.35 billion for local government primary health care services On education a. Shs 4 billion towards grant-aiding of 38 primary schools, and Shs 11.28 billion for grant-aiding of 46 secondary schools; b. Shs 14.3 billion towards the renovation and the expansion of facilities in 36 secondary schools; c. Shs 27.52 billion towards the higher education students’ financing board for the new quota of students of about 1,200 for the coming financial year; d. Shs 20.9 billion towards teacher education and training, inclusive of setting up and operationalising Uganda National Institute of Teacher Education (UNITE), and establishment of the National Teachers Council; e. Shs 16.94 billion towards physical education and sports for support to primary, secondary and other education institutions;

xq. .d +8-- i*- n I I I I +.' ,i ,4 t,- t.. t, . i, -L4ii . *K -i- ,4 ui iri',1.,[,:-:. - I Amount (OOO'I Vote Descriptlon 8,644,O74 709 Council Kamuli Munici 10,801,134 7to Kapchorwa Municipal Council 16,156,203 Kasese Municipal Council 7LL 24,906,066 7t2 Kira Municipal Council 5,469,632 713 Kisoro Municipal Council 8,704,093 Kitzum Municipal Council 7t4 9,574,4O9 Koboko Municipal Council 7t5 a,27t,209 716 Kotido Municipal Council 8,752,t71 717 Kumi Municipal Council 9,2t6,O42 Lugazi Municipal Council 7L8 t6,295,026 Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipal Council 719 t2,060,528 720 Masindi Municipal Council 12,404,Ot6 72t Mityana Municipal Council 6,643,756 Moroto Municipal Council 722 L2,4a7,408 723 Mubende Municipal Council 2t,545,205 Mukono Municipal Council 724 26,304,364 Nansana Municipal Council 725 6,O20,976 726 Nebbi Municipal Council 15,000,089 727 Nieru Municipal Council 6,226,394 Ntungamo Municipal Council 724 12,r32,708 Rukungiri Municipal Council 729 15,643,023 730 Sheema Municipal Council 11,894,459 73r Tororo Municipal Council 20,657,t94 Abim District 801 36,860,992 Adiumani District 802 32,872,323 803 Agago District 25,478,944 Alebtong District 804 ) 23,rO9,607 805 Amolatar District rr,2to,637 806 Amudat District 25,200,826 ao7 Amuria District 20,a92,676 808 Amuru District T 0qA- t2 4r" t-l''.-- H'.+ t t

.+_ lA*' "' - #+- I dI,\ h 24 . - l B l X Amount (OOO'| Descrlption Vote 635 o23 I Munici al Council 707 2,t84 771 Council Kabale Munici 704 2 238 353 709 Kamuli Munici al Council 801 696 Ka chorwa Munici al Council 7ro 3 374 618 7tt Council Kasese Munici 8 4tt 400 Kira Munici al Council 7t2 406 243 713 Council Kisoro Munici 2 331 982 Council Munici Ki 7L4 529 160 Koboko Munici al Council 715 629 284 Kotido Munici al Council 716 807 186 Kumi Munici al Council 717 2 9t4 388 7ta Council Munici 16 o46 686 7t9 Makindye- S sabagabo MuniciPal Council 1 454 635 Council Masindi Munici 720 1 387 188 Council Munici Mi 721 744 299 Moroto Munici al Council 722 5 462,294 Mubende Munici al Council 723 6 401 99t 724 Council Mukono Munici 10 505 394 Nansana Munici al Council J zzs 311 301 \-zzo Nebbi Munici al Council 429 909 N al Council eru Munici 727 I 910 156 728 Council o Munici N 1 o59 681 Council Rukun ri Munici 729 2 851 608 Sheema Munici al Council 730 3 528 439 73t Council Tororo Munici 9 o56 849 Abim District 801 5 061 3a2 Ad umani District 802 5 086 244 District 803 3 62L o37 District AIebto 804 7 t44 543 805 Amolatar District 2 946 471 Amudat District 806 9 513,880 Amuria District 807 3 s99 449 Amuru District --808 2 394 342 District A 809 3 190 840 Arua District 810 5 310 694 Budaka District 811 -_*3-- /{* M 'l-,1.i- t,

Madam Speaker, thank you. On your communication about Karuma, I would like the Government to provide a reliable ferry as an alternative from the Masindi Port to Kungu –

Thank you. Secondly, Madam Speaker, one of the alternative routes we are thinking about is via Masindi where we have our park. The last time I crossed via that we were charged per person, all four of us in my car were charged. Now that our buses may also be crossing, we would like to know whether those charges will remain because we are passing via a tourism route where we are normally charged per person. Yes, information?

13255 THE E LEVENTH P A RLIAMENT OF UGANDA MONDAY , 6 MAY 2024 Dokolo, Nakapiripirit, Nabilatuk, Bukedea, Bulambuli, whereas landslides were reported in Kasese, Kisoro, Bulambuli, Sironko, Bududa, Bunyangabu districts. Some claimed lives; we lost seven people. Recently, Uganda National Meteorological Authority released a 10-day rainfall forecast from 1 st to 10 th of May 2024, which indicates a continuation of wet conditions over most parts of the country. The heavy to very heavy rainfall events were expected over southwestern in some of the areas in Kigezi and greater Bushenyi districts. In the northeastern, in districts of Karamoja and Teso subregions and neighbouring Acholi subregions. Other areas expected to receive enhanced rainfall are in mid-western subregions in the districts of Masindi, Kiryandongo, Kagadi, Kabarole and Elgon Highlands. The 10-day rainfall forecast by Uganda Meteorological Authority indicates that very heavy rainfall events are expected to cause potential hazards, such as flash floods, debris flows, landslides, in addition, water logging, contamination of water sources due to increased surface rain off into such sources. Disruption of traffic flow along transportation routes as some bridges may be washed away or collapse, an example of the bridges you have already mentioned earlier. Moreover, these heavy rainfalls are expected to damage critical infrastructure- like schools-

I put the question that the total sum of Shs 58,908,275 be provided for under Vote 717 for Kumi Municipal Council as a supplementary recurrent expenditure for FY 2023/2024. (Question put and agreed to.) Vote 720: Masindi Municipal Council

I put the question that the total sum of Shs 118,971,220 be provided for under Vote 720 for Masindi Municipal Council as supplementary recurrent expenditure for Financial Year 2023/2024. (Question put and agreed to.) Vote 721: Mityana Municipal Council

We are dealing with a carbon bank. When you come to Elgon Zone, Masindi Zone – we talk of Carbon Bank. Carbon Bank is one of the projects under NFA. I think it will not be rational to mainstream the National Forestry Authority. It should stay.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I welcome the committee’s report. I do welcome the Shs 27.62 billion that has been offered to the Uganda Tourism Board. I can see you cited Shs 4 billion, which was unfunded, which is meant to promote Uganda’s image abroad. I thought that every marketing that the Uganda Tourism Board does is for promoting Uganda’s image abroad. So, I wonder why this Shs 4 billion is set aside for the promotion of Uganda’s image. Secondly, Shs 1.5 billion has been set to help Uganda’s consulates in Kenya and Tanzania to promote tourism. However, our biggest market is actually in Europe and America. So, I assume that some money allocated to the Uganda Tourism Board should go directly to those consulates because they do operate a lot in trying to promote Uganda. I thank the committee as well for noticing that we have a risk of budget duplication here, whereby $1.34 million was not actually included in the ministerial policy statement, which was meant for electric fencing around our national parks, yet we had also allocated Shs 500 billion. On the fencing, Mr Speaker, I do feel that this is long overdue. It will save us a lot of money in terms of compensation. Wildlife attacks on our communities have increased to over 7,000 cases annually. If most of our national parks are fenced, we shall be avoiding some of these cases. So, I do welcome this money which is going to help in avoiding this. We also need a clear channel for applicants who are requesting compensation because most of them do not know how to properly access this money for compensation and the compensation policy is also very slow. On the issue of Non-Taxable Revenue (NTR), the committee has actually cited that we have some accounting officers who are utilising the NTRs at source, yet we have other entities such as in the health sector that also bring in NTRs and they are not allowed to use any single coin of those NTRs. Why are we having these double standards going on? Lastly, Mr Speaker, we are all aware that passengers traveling to West Nile must still pay while accessing the route from Masindi to Pakwach. That issue has been raised several times here. We know very well that the road from Karuma to Pakwach is still under rehabilitation. As MPs from West Nile, we have raised this on numerous occasions. Let passengers accessing West Nile through the road from Masindi to Pakwach be allowed to access it for free as we wait for that

Thank you. I thought I should say those. Several issues have come up and I will speak to a few. On the issue of advertising, we all agree with what Hon. Kateshumbwa said that the potential of the sector is enormous. Once we invest money in this sector, definitely we will get results and indeed you will not even compare us to oil. Still, the mandate – (Interjections) - yes, this is true and we have said this - is still with you, Members of Parliament. Ours is just to present what we have and within what we can spend. On the issue that has been raised by Members on the access to the road between Masindi to Pakwach, yes, I agree that Members of Parliament, like any other members of the community who pay, are supposed to pay. This road was initially a tourism road different from the one going through Queen Elizabeth in Kasese because through that one would go through without paying. Otherwise, from time immemorial, to access that road, you had to pay a park entry fee and it was specifically built for tourism. That is the reason there is an opposite access route. Sometimes, when there are issues with the main Pakwach Road, we have given clearance and allowed them to go through, but when you say that we stop the collection and let access to this road be like for any other road, it becomes a challenge. The revenues -

Fruits - Greater Bushenyi & Greater Mbarara-Grain Milling: -Masindi, Kibale, Kiryandotrgo, Mubende and Nwoya. (10) Profiling of 120 MSMEs (60Males and 60 Female) per region of the country and populating the MSMEs database from agro processing, leather and metal fabrication from central Region and Bunyoro region. (11) Facilitate MSMEs to participate in the International in MSMEs day (dl Regional Balanced Development (1) 8 cooperatives identified and proliled in Karamoja, Teso, Bugisu, Bukedi, Busoga, Bunyoro, West Nile and Acholi. (2) 4 beneficiary Cooperatives in the RDP regions sensitized on possible fi nancing institutions. Retooling Project. (1) Support construction of MTAC centre at Mbale (21 Procure Motorcycles for all commercial Officers to supervise pDM and two vehicles for coordination 6.4 vote 136 uganda Export promotions Board (uEBpf Table 13: UEPB Semi Annual Budget Performance Fy 2o2al24 (UGx Billionf Source.. SemiAnnual Budget Performatrce FY 2O2s/24 r ld- W v I, '\L .ng"f s N Expenditurc Approved Revised Released by Spent by o/o Budget o/o Budset o/o Releases Category Budget Budget End Dec End Dec Relcased Spent Spent Wage 2.561 2.56r 1.281 0.66 s0.00% 25.800/o 51.50% Non-Wage 5.588 5.588 2.578 1.898 46.lOo/o 34.OOo/o 73.600/o GoU Dev't 0.037 0.037 0.019 o.0r 5l.4Oo/o 27.OOo/o 52.600/o lqtaf Budget 8.187 8.187 3.878 2.568 4?.400/o 3L.4Oo/o 66.2Oo/o t+" 52 + '- l. i_ (

12423 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 9 APRIL 2024 5.1.4 Ministry of Local Governments Budget allocations In the Financial Year 2024/2025, the ministry has been allocated a total budget of Shs 202.395 billion as summarised in Table 9 below. Out of the total budget of Shs 202.395 billion, Shs 9.297 billion is to finance the Wage Bill of the ministry and Shs 43.712 billion for Non-Wage Recurrent Expenditures. The budget for the Government of Uganda development amounts to Shs 21.360 billion while that for external financing totals to Shs 127.789 billion. In addition, the ministry has been allocated Shs 0.237 billion for pension and gratuity arrears and other domestic arrears. 5.1.5 Ministry of Local Government priorities for the Financial Year 2024/2025 Based on the above proposed budget in table 9, in the Financial Year 2024/2025, the ministry has prioritised the following interventions: a) Coordination and monitoring of PDM implementation b) Rehabilitation of agro processing facilities c) Waste management d) Local economic development e) Agri-LED f) Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Project. Under this, the ministry plans to review and prepare designs for eight markets of Nebbi Central, Nyahuka Town Council, Iganga Central, Kotido Main Market, Kisoro Old Market, Karuguuza Daily Market, Kibale Town Council, Mpigi Central and Masindi. In addition, the ministry will identify and prepare eight temporary relocation sites in urban centres and undertake needs assessment for value addition facilities under MATIP 3. 5.1.6 Committee observations and recommendations (i) Harmonisation of the legal framework The committee observed that the contradictions in the legal framework surrounding local government finances have affected service delivery for several years now. Committee observes that whereas the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, and the Local Government Act, Cap. 243 provide for decentralisation and the devolution of functions, powers and services and empowers local governments to levy, charge, collect and appropriate local revenues. Local revenue is instead remitted to the consolidated fund. This is attributed to the Treasury Single Account Payment Processing and Reporting System. And the directive by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to transit all local revenues collected to Consolidated Fund for subsequent allocation to the respective local governments. As a result, local governments face financial difficulties because of the increased and consistent retention of local revenue by the Central Government over time. For instance, Shs 3.1 trillion was held in the Consolidated Fund in the Financial Year 2023/2024. This has crippled service delivery at the local level in that urgent and even simple services like garbage collection have stagnated. More importantly, local governments have been demoralised and rendered powerless to effect service delivery, which has also demoralised taxpayers from paying taxes. As a result, the share of local revenue contribution to the national envelope has dropped from 13 per cent in the financial year 2022 to 9.8 per cent currently. The committee observes that decentralisation was intended to extend services closer to people and recognise the economic and social transformational frontline role that local governments play to deliver services to the people. This role should be aided and not curtailed. While the committee recognises that the previous system where local revenues would be collected and spent at source had challenges, recentralisation of local revenues is not the solution.

I just want to make a clarification that for someone to con in the name of Parliament, they do not need to be here. They do not need to be in Parliament; they can be anywhere. When you send mobile money, they do not need to receive it when they are here. The person who was trying to con me, saying he was at Makerere, was in Masindi. From Masindi, he moved to Mweya. He spent some days in Mweya, after conning someone who paid the hotel bill for him. People are enjoying life out there, man. (Laughter) When you get them, they start crying – how they were looking for school fees - and they get sympathy from the public. However, the day they use your daughter to go and extort money from people is when you will feel how bad it is.

Honourable minister, I do not want this to end up being a statement. This is something you who can think about, come here and update the House. What I asked was very simple: you said, all numbers are registered. Unregistered numbers were cut off. A young man using four numbers from Masindi has conned many people. People report, but they are not helped. Why? What you need to do is to be strong these telecoms. If someone is conned, money is sent through a telecom and someone successfully withdraws the money so when I have even reported, then the telecom should refund the victim. We need to be harder. Honourable minister, you are saying, “I am sorry MPs, you are conned”. No. There are people down there - Hon. Aber said there are those who are conned and blackmailed. Honourable minister, let us stop it here. I will assign this to the Committee on Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance to engage with you and show us what you are doing about it. Next item. Honourable colleagues, let me first allow the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to say something. I have two exceptions.

Thank you. Let me pick the honourable member for Masindi, then Hon. Kiiza and Hon. Nakut.

11689 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2024 Bills that were passed, you will be surprised, Mr Speaker. It is true that if we look at the Sugar (Amendment) Bill, we have to look at two parties; the millers and the farmers. Masindi is one of the sugarcane growing areas and we have a sugar factory, Kinyara Sugar Factory, and the issue that we are grappling with is the licensing of other millers. Recently, the farmers wanted to have their own factory and the licence was given but cancelled. As we talk about millers, we need to also discuss who is to licence these millers. If it is going to be the minister, will he or she have the right to grant a licence, and/or cancel it? We need some guidance. I think when we come there, we need to handle the issue of the millers and the licensing because Masindi has that problem. We wanted our own factory because of the prices. The licence was cancelled. We do not know why. Recently, we had a meeting with sugarcane farmers in Kabango, and one issue that they wanted me to table here is why this licence was cancelled. Do we have a number of millers that we are going to agree to be licensed depending on the production, the number of farmers - there are many issues that we need to look at? I propose that we go clause by clause; look at each issue, and agree on each clause and come up with an amendment act that will cater for both the farmers and the millers. I beg to submit.

11701 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2024 6. Payment of adequate compensation or restoration for the loss of public dams and resources, which are no longer recoverable. 7. And a declaration that the wetlands are only water catchment resources for the survival of the main animals. The committee adopted the following methodology; held meetings with petitioners, undertook physical visits, reviewed some documents, and desk review of the triangulation of data from various documentation relevant to the assignment. The relevant regime, Mr Speaker, in regards to assessment, the legal regime considered the Constitution of Uganda, the National Forestry and Planting Act, the National Environment Management Act, the Forest Management Plan, the Land Act, the Local Government Act. The demographics of Nakasongola Nakasongola District is located in central Uganda. It was created in 1997, prior to which it was part of Luwero District. The district borders the district of Apac to the north, Masindi in the west, Luwero in the south, and Kayunga in the east. The district is composed of three counties namely Kyabujingo County, Buruuli County, and Budyebo County. Nakasongola has a total population of 181,000. Mr Speaker, I can now skip through to the observations. Findings and recommendations The committee observed that the petitioners expressed dismay at the limited access of valley dams due to the fact that existing routes were either blocked due to the restrictions by NFA or were too narrow to contain large herds of cattle. This was evidenced by abandoned watering troughs in Bamusuuta Valley Dam. However, at Mikanzi Valley Dam, the committee observed that the animals had been drinking from the available troughs and were drinking from there at the time of the visit to the district, contrary to the petitioner’s claim. The committee observed that; (i) The existing routes availed by NFA were supposed to be jointly used by both animals and humans, thereby making the routes highly susceptible to traffic congestion. (ii) The available routes are in close proximity to residential areas, hence making the people’s property prone to destruction by animals. (iii) There is a need for NFA to avail alternative routes for the farmers to use the access valley dams, and the committee emphasised that the routes by NFA should be along the external boundary of the forest reserve and not through the forest in order to limit movement. The committee recommends that; (i) National Forest Authority fulfils its commitment to establish six metric-wide routes along the external boundaries of the Central Forest Reserve to facilitate movements of animals to existing water points within six months from the time of the committee visit. (ii) The alternative routes by Bamusuuta Dam should be opened up within two weeks from the time of the committee’s visit. (iii) The demarcation of the boundaries should be done in the presence of the district surveyors, NFA surveyors and the farmers, with the aim of GPS meters and GIS equipment to promote transparency. (iv) The Chairperson LCV spearheads the establishment of the proposed routes on behalf of the petitioners together with NFA and the District Local Government team to proper accountability. (v) Funds should be appropriated by NFA and the Government to facilitate the construction of proper routes with the aid of equipment such as wheel loaders along the proposed six-metre routes.

11582 THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2023 Kamwenge, Katakwi, Kasese, Kibaale, Kiboga, Kyenjojo, Mbale, Masindi, Mayuge, Mukono, Namalemba, Nakapiripirit – I am trying to remember Namalemba; my apologies – Pallisa, Rukungiri, Sironko, Wakiso and Soroti. Policy and control measures in place Our policy on FMD is for the Government to avail vaccines to farmers as a public good for reasons explained earlier. For many years, I think since during colonial times, the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has been providing a budget item for procuring vaccines. This, however, has been insufficient and only covers 1.1 Per cent of the susceptible domestic animal population, contrary to the recommended at-least 80 per cent coverage, leaving the rest of the herd vulnerable. This explains why the country experiences repeated outbreaks. Although the Animal Diseases Act, CAP. 38, empowers the Commissioner of Animal Health to order for the destruction of affected animals under the “test and slaughter” approach, the country cannot afford to implement this provision of the law due to high compensation budget requirements. Mr Speaker, with the budget limitations alluded to above, our ministry adopted the ring vaccination methodology, targeting the locations with animals at high risk. When we buy a few vaccines annually, the budget we get gives us, on average, half a million doses. We distribute them to district veterinary officers of the most prone districts and those with outbreaks to carry out ring vaccination around the infected herds or kraals. We also institute quarantine and other measures in the affected and susceptible districts to prevent spread or disrupt transmission. Mr Speaker, our total susceptible animal herd that requires FMD vaccination, as per current estimates, is 44 million cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. This, therefore, requires an annual vaccine stock of 88 million doses for the bi- annual vaccination requirement at a cost of $2 per dose. The financial implication for this translates into $ 176 million. The Government has been studying this financial implication and notes the financial stress it would impose on the national Budget, if the requirement for the bi-annual mass vaccination is to be achieved. Accordingly, and with the guidance of the President, a Cabinet Paper is scheduled for discussion at the next Cabinet sitting on Monday, 5 February 2024 to consider a number of policy options, including cost-sharing by the farmer, since the cost per dose is affordable by most livestock farmers. I will revert to this House and the country on the final position adopted by Cabinet. In the meantime, my ministry has repurposed some of the budget you gave us, under the development budget, and managed to avail 2.56 million doses to the country through the district veterinary officers of 94 districts last year. The list is attached to this brief. It shows which district veterinary officers took what. Under the same arrangement, we have ordered for 2.3 million doses, expected in a few months to come. Mr Speaker, another challenge associated with procuring FMD vaccines is that they cannot be bought off-shelf, since they are biological; live organisms with a short shelf life. You order and they manufacture for you. This explains the delay in their supply chain. In the circumstances, it becomes inevitable for the Commissioner of Animal Health, who is the commander of the animal disease control chain in the country, to order or impose animal movement restrictions or what you know as quarantine in affected districts. Quarantines are unpopular and an inconvenience to people’s livelihoods yet again, inevitable as temporary measures to control further spread to alarming and uncontrollable epidemic levels. We can lose the whole herd, if we do not become strict. If the stakeholders can be disciplined and comply with the quarantine protocols, the MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS [Mr Tumwebaze]

Mr Speaker, we are having a challenge, not only with cotton, but also with sugar and maize. Let me talk about those that are being affected by the global pricing; sugar, tea and cotton. When prices of these items come down, the people that are buying also reduce the prices. That is the challenge we are facing now, and we are operating in the context of a free market economy. For sugar, I had a meeting with the m ayor of Masindi this morning, and we are going down to have a meeting with the manufacturers there with the farmers to see how to resolve it. I know that there is minimum intervention by the Government on the side of cotton. There is a way we support this sector because we know the importance of these sectors. Mr Speaker, the best that we can do now is to again have some engagements or dialogue with those who are buying and those who are selling, and see whether there can be some agreed position, but it is a very difficult situation. Unless Government can commit, which I know is not going to be possible to have subsidies, it will be a little bit difficult to set a price for a certain commodity.

Mr Speaker, thank you so much for this opportunity and I thank the Chairperson, Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development, for the good report and the recommendations therein. I have two issues; the first is on accounting officers. Their mobility from one district to another is sometimes caused by a lack of coordination or relationship between the LC V Chairpersons, Speakers, and the Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs). Those three have become a big problem in our districts. Therefore, once the chairperson is not working well with the CAO, he or she tries to ensure that the CAO is removed from the district, and the same with the Speaker. In some of the districts, even the District Service Commissions have failed to operate because of these three human resource persons. For example, in Masindi, most of the money is now being returned to the Consolidated Fund because the District Service Commission has failed to operate. Number two is the ban on recruitment. It is not only a ban on recruitment, it is also a ban on promotion. As you know, we are now having graduation at Makerere University. The lecturers cannot move from one level to another because there is no Wage Bill. Even if you publish many articles, you will not be promoted. As a result, Makerere is losing several academics to not only universities within Uganda, but also outside. Unless we change that, we are likely to lose this human resource that we have trained for such a long time because of the ban on not only recruitment, but promotion as well. I beg to submit.

Madam Speaker, I designate the following to the Committee on Appointments: 1. Hon. Irene Muloni – Bulambuli; 2. Hon. Sarah Najjuma – Nakaseke; 3. Hon. Anthony Okullo Jalon Aabuka – Lamwo; 4. Hon. Betty Awor Engola – Apac; 5. Hon. Clare Mugumya – Isingiro; 6. Hon. Florence Asiimwe – Masindi; 7. Hon. Arinaitwe Rwakajara - Workers’ Representative; 8. Hon. Ferigo Kambale - Kasese Municipality; 9. Hon. David Kabanda - Kasambya County;

I would like to justify the loan as follows. The implementation of the project will contribute directly to the National Development Plan III key result areas of increasing the stock of transport infrastructure, reducing freight transportation costs and travel time. The upgrading of the national roads project is part of Uganda’s National Roads Network and will involve: 1. The upgrading of Katine-Ochero Road (70kilometres); 2. The construction of Masindi Port Bridge; and 3. The upgrading of Kyenjojo (Kihura)-Bwizi- Rwamwanja-Kahunge (68kilometres) and Mpara-Bwizi (37 kilometres). Madam Speaker, you can notice that Hon. Frank is happy about this project. The Katine- Ochero Road is currently gravel and does not provide a reliable and an efficient all-weather link. This reduces the number of people who travel to the project-influence areas. The traffic levels on the road cause fast deterioration of the unpaved surface resulting into increased costs of maintaining the road in a motorable state. At the Masindi Port Bridge, the existing ferry that facilitates crossing Victoria Nile to connect Rwenkunye-Masindi Port section to Kungu- Apac section is old with insufficient capacity to carry the ever-increasing traffic. The Kyenjojo (Kihura)-Bwizi-Rwamwanja- Kahunge and Mpara-Bwizi Road is characterised by surface corrugations, inadequate drainage, poor alignment and a total carriageway width that varies between five to six metres. Madam Speaker, the third National Development Plan identifies “access to and efficiency of transport infrastructure” as critical to Uganda’s competitiveness and the country’s ability to harness its regional and globalisation potential. Transport infrastructure is noted as a key component contributing to the NDP III goal of increased household incomes and quality of life by linking growth opportunities in key development sectors of agriculture, tourism and minerals, which facilitate national and international integration, and supports job creation and poverty alleviation. The proposed improved road infrastructure is expected to trigger rapid socio-economic development and transformation of communities living within the project-impact zone. The selected roads are prioritised for implementation during the third National Development Plan under the Integrated Infrastructure and Services Programme. The proposed date is consistent with the existing national vision, public debt management framework and the third development plan. The terms and conditions of borrowing are as follows: i) Loan amount - $295 million; ii) The loan period is 20 years, including a grace period of five years; and iii) The effective interest rate is 4.75 per cent. Madam Speaker, we have another component of $30 million and its terms are as follows: the loan period is 20 years, including a grace period of five years and the interest rate is at 2 per cent. Madam Speaker, with this justification, we presented the loan to the committee and they looked at it. With your guidance, the committee can take us through the details of what they saw in our proposal. Thank you.

11329 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2023 The OPEC Fund is expected to offer $30 million through a parallel financing and this will be dedicated to the Katine-Ochero section. The Government of Uganda is expected to provide $22 million in land acquisition. Therefore, that is counterpart funding. Economic returns on the project The project positive net present value averaging $41.65 million with economic rates of returns for upgrading Katine-Ochero Road, construction of Masindi Port Bridge and upgrading of the Kihura–Bwizi–Rwamwanja- Kahunge is at 17.4 per cent and 15.7 per cent in addition to 20.8 per cent, respectively. Since the internal rate of return is higher than Uganda’s economic opportunity cost of capital at 11 per cent, it is an indication that the project is economically viable and impactful to the entire country, with both indirect and direct benefits. According to the Ministry of Works and Transport, the funding requirements for the proposed interventions in the country, as far as the status of roads is concerned, amounts to Shs 580 billion; the bad roads. These requirements are categorised in the following entities: National Road Network - Shs 64 billion; DUCAR (DLGs and UCs) - Shs 429.8 billion; Ministry of Works (in terms of emergency response items for culverts, gabions, bailey bridges) - Shs 50.7 billion; and KCCA road network - Shs 35 billion. That is under observation. The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should, as a matter of urgency, find money to cater for emergency repairs of the roads in the country. Grace period of the financing The committee observed that the Islamic Development Bank Draft Instalment Sale Financing Framework Agreement defines the payment period as being the period of 15 years, starting from the end of the gestation period, provided that the period from the first disbursement date up to the last payment date shall not exceed 20 years. The gestation period provided for under Article 2 of the framework agreement is five years from the first disbursement date. The committee noted that the brief to Parliament by the Minister of Finance, Planning and the Economic Development indicated a grace period of four years, contrary to the provision in the financing agreement. The committee recommends that the grace period be maintained at five years, similar to the gestation period provided for under Article 2 of the Draft Instalment Sale Financing Framework Agreement. This should be maintained in the financing agreement. Risk Premium of the Financing Agreement The committee observed that the Draft Instalment Sale Financing Framework Agreement provides for a risk premium as compensation for market risk assumed by the Islamic Republic Bank in refinancing prevailing at the time of disbursement. Such prevailing spread would be fixed for the relevant disbursement to be calculated for the remaining financing tenure. The committee also noted that the risk premium was subject to semi-annual update by the bank to reflect changes in the market condition. The committee observed that whereas the Minister of Finance’s brief to Parliament indicated the risk premium being 0.5 per cent, the Draft Instalment Sale Financing Framework Agreement provided for the prevailing risk premium to be 0.7 percent. The committee notes that higher risk premium reduces the grant element of the financing from the Islamic Development Bank and increases the debt servicing cost of this facility. Additionally, updates made to the risk premium complicate the computation of the

11335 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2023 The Kampala-Jinja Express Highway (KJE) was at procurement stage seven years after the project started and by June 2022, it had attracted commission fees amounting to Shs 3 billion according to the Auditor-General’s Report for the Financial Year ending June 2022 and between July and December 2022, Shs 1.1 billion was spent on commission fees. The committee was informed that the delay in the implementation is partly attributed to the Cabinet and Parliament’s loan approval conditions that delayed the project by 18 months, as well as delayed procurement of the project implementation unit due to lack of readily available skills in the region. The committee recommends that UNRA should ensure that externally financed projects are only secured - we reiterated the earlier recommendation. Further, for the Government of Uganda projects, UNRA should ensure the timely implementation to create the much-needed fiscal space that shall be required in two years, now that this loan has to be cleared within two years after implementation. The Whistle-blowers’ Protection Act, 2010 should be amended to provide for timeliness of procurement-related complaints as it is in the PPDA Act. We mentioned earlier the issue of inadequate counterpart funding. The committee observed that the budget for land acquisition under this project, is not enough. Some projects had to stall as contractors had to wait for when the sections of the road would be acquired so as to access full possession of the site. For instance, civil works for Kigumba-Bulima, under the Kigumba-Masindi-Hoima-Kabwoya Road Project, commenced works a year after contract signature due to lack of adequate right of way, which was attributed to inadequate funding for land acquisition. The committee recommends that the budget for land acquisition under UNRA should be enhanced to ensure the smooth implementation of various projects with Government commitments. In addition, UNRA should prioritise counterpart funding for this project under the land acquisition project to ensure its timely implementation, leaving no room for blame on Government for any delays. Currency breakdown of pre-financed projects The committee recommends that UNRA should consider negotiating for better currency breakdown in the various contracts – because, Madam Speaker, the breakdown was 80 per cent US dollars and 20 per cent Uganda Shillings – so as to minimise on the foreign exchange risk associated with foreign currency to preferably, a ratio of 50:50. In conclusion, the committee recommends that the proposal to pre-finance the reconstruction of Masaka-Mutukula Road (89.5kilometres) and rehabilitation of Nyendo-Villa Maria (11kilometres); the upgrading of 3.5 kilometres access road to Uganda People’s Defence Forces barracks in Masaka, 3.5kilometres access road to Masaka Industrial Park; and an additional scope of 28.5kilometres for Kikagati-Kafunzo Road at a total cost of Shs 691,680,000,000, be approved subject to the observations and recommendations herein. Madam Speaker, I beg to move.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise on a matter concerning the 50-kilometre section of the Masindi-Biiso road, which has taken more than four years to be completed. Currently, there is a section at kilometre 14 to kilometre 23 which goes through Kabango Town Council. It is very impossible and has affected business between Masindi and Buliisa. On the same road, 10 per cent of the section has not been acquired in terms of right of way and this is going to extend the construction period of the road. This delay might also cause us losses as a Government in terms of expenses incurred. Currently, the work is at near standstill as workers on that road have almost laid down their tools. My prayer is that Government, through the Ministry of Works and Transport, together with its agency; Uganda National Roads Authority, undertake to expedite the completion of that road and urgently attend to that section that goes through Kabango Town Council, which has caused business to come to a standstill. I submit.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Between July and August 2023, the Uganda National Oil Company Limited invited applications for undergraduate scholarship programmes for students who had obtained admission from a number of universities. According to this company, this was part of the initiative to support the oil districts. The idea was that this would be in the interest of promoting national participation. However, Mr Speaker, the call to this application was restricted to the districts of Hoima, Masindi and Buliisa. I do not have a problem with those districts benefiting, but Mr Speaker, you are aware that Nwoya District is one of the oil districts and it is actually considered the district with the largest deposit of oil and gas. Nwoya has three known oil wells and those are Lyec, Jobi and Jobi East. Unfortunately, Nwoya District has never been considered in any of the programmes as far as support to oil districts is concerned. Mr Speaker, it is, therefore, my prayer that the Prime Minister calls UNOC to order so that they begin to treat all the oil districts equally. The question of equity is key. Secondly, I think there is need for the Rt Hon. Prime Minister to have discussions with leaders from the oil districts and that should include Nwoya and any other district that is involved in oil and gas. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would also like to thank the minister for the brief statement. What the majority of colleagues have said here has a bearing on what is happening at the borders. For me who represents a border constituency, and one of the main exit points and the main artery as far as imports and exports to this country are concerned, I share the views that colleagues have expressed. Maybe the minister only needs to harmonise. One thing we should take caution of strongly is the issue of standards. Many of our traders at the border still have challenges with standards. The ministry should come out clearly on how to support our people to cope with the requirements and interests of standards from across the border. What Hon. Ogwal has said is one of the things that our Kenyan brothers should take very seriously as part of what is expected to support the issue of standards. However, I would like to inform the House that the small traders are not doing well. We have a challenge that has affected our neighbours in Kenya arising from inflation. You are aware that the Kenyan Shilling exchange rate dropped from Shs 37 to Shs 25, which is a big margin. Therefore, the cost of doing business is not favourable for our small traders who go to Masindi and other places to buy maize. By the time they arrive at the border with the continuous drop in maize price and the unfavourable exchange rate, they start thinking of plan B. Hon. Musila, we do not smuggle; it is just cross border movement which may be beyond us. We only ensure that where there is demand and supply, some factors come into play and things move on. However, we need to get a lasting solution to this. Mr Speaker, you are aware that our Kenyan brothers have silos along the border. Whenever the prices drop drastically, the borders open and all the maize ends up in the silos. In Kenya, just across Malaba, about 200 metres from the border line, there are big silos. We should practice that too, on our side, now that the prices have started to drop. In the last Parliament, you may recall when the price of maize dropped to Shs 200. Our farmers and traders petitioned us. We requested the Government to build silos so that we could store maize in such circumstances. Nature has now helped us to determine these prices because it is raining. In Kenya and Uganda, the harvests will be very good. However, if Kenya does not buy our maize, it means that our price will drop. What is Government’s fallback position? We should be looking at not only short-term but medium- term and long-term solutions in order to support our farmers, traders and the business community at large. Therefore, the minister needs to interact with her colleagues. The Kenyans across are not going to be issued permits in the short run because they want to ensure that what they have is absorbed before they come to us when ours has got a problem at the border. We will continue to provide whatever we can at the border, but Government should play their role. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I join my honourable colleagues to thank the minister, who doubles as my friend. I am one of the maize farmers in Masindi, and Kenyan trucks used to pick our maize as a team. These truck drivers and our buyers told us that they had a challenge. They had been stopped from buying Ugandan maize. Now, when the minister says that there is no problem, I get confused. I beg, if possible, that you go deeper to find out what is happening in the Kenyan government.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Masindi-Pader-Acholibur Highway tarmacking was commissioned in 2020 by the President. However, up to date, Pader-Acholibur portion has not been worked on. Can the Prime Minister give a date of when that road will be worked on? Secondly, Mr Speaker, a unit of water in Uganda is currently at Shs 4,100 and taxed, 1.8 per cent. The National Water and Sewerage Corporation is demanding Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, Gulu main Prison, Uganda Police Force a total of Shs 4.2 billion. Gulu City alone is being demanded Shs 6.4 billion. Is it not high time that the Rt Hon. Prime Minister looks into the tariffs charged on water? Why should we pay highly for water?

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I appreciate the minister for the statement and I congratulate my colleague teachers because I am a teacher by profession; I practiced. We are going to celebrate World Teachers’ Day at a time when we have primary schools that have five teachers. You can imagine Primary One to Primary Seven with only five teachers and the teachers teaching in turns. “Let these ones first go and play as I teach others.” I would like to request the Ministry of Education and Sports to improve on the human resource in these primary schools. There is also a policy of having a primary school in every parish. I would like to assure you that in most of the parishes in Masindi, we do not have primary schools. In conclusion, we are going to celebrate World Teachers’ Day when the issue of the Students’ Loan Scheme is still hanging in balance. Most of our students did not make it on Government Scholarship and their parents do not have the money. The issue was discussed in the House and resolutions were made, but nothing materialised. I pray that the ministry equally works on the Students’ Loan Scheme. I thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise on a matter of urgent national importance regarding the fraudulent transfer of a land title in Buruuli namely Block 5, Plot 39 at Kayanja. It is 52.7 hectares in Nyangahya Division, Masindi Municipality, Masindi District. The land in question was, in the 1990s, offered by the local communities to the former National Teachers’ College, Masindi, which had hitherto operated on church land for educational purposes. In 2001, a land title was issued in the names of the Board of Governors, National Teachers’ College, Masindi. When this college was phased out by the Ministry of Education and Sports in 2005, the said land was one of the assets that was passed on to Kamurasi Primary Teachers’ College (PTC) in Masindi. The title was handed over to the Ministry of Education and Sports for formal transfer to the Board of Governors of Kamurasi PTC, Masindi. In the process of identifying land for the establishment of the proposed Bunyoro Public University, we were dismayed to discover that this land was fraudulently transferred to a one Magalies Distillers (U) Ltd with a letter of no objection written by a one, Mr Mwongyere Methodius, acting for the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Sports, on 21 August 2007. Madam Speaker, in his letter, he incorrectly indicated that His Excellency the President had recommended the investment by Magalies Distillers (U) Ltd to Masindi yet the President’s letter directed this investment to Ntungamo. Owing to this, the Mayor, Masindi Municipality, wrote a petition and he is in the gallery to see how I raise this matter. In the circumstances, my prayers are: 1. That this House causes an investigation into fraud to bring justice to the people who donated this land for educational purposes. 2. That this House directs the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry of Education and Sports to cancel the transfer of title to Magalies Distillers (U) Ltd and registers the land in the names of either Bunyoro Public University or Masindi Municipal Council. Madam Speaker, I beg your permission to lay a petition to the Minister of State –

10193 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2023 First of all, the Mayor of Masindi Municipality, you are most welcome to the Parliament of Uganda. I looked at the documents and there was a presidential directive to Ntungamo for land to be given. I do not know what happened but they instead gave land from Masindi, not from Ntungamo. That land was gazetted for the university - maybe the minister needs to find out what happened for the land belonging to the Ministry of Education and Sports to be transferred to an individual or to a company. I think that is not correct. Honourable Minister of Education and Sports, are you the one with the rota?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There is a lot to say if I were to speak about local governments because I was once a staff there. I could spend an entire day talking about them. First, we have 135 local governments, 10 cities, 31 municipalities, and KCCA totalling 176 local units. That is a lot. I thank the committee for the good work but there is more to be done. If we have only talked about 36, there are more left and a number of these issues cut across all local governments. I will talk about a few and leave my colleagues to comment because I have a lot in my head. (Laughter) The first is PDM. Honourable members, PDM is a good project. We are lucky to have a good minister like Hon. Magyezi who is very articulate and sincere, but I know PDM has challenges. I have been in the field to try and ascertain the amount received per parish. Colleagues, if we do not take local governments seriously, we will have no work because that is where we operate from. I have taken time and energy to find out how many parishes have received money. However, every time I talk to the production officers, they say, “Come tomorrow, come the other day.” I want to go to the community to read out the households that have received money - I am still on them and I was lucky to get that information from the municipalities. Every time I go to the community, I ask, “How many have received money?” They say, “We have not received any money.” For the Parish Development Model, let us go to the field and collect all the data. When you are in the village or parish, read out those households that have received money. My second issue is the micro-scale irrigation scheme. As you are aware, we have climate change issues. The report did not clearly tell us how much money was received under that project, how much was spent and how much was remitted back. I did not get the figure. My third issue is titling of land in local governments. Getting a land title in local governments is like trying to get water out of a stone. I have tried to title my land in Masindi, but the land officers - I do not know those people, but for every step you take, you have to give them money. If you expect local governments to get their land titles when there is no money - those people will just sit on the papers. There are so many pieces of local government land with no land titles. The lands officers are just sleeping on their jobs. I do not know what we are going to do, Hon. Magyezi and Hon. Nabakooba. Help us because we cannot allow -

9763 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 15 AUGUST 2023 I beg to state with clarity and humility that it would be important for us to accept to be inconvenienced for a while in order to give the operators time to service the machines or to repair, other than hearing of another accident on water. I pray that, honourable colleague. The Uganda National Roads Authority has been generously communicating almost to all ferry points. Recently, we had one of Masindi Port where they also closed for some time in order to allow for routine maintenance. Kindly accept, with humility, to be inconvenienced for a while such that the machine can come back well serviced. Thank you.

9703 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 19 JULY 2023 Gender, Labour and Social Development that is responsible for these children. We all have a stake in looking after them. It all comes to one thing - that we go back to parenting and valuing our families. If this is done, to assure you, we shall empty all these remand homes and all the streets, not only the streets of Kampala but all the streets in all the trading centres. Madam Speaker, I will address some of the issues that were mentioned in brief. On the issues of dilapidated structures and not having food, the budget we have does not allow us to do any developments. We are only given money for food and it is the same money that we use to transport these children to Court. In case a court session has not taken place, we bring them back. The whole financial year, we were given only Shs 640 million. That means that every quarter, we have to spend Shs 160 million to feed the children, transport them to Court and back. I would like to explain the number of remand homes that we have. Most of you are asking to know them. I do not think that is a solution. We have a Naguru Reception Centre for those – I am just giving information so that Members can know. We have Gulu, Arua and Mbale remand homes. Fort Portal, Masindi, Kabale remand homes and Kampiringisa National Rehabilitation Centre. (Interjections) I will give you the clarification. Just hold on. We have nine remand homes and one national rehabilitation centre. We have one, which is under construction in Moroto, not yet complete. My sister, Hon. Connie, raised the issue of Mbale being congested and having no food because of the budget constraints, which you all know. We are the ones who pass the budget. Mbale serves the whole region in Eastern Uganda. Originally, when they were building Mbale Remand Home, they hoped that it would serve around 60 inmates. However, right now, we have more than 200 children in these homes. After the completion of Moroto, the congestion will reduce. Madam Speaker, the issue of child marriages or teenage pregnancies is something we sometimes sugar-coat. This is defilement but where are these men who are doing this? Surprisingly, I do not know whether you expect the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to go and search for these men who are doing this. If the parents do not come out and the girls do not report – surprisingly, even those who go to report, there is a way the system just plays around it and the cases “die” along the way.

What we found was that police had started the issue of regulating and testing boda bodas and they were moving from one region to another. They have been in Masindi. Now, they are in Gulu and they are moving to other areas. That is why we did not put it there.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am going to talk about two issues. I stand here to support the motion on the clear and precise exposition of the Government policy contained in the State-of-the-Nation Address to Parliament by His Excellency the President. Indeed, he was very articulate. One of the issues was the PDM. I have just been in the field. In Masindi for example, Shs 100 million has been received by the parishes. I have just been there and they have given me the data –(Interjections)- Members you have to liaise with the CDOs, and production officers. Some of you do not go back to your constituencies to get the data.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am going to talk about two issues. I stand here to support the motion on the clear and precise exposition of the Government policy contained in the State-of-the-Nation Address to Parliament by His Excellency the President. Indeed, he was very articulate. One of the issues was the PDM. I have just been in the field. In Masindi for example, Shs 100 million has been received by the parishes. I have just been there and they have given me the data –(Interjections)- Members you have to liaise with the CDOs, and production officers. Some of you do not go back to your constituencies to get the data.

9217 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 22 JUNE 2023 I have organised a small map there, but you can see – (Laughter) We are showing only that part around the Rwenzori from Kibale National Park down up to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Edward and when you enter Congo, we are showing from Bulibo through Virunga National Park, Kasindi, Mpondwe - We had this problem in Mpondwe and I am going to talk about it. You will know about Butembo, Butwe and Beni and those mountains after Rwenzori National Park. Madam Speaker, the ADF is mostly in the northern parts of the road from Kasindi to Beni. You can see Kasindi and Beni on the north- west. Kasindi is in the middle near Mpondwe and then Beni. The northern parts of that road and south of the road are occupied by UPDF and where the UPDF is operating from, life has come back to normal with the population settling back to economic production. For example, they have gone back to cocoa and coffee farming, shops are open and schools are running. All the shops, if I have to volunteer some information, are full of Ugandan goods. When you go to all these towns from Beni, Bunia, Masindi – but that is something else. In the DRC, where Congo allowed us to operate, the ADF could not go to camp there; they only remained in small groups. I used a Luganda word - bukunkumuka – When you have dry cow dung and you remove the lump, what remains is little. These remaining bukunkumuka; small, scattered remnants that cannot attack barracks and police stations - But why do they attack civilians and schools, killing innocent people? We are very sure that they do this: 1. To give themselves publicity. 2. To make the world know that they are still there. 3. To detract us (UPDF) back from attacking them in Congo in their main camps. We have denied them space locally, but we also need to finish them from their perennial hideouts in Congo and this country should not remain in this panic forever. What the ADF is doing is not a sign of strength, but of weakness. Otherwise, why don’t they attack military and police barracks or ambush army vehicles? As you know, Madam Speaker, when you burn a log, even the ash that we call evvu in Luganda, can get into your eyes and cause pain. The bukunkumuka should be wiped out or evvu well swept because all these can cause damage. They tried this in Ntoroko on 13 December 2022 and they were planning to do exactly what they did to this school recently. They were 51 when they attacked; out of the 51, 26 were put out of action. (Interjection) Yes, we counted them. When fighting, you are not blind. We counted them and 26 were put out of action and their bodies remained there. The remaining 25 were captured and we have them in prison. When we capture them, we do not kill them; we put them in prison. This was a bigger and well-armed group than that one of Lhubiriha, the recent Kasese group, which were less than 10 terrorists. We are carrying out investigations to establish and get answers to some pertinent questions, which everyone, including honourable Members, are asking: 1. Why didn’t people, both security and civilians, see them? 2. Why were there no identification or suspicion of new or strange faces? All these will be answered by all the investigations that are going on and the findings will avail these answers. We have already removed the logs, but we now need to remove the ash. Regarding this instant case, on 16 June 2023, at around 2300 hours (11.00 p.m.), suspected ADF rebels, numbering between five to 10, attacked Peter Hunter Secondary School, Nyabigando also known as Lhubiriha Mpondwe Secondary School in Kasese District. Following the attack, 37 students, one security guard who challenged the attackers and four other civilians were killed. That made it 41 lives lost, but we have

9095 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 24 MAY 2023 3. Wildlife conservation, especially of Mgahinga, Lake Mburo, Semliki, Kibale, Murchison, Kidepo, Katonga, Tooro- Semliki, and Queen Elizabeth; 4. Preventing the conflict between wildlife and human activities; 5. Enhancing digital destination marketing, using modern ICT online technologies; 6. Strengthening enforcement and adherence to tourism standards through a strict licensing regime for service providers in the sector. Achievements Tourism directly employs a total of 1.5 million people in Uganda along the entire tourism value chain and contributes 6.7 per cent of the country’s GDP. In the year 2022, Uganda’s national parks hosted 367,000 visitors, surpassing the pre- COVID-19 levels of 323,000 visitors recorded in the year 2019. Sixty-three per cent of these were domestic tourists. So, Ugandans are getting richer; the middle class are now visiting our national parks. I congratulate you. Mukulike obwavu, atte namwe mweyagaleko. Although the coronavirus stopped people from outside from coming to the country, the figure here shows that arrivals into the national parks went up and the main reason was because of the Ugandans who were going to the national parks. In the year 2022, Uganda’s national parks hosted 367,000 instead of 323,000, and this is in spite of the coronavirus. Why? It is because 63 per cent were the rich Ugandans, who were moving around the country, even during the coronavirus time. The international visitor arrivals increased to 815,000 in 2022 up from 473,000 in the year 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there is recovery, the performance is still lower than the 1.5 million tourists recorded in 2019. Full recovery is expected in the year 2025. Leisure and holiday visitors stayed longer (11 nights) in 2022 compared to 7.6 nights in 2019, and spent higher daily at US$ 172 per night compared to US$ 168 per night in 2019. The wildlife populations for most animals have increased. For example, the number of elephants increased from 5,700 in 2011 to 8,000 now, while the buffalos increased from about 36,000 to over 44,000 during the same period. Mountain gorillas in Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area have steadily increased over time from just 200 in the 1990s to about 459 now. Infrastructure Development The total national road network now stands at 21,000 kilometres of roads, of which 6,000, which is 29.6 per cent is tarmac; paved. Although the construction of bituminous roads started more than 60 years ago, more than half of the paved network has been constructed to bitumen standards within the last 15 years. The Government continues to implement 16 projects to upgrade over 892 kilometres of national roads to paved bituminous standards while at the same time rehabilitating 300 kilometres to restore their service life. Construction of the following roads has been completed, adding 351 kilometres to the paved network: i. Critical oil roads through the towns of Buhimba - Nalweyo - Bulamagi - Igayaza - Kakumiro (93 kilometres); ii. Masindi - Biiso, Hohwa – Nyairongo - Kyarusheesha - Butoole and Kabale - Kiziranfumbi roads (78 kilometres); iii. Rukungiri - Kihihi - Ishasha/Kanungu (97 kilometres); iv. Kapchorwa - Suam Road (73 kilometres); v. Kitala - Gerenge (10 Kilometres);

9101 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 24 MAY 2023 In the cattle corridor - the Members of Parliament were there the other day - you saw people with nice houses in Goma and income, even when the infrastructure is not there. You saw the very bad road, but the people have income. Therefore, every leader calling himself a leader - even these religious leaders, the cultural leaders like these who are here – Please, if you do not see the importance of metamorphosis - metamorphosis is a biological process in insects. An insect starts as an egg, the egg hatches and it becomes a caterpillar; the caterpillar changes and then becomes a pupa; then, it becomes a mature butterfly. In biology, it is called “metamorphosis.” That is the same thing with society. We must be clear that we work for social metamorphosis of African societies because that is where the problem is. The middle class women who live in the town here do not carry children on their back -(Laughter) Mama Janet has never carried children on her back. Even when we were in exile, we were pushing our children in these small “ wheelbarrows” -(Laughter). You have got a few people where the children are being pushed in those small - whatever they are - those motor vehicles. They have piped water and use gas cookers and electric cookers. Then, you have your people blowing into the fire -(Laughter)- this is not acceptable. It is a betrayal and we say that we are leaders, “Your Excellency, right honourable…” (Laughter ) You cannot have peasants producing younger peasants on increasingly fragmented agricultural plots and think that you are not an enemy of your country, if as a leader, you do not see this and combat it. You should not be leaders into futurelessness to our people. You can see, in Latin America, people are running away. They walk on foot to go to America and yet Latin America is one of the richest parts of the world in terms of natural resources, but the problem is the leadership. In the United States of America, they had leaders who could think about how to transform their country while in South America, they are busy with other things. Africa should not be like that. Education I am about to conclude; so, do not worry. I have another 10 pages or something -(Laughter)- because you are the ones who invited me. The NRM Government introduced UPE and USE programmes in order to ensure that no child of school-going age misses out on schooling, on account of school fees. These programmes were created to provide free education, especially for the poor families that cannot afford to pay the school fees. It is, therefore, unacceptable for school authorities to demand fees from the poor parents. The Government will not tolerate this practice. Education must be totally free in Government schools. The local leaders must enforce this when we give them renewed orders after an internal review, to find out the obstacles hitherto. We are going to review and issue fresh orders. Once these fresh orders are given, please, I do not expect any deviation from what we shall tell you to do. The literacy rate is currently 76 per cent while overall, school enrolment is at 85 per cent. The demand for free primary and secondary education has increased significantly, which is overwhelming the current education infrastructure. Part of the problem is that private schools have increased school fees, making Government schools more attractive. To meet the increase in demand for free education, the Government is now rehabilitating the primary schools and the traditional Government secondary schools. These include 18 secondary schools such as: 1. St Peter’s College, Tororo; 2. St Henry’s College, Masaka; 3. Mvara Secondary School, Arua; 4. Nabisunsa Girls’ Secondary School Kampala; 5. Kabalega Secondary School, Masindi;

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Yes, the issue of Katonga is a concern because this is our main trunk road; it manages not only internal trade, but also external trade. We have already put a contractor on site; China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The contractor who did the Nambigirwa Bridge on the expressway is the same contractor who has done the Paraa Bridge connecting Masindi to Nwoya. It is also the same contractor who has done Lugogo Bridge in Luwero. We are sure of his capacity and competence and we have instructed him to do this in three phases namely: phase one will create an avenue to enable small vehicles, boda bodas and pedestrians to move. That is his first priority. As he does that, he will also create a bypass. We will also undertake a full redesigning of the bridge so that we have a more resilient bridge for that position. That is for the main road. For the Kabulasoke-Kalungu part, we have another contractor; a local one. Of course, he is still challenged with the volume of water in that section because Kyoga overflowed and as a result, Katonga was affected. The contractor is assessing how much can be started and done but please, appreciate that this is not a culvert crossing; it is a bridge. On Matete-Ssembabule road, there is contractor on that section – (Interruption)

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_)

Why don’t we listen to the whole list? You said we should read the list and we are reading it. Honourable members, listen to the figures. I do not think any of these Members will take this money into their pockets. 30) Vote 720: Masindi Municipal Council – Shs 11,172,470,000 31) Vote 721: Mityana Municipal Council – Shs 10,365,633,000 32) Vote 722: Moroto Municipal Council – Shs 5,143,627,000 33) Vote 723: Mubende Municipal Council – Shs 10,465,947,000 34) Vote 724: Mukono Municipal Council – Shs 19,829,177,000 35) Vote 725: Nansana Municipal Council – Shs 24,351,761,000 36) Vote 726: Nebbi Municipal Council – Shs 6,907,898,000 37) Vote 727: Njeru Municipal Council – Shs 13,394,572,000 38) Vote 728: Ntungamo Municipal Council – Shs 4,845,867,000 39) Vote 729: Rukungiri Municipal Council – Shs 9,415,996,000 40) Vote 730: Sheema Municipal Council – Shs 14,106,079,000 41) Vote 731: Tororo Municipal Council – Shs 9,365,323,000 42) Vote 801: Abim District – Shs 18,295,895,000 43) Vote 802: Adjumani District – Shs 31,965,889,000 44) Vote 803: Agago District – Shs 31,061,514,000 45) Vote 804: Alebtong District – Shs 23,689,489,000 46) Vote 805: Amolatar District – Shs 19,357,798,000 47) Vote 806: Amudat District – Shs 10,632,904,000 48) Vote 807: Amuria District – Shs 22,290,290,000 49) Vote 808: Amuru District - Shs 22,428,999,000 50) Vote 809: Apac District – Shs 20,739,922,000 51) Vote 810: Arua District – Shs 16,085,370,000 52) Vote 811: Budaka District – Shs 25,157,873,000 53) Vote 812: Bududa District – Shs 26,411,933,000 54) Vote 813: Bugiri District – Shs 34,828,388,000 55) Vote 814: Bugweri District – Shs 19,367,086,000 56) Vote 815: Buhweju District – Shs 15,085,933,000 57) Vote 816: Buikwe District – Shs 24,383,139,000 58) Vote 817: Bukedea District – Shs 26,466,423,000 59) Vote 818: Bukomansimbi District – Shs 18,428,274,000

8754 BUDGETARY PROPOSALS & ESTIMATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023/2024 60) Vote 819: Bukwo District – Shs 22,102,420,000 61) Vote 820: Bulambuli District – Shs 22,999,426,000 62) Vote 821: Buliisa District – Shs 14,874,929,000 63) Vote 822: Bundibugyo District – Shs 33,203,487,000 64) Vote 823: Bunyangabu District - Shs 19,891,642,000 65) Vote 824: Bushenyi District – Shs 28,896,953,000 66) Votes 825: Busia District - Shs 32,967,494,000 67) Votes 826: Butaleja District - Shs 33,927,473,000 68) Vote 827: Butambala District – Shs 23,446,766,000 69) Vote 828: Butebo District - Shs 16,607,616,000 70) Vote 829: Buvuma District – Shs 13,321,617,000 71) Vote 830: Buyende District – Shs 22,651,177,000 72) Vote 831: Dokolo District – Shs 21,223,707,000 73) Vote 832: Gomba District – Shs 21,231,932,000\ 74) Vote 720: Masindi Municipal Council – Shs 11,172,470,000 75) Vote 721: Mityana Municipal Council – Shs 10,365,633,000 76) Vote 722: Moroto Municipal Council – Shs 5,143,627,000 77) Vote 723: Mubende Municipal Council – Shs 10,465,947,000 78) Vote 724: Mukono Municipal Council – Shs 19,829,177,000 79) Vote 725: Nansana Municipal Council – Shs 24,351,761,000 80) Vote 726: Nebbi Municipal Council – Shs 6,907,898,000 81) Vote 727: Njeru Municipal Council – Shs 13,394,572,000 82) Vote 728: Ntungamo Municipal Council – Shs 4,845,867,000 83) Vote 729: Rukungiri Municipal Council – Shs 9,415,996,000 84) Vote 730: Sheema Municipal Council – Shs 14,106,079,000 85) Vote 731: Tororo Municipal Council – Shs 9,365,323,000 86) Vote 801: Abim District – Shs 18,295,895,000 87) Vote 802: Adjumani District – Shs 31,965,889,000 88) Vote 803: Agago District – Shs 31,061,514,000 89) Vote 804: Alebtong District – Shs 23,689,489,000 90) Vote 805: Amolatar District – Shs 19,357,798,000 91) Vote 806: Amudat District – Shs 10,632,904,000 92) Vote 807: Amuria District – Shs 22,290,290,000 93) Vote 808: Amuru District - Shs 22,428,999,000

Is the motion seconded? (Members rose _) Okay, it is seconded by the Minister of State for Bunyoro Affairs, Hajjat, Hon. Obigah, the honourable Member for Ntoroko, Hon. Avur, the Member for Army, Rose, Hon. Odur Jonathan, Hon. Aogan, Budu, Nsereko –(Laughter) - Wilson, Zombo, Xavier – okay, seconded by the Whole House and the honourable Woman Member for Masindi; also known as the Queen Dancer. (Laughter) Would you like to speak to your Bill?

The commlttcc observes that thc council expenence hugc budget cuts w'lth their budgct for FY2O23|24 rcductng by 640/o compared to FY2O22 /23 from UShs 4?.tbn to an allocation of l?.387ba n fY2O23124, this budget cut is hkcly to affect a numbcr of planned activities under the Council such as preparatlonr quahficatrons and participation of Team Uganda in the 2O23 All Africa Games in Accra Ghana and thc 2O24 Paris, France Olympic and Paralympic games a.rnong others The Council seeks an additional Uahr 3O.42 bn in order to Eupport 5l reglst-ered National Fcdcrations and other activlttcs. The Councrl requires a dcvclopment budgct of UEhr t4.OSbn for the rcfurbishment and renovatton of Sports facilities at Lugogo Sports Complex and UShe 2o2bn nceded to facrlitate the refurbishment of various National Stadra regionally; Akibua Olymprc Stadium (Lira), Buhinga (Fort Portal crty)' Kakycka (Mbarara), Barifa (Arua), Pece (Gulu). Bugembe /lGkindu(Jrnja), Mbale Municipal Stadium (Mbalcl, Masaka Recrcattonal Grounds (Masaka)\, Ihbale Stadium (Kabale), Soroti Stadium (Soroti), King George Stadium(Tororo), Hoima (Boma Cround) and Masindi Stadium. Recomma,'datlons The commlttce recp,mmcnd,s f,hd:t: i. MFPED rclrwtatea that [ntdgct' of lfi$fot rZ2(ngf24 b U$rts4?.abn ll. MPPBL cualls llES a dcr*lopmeat hrdgct ol UShs Sobrt to klck scaft thc dcoclopma,I.C ol ttt ,Ib rt clrlmplcx/rrrNrna at Lugogo atd U*hs 2O2bt tor the Nat"lolnal ,tadla rcglotallg la thc medlut,za tctlra. FUBLIC T'N'IVERIIITIESI Gcacrd Obrcnatioar ead rccornnctr&tlont af Uadontafllag rnd hlgh rtrtl turnovcr: The Commrttec obscrves that most Public Universities are grossly understalled, with stafflng levels as low as 3O7o in some Universities/Colleges especially the s1

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities for constructing a good road from Masindi to Karuma because it will promote tourism along Murchison Falls National Park. I would like to talk about the Uganda Tourism Board. We need to look at the way we are focusing our channel in terms of marketing Uganda’s tourism. Our neighbours in Rwanda charge each gorilla permits at $1,400. In Uganda, we charge half the price at $700. Despite the high charge, Rwanda gets more tourists visiting their gorillas at $1,400. Whereas in Uganda we have 12 gorilla families, which can be visited, in Rwanda, it is not the same. I think the approach that the Uganda Tourism Board is taking in marketing our tourism sites must improve. As Parliament, we need to increase funding to Uganda Tourism Board for marketing. Rwanda is doing that and is reaping the benefits. In Uganda, that has failed. The second point I would like to highlight is about the non-tax revenue that is being collected by the Uganda Tourism Board and the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. They have collected a lot of money and maybe that money will be used in other entities. I think that the entities, which collect more money through NTRs, should be allowed to utilise the money in order to cover some of the shortfalls. I rightly – (Member timed out.)

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.

7607 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 MARCH 2023 Comparing with our school studies of what had happened in Europe and North America, we started wondering why there was no similar socio-economic transformation in Africa, starting with Uganda. We soon found out, through analysis, that indeed Uganda’s society can change through two routes. These are: universal free education for all Ugandan children, and all families joining the money economy. I am glad the women came to Kiruhura District and I was able to show them how the pastoralists, in that whole huge area of: Isingiro, Kashari, Kiruhura, Kazo, Lyantonde, parts of Rakai, Ssembabule, Gomba, Kyegegwa, parts of Mubende, what we call Kiyoonga, Kiboga (Ddwaniro), Kyankwanzi, Ngoma- Wakyato, Buruuli (Nakasongola), Masindi, etc. had partially undergone socio-economic transformation by stopping nomadism, adopting dairy farming for cash and sending children to school at their cost. I would like to discuss that partial success with the NRM caucus for us to harmonise our thinking. I want to call a special meeting of the NRM caucus - because I do not want to continue talking as if I am begging people to come and cultivate my garden when I am engaging Ugandan leaders to see how to rescue their people from poverty. It is not correct that we should go on like I am begging people to do something for me, when we need to do this for our people. I call the success in the cattle corridor “partial” because elements in the society still have irrational practices, carried on from tradition, that negate progress; what we call reactionary, reacting negatively, vis-a-vis positive progress. These are the practices of fragmenting land on inheritance and depending on only nature to provide the pasture yet it is more reliable if we grow the pasture. Once I had that partial success by 1995, I went to the whole country and gave all the message of transformation. However, like the Jews, many people are either not bothered or are waiting for another Messiah even when the message is clear and verifiable. Verifiable, how? Visit the cattle corridor that used to be wilderness, ( engaando countryside like Acacia hohii), which is now an area of semi-modern farms, producing millions of litres of milk per day for the local markets and for export. The exports have hit $106 million per year. Algeria is going to also buy our powdered milk worth $150 million. If this area could transform, so could the others. In the manifesto of 1996, we put forward the four-acre model of coffee, fruits, pasture for zero-grazing dairy, food crop production, piggery and poultry in the backyard and fish farming near the wetlands. This was the medicine for the small holders. Those with bigger pieces of land were more flexible and could help the country grow and participate in producing products that needed large scale production to make economic sense that the country needed such as cotton, maize, sugarcane and ranching for beef. In terms of funding, the latter group would be supported by the Uganda Development Bank. It is the four-acre model group that I decided needed grants or soft loans direct from Government. We started with Entandikwa , Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture, this was all money put aside for this purpose, the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), Operation Wealth Creation and now the Parish Development Model. These efforts were for agriculture. With the non-agricultural or broad-spectrum activities, we have put in place the following: the women fund, the Youth Fund, microfinance and now recently, “Emyooga”. With all the pre-Parish Development Model funds, the modes were that Government officials were the ones selecting the

Thank you. Colleagues, this issue is not unique to Masindi; it is also in some places. For example, in my constituency, the Ministry of Works and

6971 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 24 JANUARY 2023 the new recruits. Many times, I have seen in Masindi that the new recruits are carried or dispatched at night – maybe it is a professional standard. They never leave the recruitment centre during daytime. This time round, I was at the recruitment centre. I saw what was happening and how they gave flimsy excuses to eliminate the people. Even the next morning, a young girl rushed to my home – because at night, they started replacing the successful people with others. Therefore, they selected the team and grouped them somewhere – those who thought they were successful – but at night, they came with vehicles and kept on pushing and replacing people. This young girl was also left out. Mr Speaker, I would like to recommend that for this recruitment to be serious, professional and official, when they select a team, let the CAO remain with the list of those that have been dispatched so that we can verify in case of any complaint. Otherwise, the leaders who are there during the day, go satisfied that the process has been fair and yet at the end, people come out crying that they were replaced. Finally, I want to speak about the issue of the LCs. This influence peddling begins right from the LCs. I want to agree that most of those people who were taken had relatives already in the UPDF. You know, these LC chairpersons are not firm enough. They are influenced by these officers to recommend their people. They come with valid recommendation letters from the LCs not that they are forged because many of them cannot assert their authority as LCs. After all, a small appreciation motivates them to stamp the recommendation letter. Mr Speaker, I also agree - but what is important is that at dispatch, let the CAO remain with a list of those who have succeeded. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The report came out with one key issue of delayed compensation of PAPs affecting land acquisition. A case in point is the Masindi-Biso road, a 48 kilometre road, which was supposed to be completed this year. A lot of PAPs have not been paid, especially sugarcane growers. When we wrote to UNRA, they wrote back by saying that they do not have commercial value for sugarcane crops. This has delayed compensation and at the end of the day, the road works are going to take longer than expected, hence causing financial loss to the Government of Uganda. I beg to submit.

6739 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA FRIDAY, 6 JANUARY 2023 The audit report noted that the said amount was charged on items, which did not reflect the nature of the expenditure. Misclassification of expenditure impacts on the credibility of the financial statements since the figures reported therein do not reflect the true amount expended on the respective items. It also impairs appropriateness of the future budget since the reported actual figures are misstated. To save time, I will go straight to the recommendations: i) The committee recommends that the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury holds the accounting officer personally liable for using wrong codes and contravening the Local Government Financial and Accounting Regulations. ii) The accounting officer should always respect the budget allocations and ceiling under the respective account codes. (4) Wrong recognition of deposit received during the financial year, amounting to Shs 269,970,000 I will take you straight to committee recommendations. Mr Speaker, the committee recommends that the Permanent Secretary/ Secretary to the Treasury should, at all times, notify accounting officers of any cash transfers or disbursements to enable them to update their respective financial statements. 2.0 Vote 774: Masindi Municipal Council (Qualified Opinion) Mr Speaker, I will take you to Vote No. 2, which is the second local government, which is qualified opinion, that is vote 774 and it is Masindi Municipal Council. Query 1.0 Unsupported advances recovered during the financial year The cash flow statement on page 13 reported Shs 120,400,000 as advances recovered during the financial year relating to the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP), and the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), which were not supported by detailed schedules and bank statements to confirm the authenticity of the figures reported in accounts. Mr Speaker, just to save time, I will take you straight to recommendations. We made observations there - Members can read through. The committee recommends that the accounting officer should ensure that reconciliation is carried out and up-to-date records of the schedules are made available to ease tracking of cash flows and recoveries. Mr Speaker, allow me now to take you, very quickly, to key findings in local governments, and that is, under general and crosscutting issues that falls under. 3.1 Budget performance for Financial Year 2020/2021. The committee has considered the audit reports for 60 local governments for the financial year as mentioned. For these entities, Parliament appropriated a total sum of Shs 2,096 billion, which is equivalent to about 50.5 per cent of the total allocation of Shs 4,148,58 billion of the total funds appropriated for all local governments in that year. These local governments were released a total sum of Shs 1,731,743 billion, representing 83 per cent of the budget approved. Further, the entities were able to expend a total of Shs 1,502,472 billion, which is 87 per cent of the funds that were released to them. In this regard, Shs 229,271 billion was returned to the Consolidated Fund. (i) Local government absorption capacity Based on the above, local governments were denied or not released a total of Shs 351 billion, and they failed to utilise a total of Shs 29.8 billion, which was returned to the Consolidated Fund.

Thank you, Hon. Mao. Honourable members, in the VIP Gallery this afternoon, we have Justice Sserunkuma Isaiah, the resident Judge of Masindi. You are most welcome. He has come to join us in paying tribute to Justice Rubby. Join me in welcoming him. Still in the public gallery, we have the family members and friends to the late Justice Aweri. Please, stand up and wave. You are all most welcome. This is your Parliament.

6671 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2022 needed for feeds, are kept. Currently, if you go to AgroWays in Jinja, Masindi Seed and Grain Growers Association in Masindi and Kigumba, there are raw materials, which can be used for making feeds but they are not being consumed. So, the information I am giving is that we should be spending money on building the capacity of more producers instead of supporting importation through Parliament. Thank you. (Laughter)

Can I know the status of that Bill? Two, a motion to withdraw a request to borrow €96,270,833 which was equivalent to $108 million from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to finance Masindi-Biso-Kabale. Can I know the status of that? Three, the report of the Supplementary Schedule No.1 of 2021 – the money that was provided for your ministry. Can we know what that supplementary did and how much it covered? The report on the National Budget Framework 2022/2023, 2026/2027 – how much was released to you, how much have you received and what has it done? Are we together, Hon. Fred? The report on the operations of Civil Aviation Authority - you saw what was in the papers and everywhere. Can we know the status? A report on the operations of Uganda Railways Corporation – can we know it? A report on the Ministerial Policy Statement and Budget Estimates for 2023/2024 on Physical Infrastructure sector – can we also know that, on top of what you are going to present? That is what I saw that you have left out. (Applause)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise on a matter of national importance concerning nomadic pastoralists who have invaded my district of Kiryandongo. Nomadic pastoralists, some of whom were chased away from northern Uganda and others from unknown areas have invaded Kiryandongo District in Masindi Port subcounty. Their animals frequently stray in people’s gardens. These pastoralists are very arrogant. On several occasions, they have beaten my voters when they try to arrest their animals. They are posing a very big security threat in the area. We have recorded increasing cases of cattle theft in Kiryandongo. Our local justice systems have failed to handle these cases whenever they are reported. Mr Speaker, I pray that the Minister of Internal Affairs intervenes in this matter as soon as possible. I also pray that the minister of agriculture considers vaccinating cattle in the neighbouring areas because our farmers are in fear that these animals could spread contagious diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease. I beg to report, Rt Hon. Speaker

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wish you a blessed birthday. I take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the minister upon the very first statement on the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence – coming from the recommendations I made here in the report on gender-based violence from the Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development. There are two things that I did not hear very well from colleagues. One of them is parenting. If we are going to continue, in this country, to have fathers and mothers who are not parents, we are going to keep with this problem. Madam Speaker, we visited the remand homes in this country. In Kampiringisa, there were 194 remandees, but only four were girls. In Fort Portal, we met 75 remandees and in Masindi, there were 55 remandees, but no girl. These are the boys who are expected to marry our children. Madam Speaker, if we do not take care of these boys and we think that because they do not get pregnant, they cannot get spoiled, we are not going to have responsible men heading homes. Therefore, this Government must invest very seriously in the boys, if we have to emancipate women. Secondly, Madam Speaker –

6348 In northern Uganda, we have Abim, Adjumani, Agago, Alebtong, Amolatar, Amudat, Amuru, Apac, Omoro, Arua, Dokolo, Gulu, Kaabong, Kitgum, Koboko, Kole, Kotido, Lamwo, Lira, Maracha, Moroto, Moyo, Nakapiripirit, Napak, Nebbi, Nwoya, Otuke, Oyam, Pader, Pakwach, Yumbe, Zombo, Obongi, Terego, Karenga, Kwania, Madi-Okollo, Nabilatuk, and Obongi. In Western Uganda, we have Buhweju, Buliisa, Bundibugyo, Bunyangabu, Bushenyi, Hoima, Ibanda, Isingiro, Ntungamo, Kabarole, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kasese, Kibale, Kiruhura, Kiryandongo, Kisoro, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Masindi, Mbarara, Mitooma, Ntoroko, Rubanda, Rubirizi, Rukiga, Rukungiri, Sheema, Kikuube, Kazo and Rwampara. Madam Speaker, those are the areas that will be covered by the project.

They have no details on the transactions of the transfer of land titles. My prayer is that the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development should cancel the land title in the name of Kashambogo Group, which is claiming ownership of the land in question. The ministry is also asked to halt all activities of this group on this land until the matter is resolved. Further, Government, through the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development should survey and demarcate the land such that it issues land titles to the occupants of the land, who by law, are bonafide owners in Bugangaizi East to avoid conflict. Government should embark on the process to compensate all genuine absentee landlords to end conflict on this land. Lastly, the Office of the Attorney-General should take on and defend all cases in Masindi High Court that were filed by the absentee landlords against the occupants in Bungagaizi East. I beg to submit.

6127 THE E L E V E N TH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 8 N OVEMBER 2022 THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL INDUSTRY AND FISHERIES (ANIMAL INDUSTRY) (Lt Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama): Madam Speaker, on behalf of Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, I wish to respond to the questions raised about the status and the actions of Government in controlling animal disease, specifically the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). We have uploaded this report on the intranet. We have an introduction where we are talking about how FMD affects animals and its economic consequences, and how it is spread. I wish to state the status. From January to October 2022, 22 districts reported FMD outbreaks. These include Adjumani, Amuru, Bukedea, Ibanda, Jinja, Kalungu, Kapchorwa, Kayunga, Kiruhura, Kween, Kyotera, Lyantonde, Masindi, Mpigi, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola, Napak, Ntungamo, Sembabule and Tororo. It is also important to note that quarantine restrictions were lifted in 11 districts, which is 50 per cent of the affected districts since then. Action taken by the Government In Uganda, FMD prevention and control is achieved through animal movement control (quarantine restrictions) strategic/ring vaccination and awareness creation campaigns. With regard to vaccination, given its cost implication, the strategy adopted by the ministry is to conduct strategic/ring vaccination where an outbreak is reported. Ring vaccination entails vaccinating all the immediate herds surrounding the affected herd so that the disease can be contained and eventually, controlled without causing serious socio-economic consequences. Colleagues, the success of ring vaccination hinges on the timely reporting of the diseases. It is, therefore, important that disease outbreaks are reported as early as possible so that measures of prevention can be instituted in a timely manner and cost effectively since only surrounding herds will be vaccinated to prevent the spread of disease to other areas. We have insisted on this strategy because we do not get enough doses to vaccinate the national herd. You must be aware that Uganda has almost 17 million herds of cattle, 17.4 million herds of goats, five million sheep, 4.5 million pigs and all these are susceptible animals to FMD. Due to limited resources, we came up with this strategy. When it is reported early, this strategy works but we are looking forward to when we have enough resources to make sure that we do it and cover the entire national herd. Currently, a combination of animal movement regulations through quarantine restriction and ring vaccination remains the most appropriate approach for FMD control in Uganda. Colleagues, the following actions have been undertaken to contain the current FMD outbreak in these affected areas. These include: i) Institution of quarantine restriction at the subcounty level and areas within the 20-kilometre radius to prevent the spread of disease. This involves the prohibition of the movement of cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, their products and by-products from, to, through and within affected areas. Livestock markets, slaughter places including butcheries and animal shows within the affected subcounties were also closed. This is premised on the “prevention is better than cure” adage; ii) The ministry plans to vaccinate the susceptible livestock in the affected 22 districts listed above with 930,200 doses of FMD vaccine expected in the country this week on 10 November 2022. The next consignment, which is 1.6 million doses is expected in the country in two months’ time. You must observe that this is not adequate but once deployed effectively, it does prevent FMD to some extent;

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the honourable member for raising this important issue. In Masindi, when the Members of Parliament raised this particular issue, we held a meeting with sugarcane growers and manufacturers. The issues of scales and prices were discussed and resolved. We shall also have a meeting in Busoga about the scales and prices. We are sure that we shall be able to resolve it. In some cases, some of this information is true and in others it is not. Therefore, it is important that we go there. I promise that I will go there and have a meeting with both the manufacturers and sugarcane growers. On the issue of the sugar Bill, Mr Speaker, we actually have an Act of Parliament. We passed it and we are trying to implement the Act. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Last week, I was in Masindi. The money was remitted a long time ago, but the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) had not paid. I left an instruction that she pays by Friday. I have received a whistleblower from Kikuube for the first time. I have as well instructed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) to report to our ministry on Friday at 11.00 a.m. I have even alerted the Inspectorate of Government (IGG), the Anti-Corruption Unit and the CID as they come - if they have not paid, they will just be carried to the police and prosecuted, as we engage and pay our people. Otherwise, the money was released.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Congestion and overcrowding in prisons The committee noted that overcrowding is an outstanding problem for the prisons management in the country. Congestion is an average of 339 per cent with some prisons housing above five times their designed housing capacities as detailed below. Mr Speaker, that is tabulated and we made reference to some of the prisons like Bushenyi, Mbarara, Masindi, Kiruhura, Lira, Rukungiri, Ndorwa, Kakiika, Fort Portal, Kitgum, Bushenyi. Masaka Ssaza and Upper Prison. The committee observes that overcrowding in prisons relates to challenges in the judicial system. For instance, shortage of judicial staff, prosecution officers, investigators, missing court files and few high court sessions. In addition, unnecessary adjournments by judges greatly negate the trial process by cases dragging on in courts for a long time, leading to the high number of un-convicted offenders in prison custody, who eventually contribute to a rise in population in prisons. The committee further noted that another cause of congestion in prison institutions in the country is the presence of a large number of prisoners who have been sentenced to death over the years, but have never been executed. This growing prison population has overstretched existing physical facilities and puts pressure on services like water, leading to unhygienic conditions and other unacceptable behaviours. The committee noted that delivery of justice is a coordinated process in the Justice, Law and Order Sector where departments within the sector have to be aligned and coordinated simultaneously to perform all activities in the process. The committee also noted that in some prison facilities like Katojo Prison in Kabarole District, juveniles were imprisoned together with adults instead of in remand homes, thereby increasing congestion in the prisons. However, the committee was informed that this was as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic where prisoners were restricted to particular facilities to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Recommendations 1. The Prison Service development budget should be increased to enable rehabilitation, expansion and construction of more prisons to accommodate the increasing number of prisoners and reduce on congestion in the available facilities;

Thank you so much, hon. Medard Sseggona, the chairperson of PAC for the elaborate report. We are in this House as representatives of the people, so we must do the right thing. Honourable members, before I open the debate, I would like to make a few observations from the chairpersons’ communication. Looking at the report of the Joint Public Accounts, Local Government and Central, there was no involvement of the area Members of Parliament. When giving out the money - we are the representatives of these people, why don’t they involve us? How can you get clout from your members? Even if you took only Shs 100,000 to a person, even if you are involved in identification, it will have created you political mileage. None involvement of the political leaders was very wrong when giving out this money and that was bad. (Applause) We have always said that if you are going to my constituency or going to my district or you are doing anything, please involve the political leaders; we are the voice of the voiceless. Therefore, we must be the ones to speak for our people. (Applause) There is that problem that we are not involved in the exercise. However, be it as it may be, there should be no abdication of our oversight duty. We need to make sure that our oversight duty is being done. I also know that there was some abuse of office by different authorities; different people abused their offices and did not do the right thing. In some municipalities and town councils, I remember some people were even arrested but I do not know what took place after that. As a recommendation from the committee, the Auditor-General must take that up and action must be taken on those people who abuse their offices. Lastly, in the implementation of such important programmes, the two-line ministries should be involved. For example, the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Preparedness; that was relief, there was a disaster. We needed to involve the Ministry of Relief and Disaster Preparedness because they have the technical expertise on The committee encourages elected leaders to perform their oversight roles and mandate on all projects in their jurisdictions, whether invited to do so or not. This will promote an accountable and transparent society. Term of reference number seven. Madam Speaker, this was to deal with any other matter incidental to and connected with the above. Food hand-outs versus cash payments The committee noted that in a similar effort to ease the effects of the pandemic in the first lockdown, Government provided food hand- outs to the vulnerable. It was therefore, prudent for the committee to find out whether the decision by Government to give out cash relief as opposed to food items was a better choice. There was an overwhelming preference for cash relief in most of the locations the committee visited, with the justification that it preserves the dignity of the vulnerable, eliminates middlemen and enables consumer choice. The committee recommends that going forward, Government should address the challenges identified with giving out cash relief, should it consider such an intervention necessary. Facilitation for data entry clerks The committee noted that Government provided Shs 4 million to every municipality and division within cities to facilitate the exercise, including but not limited to fuel costs and allowances for data entry clerks. At the time of the committee’s visit, however, some of the officials had not received this facilitation due to the bureaucratic challenges associated with vote change and staff structuring now that they had become cities. As a matter of fact, many civil servants including town clerks in the new administrative units, had not received their salaries. The committee recommends that Government expedites the process of operationalising the new administrative units to enable them fully function. Multiple payments In a circular provided by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, showed that only one person per household was supposed to be registered in their relief fund. The committee noted abuse across the locations visited. In Fort Portal City and Ntungamo Municipality, for instance, there were cases of husband and wife registering under the same household and benefiting; some, even outside the categories required. In Masindi, several people had similar names and NINs, but altered the case form, one in the upper case and the other in the lower case. This clearly shows that the NIN was manipulated by the users. Other town councils/urban areas The committee noted that the action by Government to provide relief to only the vulnerable in cities and municipalities was segregative as the lockdown occasioned by Government was countrywide. Curfew hours were being implemented strictly across the country, including town councils and urban areas. This equally disrupted the citizens in those areas who were engaged in employment to continue with their daily earnings. General recommendations 1. The Attorney-General should carry out a forensic audit in the exercise and make appropriate recommendations; and 2. The Ministry of Gender should: i) Ensure that all officers who were fraudulently registered and received relief fund, refund the money; ii) Ensure the functionality of disaster management committees in all administrative units from which disaster policies can be developed and implemented;