Mbale District

Mr Speaker, I was informed that, that is a district road under the responsibility of the district. Now that you do not have an excavator, the Ministry of Works and Transport, through our UNRA offices in Mbale, is directed to provide an excavator to the district. The district will provide fuel and then they can open that road.

we should do away with the third base, which is the 0.5 per cent, or we reduce it to half. What is the implication of reducing by half? A study has been conducted by some Non- Government Organisation (NGO) and MTN, that once we reduce our mobile money charges, we are going to draw a big population into the formal sector and that will widen the tax base. And when we widen the tax base, it means we shall earn more taxes. The study specifically says that we shall be earning Shs 80 billion more above the current earnings if we are to reduce our mobile money rate from 0.5 to 0.025 per cent. Secondly, because of these cash businesses, our people are taking a lot of risk. In Mbale, people travel with big money to Kampala because they do not want to use e-payments. These mobile money charges are affecting the local people more than the middle class because for us as middle-class people, we have alternative payment methods for - (Member timed out-)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I second the motion. My honourable colleagues, you must understand that this Parliament is the only authority that appropriates money. When we appropriate money, we must get feedback from those audited reports of accounts. I have extracted a note from the Auditor- General’s report for 2024/2025. These are 6,800 reports, and they entail Shs 72.4 trillion. What was handled in the 11 th Parliament was only 1.0 per cent of the reports because some work has been dealt with. That means, when you look at Shs 72.7 trillion - they handled work of only Shs 770 billion, and that other work is still pending. The responsibility to do it is with Members of Parliament. That is why it is very important that we deal with that work now. What the honourable colleague from Mbale said about the constitutional obligation - I do not know whether the Attorney-General has gone. In reality, the framers of the Constitution thought that six months would be enough to deal with the work, by then when there were only 49 districts, unlike now when we have 144 districts. That means the workload is enormous for members of Parliament. In future, the Attorney-General should think about the

Mr Speaker, you recall that in 2024, we had landslides that claimed a lot of lives in Buginyanya, Bulambuli District. We put those people in a camp, and the Government was supporting them in the camps until February this year. We decided to decommission these camps because whenever we would take food, people from the mountains would come and take all the food. It was very difficult for us, as the Office of the Prime Minister. We decided to get land - those were the people we gave land first. When these ones were given land, others brought themselves in the tents waiting for food. In February, we decommissioned Bunambutye settlement area and we are trying to relocate those people so that they can get permanent homes and help themselves. Those who are there could be our people who run away from Mbale town, and we are no longer giving them food because we decommissioned that settlement area.

I have already informed the Minister of Works and Transport about Nalugugu Bridge that connects Mbale, Sironko, Bulambuli, Sebei up to Suam Border Point. Floods washed away this bridge last year and up to now, it has not been reconstructed. They created a diversion for cars. There are big Tororo Cement trucks that have so far killed 11 people, as at 30 th June 2026. People are always dying from the same spot because when the trucks come from different directions at the same time, they crush people in the small section of the diversion. Minister of Works and Transport, when are you finishing the construction of this bridge? Floods are going to wash away the temporary one. In our area, we know that we are going to have floods every year. It is only a matter of time. When the floods come, they will wash away even the other one you have put.

140 THE BUDGET SPEECH, 2026 a) Agro-industrialisation; b) Tourism development; c) Mineral-based industrial development including oil and gas; d) Science, technology, and innovations including ICT and the creative arts. These sectors are deliberately selected because they represent Uganda’s strongest comparative advantages and possess the greatest potential to generate exports, jobs, incomes and investment. Together, they form the engine of the Tenfold Growth Strategy. The objective is simple: To convert Uganda’s natural resources, human capital and innovation into wealth, jobs and prosperity. I would now like to detail each. Agro-industrialisation Mr Speaker, agriculture remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy. It employs millions of Ugandans, supplies raw materials to industry, produces exports and sustains livelihoods across the country. However, Uganda’s future prosperity will not come from producing more raw commodities alone. It will come from increasing productivity, expanding value addition, strengthening agro- processing and improving market access. The Government, therefore, continues to invest strategically across the entire agricultural value chain. Agricultural research and innovation Mr Speaker, agricultural transformation begins with science. This year, the Government made significant advances in agricultural research and genetics. The anti-tick vaccine facility at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute in Nakyesasa was completed and is now operational, producing about 36 million doses, serving 18 million livestock in the first year. The Government also produced Foot-and- Mouth Disease vaccines and continued to advance research on disease resistant crops and livestock breeds. These investments will reduce production losses, raise productivity and increase farmer incomes. Water for production and irrigation Climate change continues to expose farmers to significant weather-related risks. The Government is, therefore, accelerating investment in irrigation and water for production infrastructure to reduce dependence on rainfall. Progress was registered on several major irrigation projects including Kabuyanda Dam in Isingiro District, Atari in Bulambuli District, Wadelai in Pakwach District, Acomai in Bukedea District, Namaitsu in Bududa District, Chembombai in Bukwo District and Sipi Irrigation Scheme in Bulambuli District. Solar-powered irrigation schemes are also being rolled out across the country. These investments will support all-year-round production, increase resilience and improve agricultural productivity. Mechanisation and animal health The Government continued developing Regional Agricultural Mechanisation Centres and Animal Disease Control Centres to improve efficiency and productivity in the agriculture sector. Progress was registered in Kiruhura, Mbale, Kiryandongo, Bunyangabu, Nakaseke, Katine and several other districts. These facilities are improving access to modern agricultural equipment, veterinary services and disease surveillance systems. Expanding commercial coffee production Mr Speaker, coffee remains one of Uganda’s most important export commodities. The Government has, therefore, expanded coffee cultivation into northern and eastern Uganda. During the year, two coffee mother gardens were established and over 1.4 million coffee seedlings distributed to 7,532 farmers in

142 THE BUDGET SPEECH, 2026 Ugandan products, attract strategic investors and mobilise the diaspora to support national development. 6. On tourism infrastructure, the Government continued to invest in tourism infrastructure and attractions. Progress was made in the development of museums and cultural heritage sites in Moroto and Dokolo. Investments are also underway in the Rwenzori Central Circuit Trail, Kitagata Hot Springs and visitor facilities at the Source of the Nile in Jinja, including an observatory deck and a modern restaurant. The Government also established a new wildlife education centre in Mbale. These investments are enhancing visitor experiences and strengthening Uganda’s competitiveness as a tourism destination. In Financial Year 2026/2027, the priorities under tourism are the following: Mr Speaker, the Government has allocated Shs 567.32 billion to continue developing the tourism sector next financial year. The priority interventions will include: i) The branding and marketing of Uganda as a tourism and investment destination; ii) Tourism infrastructure development; iii) Construction of highway sanitation facilities and tourism site refreshment centres; iv) Improving and enforcing hospitality standards and training; v) Conservation and wildlife protection to increase wildlife population across the national parks; vi) Health tourism; and vii) Economic and commercial diplomacy. I now come to mineral-based industrial development. Mr Speaker, Uganda is richly endowed with minerals. However, sustainable transformation will come not from extracting minerals, but from processing and adding value to them. The Government’s strategy is, therefore, to transform mineral wealth into industrial wealth, and the following steps have been taken in that direction: i) The Government intensified mineral exploration and quantification. Geochemical surveys for gold were undertaken in Kassanda, Kiboga and Mubende districts. Exploration confirmed an estimated 300 million tonnes of iron ore in Kabale, Rubanda, Rukiga, Kisoro, Kanungu, Kiruhura and Hoima districts. Surveys of copper prospects were conducted at the Bukusu Carbonatite Complex, which also has the potential for rare earth elements as well as at the Boma and Lwensankala sites. Evaluation of uranium, manganese, lithium and nickel deposits is also ongoing across the country. ii) To add value to Uganda’s limestone, a new clinker factory was commissioned in Moroto District to produce inputs for cement production. The factory operates a 6,000-tonne-per-day clinker production line with annual production capacity of two million tonnes of clinker and three million tonnes of cement. The project is expected to save the country up to $260 million, annually, in clinker imports and create up to 4,000 jobs. iii) The Government continued to make substantial progress towards the first oil. Construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and the Central Processing Facilities is at advanced stage and nearing completion. The Tilenga and Kingfisher upstream development projects also registered significant progress despite logistical challenges arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. During the year, 51 additional wells were drilled, bringing the cumulative number to 199 wells, exceeding the 189 wells required for first oil production later this year. iv) The Government completed the first phase of Kabalega International Airport, providing critical logistics infrastructure to support oil and gas development, tourism, trade and investment in the Albertine region.

149 THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 11 JUNE 2026 reducing reliance on donor support. This will guarantee uninterrupted access to essential medicines like anti-retroviral medicines, anti-malarial drugs, vaccines, immunisation supplies, laboratory commodities and anti- tuberculosis medicines. The Government continued to modernise healthcare infrastructure and equipment. During the year, 17 regional referral hospitals and 25 general hospitals were equipped with Neonatal Intensive Care Units. In addition, 14 regional referral hospitals received CT scan machines. Construction and upgrading of 31 health facilities across Karamoja is ongoing. The Government also completed high-capacity medical waste incinerators in Fort Portal, Gulu, Mbarara, KCCA and Lira. Busolwe, Gombe and Kawolo hospitals were also rehabilitated. Mr Speaker, the Government continued to promote preventive healthcare through immunisation, disease prevention and nutrition programmes. Immunisation coverage for children under one year reached 94 per cent, while first-dose measles-rubella coverage reached 93 per cent. Government also conducted nationwide campaigns against malaria, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, cholera and yellow fever, and promoted nutrition education for children, pregnant women, the elderly and other vulnerable groups. Government also continued to expand specialised healthcare services in oncology, cardiology and other fields, reducing the need for treatment abroad. The Uganda Heart Institute conducted 634 cardiac interventions, including open-heart, closed-heart, vascular and catheterisation procedures. In April 2026, the Uganda Cancer Institute successfully performed the country’s first bone marrow transplant. Specialised healthcare services will be further strengthened by ongoing investments. The 250-bed capacity Cardiac Hospital in Naguru, Kampala is 44 per cent complete and expected to be completed by June 2027. The International Specialised Hospital of Uganda at Lubowa is 75 per cent complete and will be completed in December 2027. (Applause) Mr Speaker, I wish to repeat this one: The International Specialised Hospital of Uganda at Lubowa is 75 per cent complete and will be completed in December 2027. (Applause) The first phase of the Nuclear Medicine (PET) Centre for cancer treatment is 95 per cent complete with radiotherapy and advanced molecular imaging services. Phase II of the PET centre is 10 per cent complete. Regional cancer centres in Mbarara, Arua and Mbale are under construction, while the Gulu centre is fully operational. Other achievements in the health sector include: a) Expansion of the National e-Health Digital Infrastructure to support telemedicine, health information management, medicine tracking and monitoring of health worker performance; and b) Strengthening the National Ambulance and Emergency Care System through the deployment of additional ambulances. 2026/2027 Priorities for Health The Government has allocated Shs 5.23 trillion for the health sector in Financial Year 2026/2027. The funding will focus on: i) Maternal and child health; ii) Nutrition improvement; iii) Expanded immunisation; iv) Prevention and treatment of non- communicable diseases; v) Provision of essential medicines; vi) Strengthening specialised healthcare services; vii) Improving emergency response systems; and viii) Exploring feasible pathways towards universal health coverage.

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

Now, what Mudebo is saying in Lumasaba, which you people do not understand, is that he was living in the town, in Namakwekwe Trading Centre, in the suburb of Mbale. I think this was one of the first NAADS programmes. He got a cow from NAADS and was keeping it in Namakwekwe. Eventually, he got money and bought, I think, two acres in Sironko. He moved from Namakwekwe, went back to Sironko, and bought land. Tsekaafu, tsekaafu, as he was saying, meaning the cattle, I think, are now giving like 60 litres. Is my Lugisu correct? Was it 60 litres or something like that? Enkaaga ! Now, with the milk and the cow dung, he went into coffee growing. We do not have time to listen to the whole story to do the kibalo , but he is doing very well. This is Mudebo, who started with NAADS long ago. Then, you go to somebody called Chelimo of Bukwo. (A video presentation was made.)

When they are speaking Rugwere, they speak Runyankore in their own way, but I can follow everything. They had some local pigs before, but when the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds came in, they bought modern ones. The Bagwere speak Runyankore and mix it with Runyarwanda. Is Kubyara Runyarwanda? - No, Runyarwanda is a bit different. They now have pigs and Ssekkokko . I did not know anything about Ssekkokko myself. They are the ones who exposed me to it. Once people get capital, they will do their own things, like Ms Nabutono there. Uganda has gone through five phases of positive development. These are the recovery phases for bringing back some of the three Cs and Ts of the colonial enclave economy and ending the informalisation of the economy through magendo (smuggling), Kibaanda (forex black market), and okusamula (speculation), following the destruction of the economy by Idi Amin. Expanding the enclave economy and diversifying it - that is how the dairy sector changed the cattle corridor. The cassava is changing many parts of Uganda. These are totally new cash products - Value addition to some of the raw materials, for example, gold, and the knowledge economy of the automobiles, vaccines, computers et cetera. What is “high-sounding sloganeering” there? The other gentleman was saying that it is just slogans. These are achievements on the ground. Let Mr Gawaya go near the Mbale Industrial Park. Show it to us – (A video presentation was made) - how can you call that a slogan? I think they were saying that there were more than 80 factories and 12,000 workers in that area. These are achievements on the ground. How can such a park be a desert with no water, peace, or production? Yes, there are problems with issues like drugs in health centres. Another time, I will discuss the issue of service delivery in more detail. That is why the National Resistance Movement (NRM) introduced democracy from the very beginning by getting people to elect the committees of the Resistance Councils. Especially in the Bukedi area, Force Obote Back Army (FOBA) - the group that was saying they were following Obote - started killing those elected leaders until we crushed it. Elect people who help in exposing those mistakes. You have the power. Another time, I will speak about that because the parishes are in Uganda. Everywhere, there is local leadership, especially at the sub-county level, and there are councillors. Why should things go wrong when all those leaders are there? Of course, even the Government is also responsible because there are the Gombolola Internal Security Officers (GISOs) in every sub-county. Why would things go wrong, and the GISOs or the District Internal Security Officer (DISOs) do not know? The facts of the matter are that with the limited waking up, where 67 per cent of the homesteads, as compared to 9 per cent - in 1962, only 9 per cent of the people were in the money economy. When I checked in 2013, only 32 per cent were. However, right now, it is 67 per cent of the homesteads. Uganda has graduated from the least developed countries to a lower-middle-income country. Our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose from Shs 3.9 billion in 1986 to Shs 69.3 billion by the forex exchange method and Shs 197.1 billion by the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) method. The GDP per capita has risen to $1,278, while the threshold for lower-middle-income status is $1,136. Household poverty has declined from 56 per cent in 1992 to 16.1 per cent now. Life expectancy was 43 years in 1986. It was 46 in 1982, but had come down to 43 by 1986 because of the chaos, which Amin created. It is now 68 years old. The infant mortality rate was 122 for every 1,000 children born alive. It is now 36.

I know Hon. Ronah is in the public gallery. I can see Hon. Faith, Hon. Catherine Achola, Hon. Charity, Hon. Brenda, and Hon. Nangoli from Mbale. There are several. This is overwhelming. Hon. Betty Aol, Hon. Nsegumire, as well as Hon. Amelia. She has - (Voting by show of hands continued.)

That is Busia Municipality, then Gomba. The camera man, please give space to Members. Okay. Fifth row. Those standing, do not vote. You will vote differently. The team of Hon. Cissy Namujju. I hope you counted the two votes: Hon. Ochai and the colleague. Their suits are almost the same; you would think it is one person. Those standing here. Hon. Amelia Kyambadde is somewhere there. I can see Hon. Ssentayi, Hon. Freedom, Hon. Paula Turyahikayo, and Hon. Kiyonga – have you seen them? Hon. Cissy Namujju, Hon. Emaju, the Senior Counsel. Somehow, I can see just the hands and know. Okay. Have you counted the other side, Hon. Bagiire and group? Hon. James Kaberuka, and Hon. Ofwono Opondo – he says he is the MP for the elderly, but not for the old. We come to the other row, where Hon. Patrick Obura is, Maj. Gen. Ssemwanga, Hon. Kateshumbwa and the group. Hon. Akello, there. Okay. The middle one, from Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, the whole row up to Hon. Asinansi Nyakato, the former candidate for Deputy Speaker. She is from Bunyoro. She has voted “Yes”. Just for the record, Madam Prime Minister, she is supporting you. We can go to Hon. Mapenduzi, Hon. Machika, Hon. Achola, Hon. Alex, Hon. Harriet Ntabazi, Col Knight Ikiriza, Hon. Nathan Byanyima. There is somebody else there I cannot see. Have you counted them? We can do the first row here. Hon. Ssenyonyi is perpetual – the Speaker is only taking note. Alliance for National Transformation has one MP and is voting positively. Second row, we are done. Third row. Those standing, do not. Dr Batuwa, do not raise your hand. Mbale, Hon. Fiona Nakku. There is a hand on the other side. Clerk, are you seeing? Where are you beginning from? Are you done? Fourth row. Hon. Mutonyi, Hon. Ngabirano, MP representing Buhweju, Hon. Martin Drito, welcome back. The last row. Yes, Hon. Okot, Hon. Otim, Hon. Sarah, I cannot see the rest. Hon. Molly Kamukama, and then the Woman MP for Mbarara City, that is Hon. Charity Kibaaju. Okay. Those standing there: Hon. Aogon, Hon. Emmanuel, Hon. Opio, Hon. Charles Ngabirano, and Hon. Kinobere. Have you counted those ones? Hon. Betty Aol – there are two standing. Hon. Akol has not voted. Okay. The Uganda People’s Congress – already counted. MPs in the Gallery, we acknowledge you with a lot of difficulty. The corridor here. Hon. Lokii, Hon. Sam Engola. Apparently, he could not get a fitting seat. (Laughter) Have you counted this one? Okay. Hon. Cissy Namujju’s team is back there. Clerk, this problem must end. We should find a solution. Everyone is elected to sit comfortably in the House. The voters are looking for their MPs, and they cannot see them.

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

103. Ruhindi Fredrick Nakawa Division East Kampala NRM 104. Taban Aate Sharifah Woman Representative Koboko Independent 105. Ouma Willy Namayingo South County Namayingo Independent 106. Orone Derrick Gogonyo County Pallisa NRM 107. Tete Chelengat Everline Woman Representative Bukwo NRM 108. Tibyaze Peace Woman Representative Jinja NRM 109. Tom Aliti Candia Maracha East County Maracha NRM 110. Rwakimari Beatrice Ruhaama County Ntungamo NRM 111. Tumuramye Genensio Kashongi County Kiruhura NRM 112. Tumusiime John Bosco Kashari South County Mbarara NRM 113. Teira John Bugabula County North Kamuli NRM 114. Oryema Simon Peter Adum Chua West County Kitgum NRM 115. Turyahikayo Kebirungi Mary Paula Woman Representative Rukungiri NRM 116. Sebamala Richard Bukoto County Central Masaka DP 117. Tiyo William Taylor Odaa Ayivu Division East Arua City NRM 118. Ssebbugga-Kimeze Berunado Budyepo County Nakasongola NRM 119. Tayebwa Thomas Ruhinda North County Mitooma NRM 120. Otto Edward Makmot Agago County Agago NRM 121. Rwamirama Bright Kanyontore (Lt Col Rtd) Isingiro County North Isingiro NRM 122. Tebandeke Charles Bbaale County Kayunga NUP 123. Tukahirwa James Byenjuru Hunter Kajara County Ntungamo NRM 124. Tumukunde Henry Kakurugu (Lt Gen. Rtd) Rukungiri Municipality Rukungiri NRM 125. Tumwesigye Anthony Isingiro West County Isingiro Independent 126. Ssenyonyi Joel Basekezi Nakawa Division West Kampala NUP 127. Osoru Mourine Woman Representative Arua City NRM 128. Ossiya Solomon Alemu Toroma County Katakwi NRM 129. Shyam Jay Tanna Tororo Municipality Tororo Independent 130. Twalla Fadil Tingey County Kapchorwa NRM 131. Waluswaka James Bunyole West County Butaleja NRM 132. Tumwebaze Mwine Youth Representative Western NRM 133. Twinomujuni Francis Kazini Buhaguzi County Kikuube NRM 134. Otafiire Kahinda (Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Ruhinda County Mitooma NRM 135. Silwany Solomon Bukooli County Central Bugiri NRM 136. Otim Bernard Maruzi North County Apac NRM 137. Waiswa Joel Azalwa Busiki County Namutumba Independent 138. Ssemwanga Gyaviira Buyamba County Rakai NRM 139. Wakida Patrick Godfrey Kabweri County Kibuku NRM 140. Walyomu Moses Muwanika Kagoma County Jinja Independent 141. Wandera John Paul Samia Bugwe County North Busia Independent 142. Saazi Godfrey Gomba East County Gomba NUP 143. Wanyenya Shafiga Bungokho County North Mbale NRM 144. Twesige Stephen Buyaga East County Kagadi NRM 145. Twinamasiko Onesimus Bugangaizi East County Kakumiro NRM 146. Wandera Sadala Bugweri County Bugweri NRM 147. Tayebwa Didas Kabumbuza Kooki County Rakai NRM 148. Wanyama Judas Thadeo Youth Representative Eastern NRM 149. Sserukenya David Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality Wakiso NUP 150. Sekindi Aisha Woman Representative Kalungu Independent

17 THE TWELFTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA FRIDAY, 15 MAY 2026 151. Ssentayi Muhamad Bukoto County West Lwengo NRM 152. Rugumayo Edison Ntoroko County Ntoroko NRM 153. Senteza Richard Lugazi Municipality Buikwe Independent 154. Wakooli Godfrey Matembu Butiru County Manafwa NRM 155. Suubi Kyinyamatama Juliet Woman Representative Rakai NRM 156. Wabusani Steven Makwa Bushigai County Bududa NRM 157. Wamakuyu Ignatius Mudimi Elgon County Bulambuli Independent 158. Wanyama Richard Samia Bugwe Central County Busia NRM 159. Wanyoto Lydia Mutende Woman Representative Mbale City NRM 160. Zaake Francis Mityana Municipality Mityana NUP 161. Wokuri Geofrey Bungokho County South Mbale NRM 162. Wakabi Pius Bugahya County Hoima NRM 163. Tumwesigye Elioda Sheema County North Sheema NRM 164. Sserunjogi Hassan Mukiibi Bukomansimbi South County Bukomansimbi Independent 165. Wekomba Sarah Nambozo Woman Representative Bulambuli NRM 166. Zambaali Bulasio Mukasa Nansana Municipality Wakiso NUP 167. Uhuru Nelson Maracha County Maracha NRM 168. Wembabazi Beatrice Woman Representative Hoima NRM 169. Zawedde Victorious Woman Representative Nakasongola NRM The Uganda National Anthem The East African Community Anthem (The House rose at 4.15 p.m. and adjourned until Friday, 15 May 2026, at 8.00 a.m.)

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

18875 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 5 MAY 2026 Vote 015 - Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Shs 37.90 billion for capitalisation of Uganda Development Corporation as an additional investment in Atiak Sugar Factory. The second category is self-financing and budget-neutral supplementary requests over and above the 3 per cent legal limit, which require prior approval by Cabinet and Parliament. Of a total of Shs 586.16 billion for Supplementary Expenditure Schedule No.5, which is above the 3 per cent legal limit. A total of Shs 123.03 billion is self-financed and thus budget-neutral. The self-financing/budget- neutral supplementary includes the following: Reallocation of Shs 40.21 billion to cater for additional wages for recruitment of health workers under 19 referral hospitals. Honourable colleagues, there is a need to allocate the wage of Shs 40.21 billion currently budgeted for under the Ministry of Health to 19 referral hospitals. This is required to cater for the recruitment and absorption of critical health workers who were previously supporting these hospitals before the suspension of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding for essential health services. The beneficiary referral hospitals are the following; i. Butabika Hospital, Arua Hospital, Fort Portal Hospital, Gulu Hospital, Hoima Hospital, Jinja Hospital, Kabale Hospital, Masaka Hospital, Mbale Hospital, Soroti Hospital, Lira Hospital, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, Moroto Regional Referral Hospital, Naguru National Referral Hospital, Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital, Kayunga Referral Hospital, and Yumbe Referral Hospital; ii. Shs 9.92 billion for various local governments, which are also detailed in Annex I; iii. Shs 1.44 billion as unspent balances under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer Programme (UgIFT), which were returned to the Uganda Consolidated Fund at the end of the Financial Year 2024/2025. This funding is required to enable the local governments to meet their outstanding contractual obligations under the programme for this year; iv. Shs 2.22 billion for the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) project as unspent balances that were returned to the Uganda Consolidated Fund at the end of the Financial Year 2024/2025. This funding is required to enable the local governments to meet their contractual obligations and avoid - (Interruption)

We agree, and this is what we are trying to achieve. There is a definition of associate. What we are trying to do is about transfer pricing. This is what we are looking at. I want to ask the minister about transfer pricing between Kampala and Mbale. I have a company in Kampala invoicing a company in Mbale. This means, if I under- invoice here, the one in Mbale will make more profit, and that profit will be taxed in Uganda, so there is no loss.

What you are driving at is precisely tax planning because the one in Mbale could be having a lot of deductible allowances on his books. On this one, you know very well how transfer pricing can be manipulated. This provision is trying to harmonise with the transfer pricing regulations. I request that you support it. The example you are giving is going to transfer liabilities and advantages from one company to the other, knowing very well that what you are saying will be taxed in Mbale, which may not be possible because of the carry-forward.

Before the minister speaks, I think this is clear because they had left “public entertainer” open. Even my people who play kadodi in Mbale were going to be taxed. We are now trying to create a definition and see the group that is majorly going to be targeted; the musicians and entertainers.

Madam Chairperson, I would like to support my young brother from Mbale. When we lift it to Shs 500 million, we give people an opportunity to plough money back into their businesses, which will stimulate the economy to grow. Therefore, the higher the better. I buy the idea that Shs 500 million would be better for now. Many people are struggling.

Madam Chairperson, Kampala is an urban area. Let me give an example – Hon. Kateshumbwa should listen to this. Is Kisoro, where Bwindi is, urban? It is rural. Yet, the tourists go there more than they go to Mbale Town or Jinja, because of the gorillas and whatever. We have to be very careful about what is urban and where the tourist attractions are.

Is the motion seconded? (Members rose_) Seconded by Hon. Obua, Hon. Adoa, Hon. Maj. Dr Alanyo, Hon. Omara - the whole side – and Hon. Komakech, the Democratic Party (DP) Whip, Hon. Aogon, and the honourable member for Mbale. Speak to your Bill.

Thank you for noting that. Madam Speaker, we used to grow cotton. I would have been happy if Hon. Musasizi said that he is burning second-hand clothes, reinstating African Textile Mills in Mbale, bringing back Lira Spinning Mill and Nyanza Textile. I would be happy, and we would be talking. Our bed sheets and uniforms used to come from Nytil. Yamato was from UGIL. So, you are trying to -

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity and the committee for a good report. The committee recommended that the Government find Shs 60 billion for the headquarters of the Electoral Commission. We are in a democracy that is not about to go away, and therefore, we need the Electoral Commission to be stable. The whole country has only one regional headquarters, which is in West Nile, and they have been looking for money to spend on rent in offices in every district. It will be important that we prioritise giving the Electoral Commission this Shs 60 billion, so that they construct befitting headquarters, but eventually, I appeal to this House to continue to give the Electoral Commission money so that they can construct regional offices. You have been consuming those services. You go there as an honourable Member of Parliament, but you are going to a squeezed place where many other people are coming. I appeal to this House to continue supporting the Commission so that it can have a befitting facility first of all, at the national level, but eventually at the regional level. We will be glad to see a regional office in Lira, Karamoja, Mbale, Tororo, Soroti, Masaka, Fort Portal, Hoima and so on because the democracy we have is not about to go away. As you all know, the NRM has come to stay, and many other political parties are going to be there. Therefore, we need a stable and befitting facility. Thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, in accordance with Article 155(4) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, Section 12 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2015 and Rule 149 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, the Ministerial Policy Statements for the Financial Year 2026/2027 were presented before Parliament. In light of the above, I now present, for your consideration and adoption, a report of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in respect of the policy statement and draft budget estimates for Financial Year 2026/2027, covering the following Votes: Vote 017: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development; Vote 139: Petroleum Authority of Uganda; Vote 019: Ministry of Water and Environment; and Vote 150: National Environment Management Authority. We also cover the following subventions: i) National Water and Sewerage Corporation; ii) Atomic Energy Council; and iii) Uganda Electricity Credit Capitalisation Company. Madam Speaker, the committee considered the implementation trends, funding gaps, staffing constraints, external financing dependencies and the extent to which planned investments align to the national priorities under the current growth agenda and the relevant National Development Plan IV programmes. Madam Speaker, the votes under the committee’s jurisdiction are strategically important to Uganda’s economic transformation because they directly affect electricity access, industrial power supply, extractives governance, water access, irrigation, sanitation, climate resilience, forestry management, wetland protection and environmental compliance. The committee notes that the policy statements for Financial Year 2026/2027 contain a broad array of projects whose successful implementation would have immediate political and developmental significance in the communities across the country, including the oil host districts in the Albertine Graben, electricity transmission corridors in central and western Uganda, industrial parks in places such as Tororo, Mbale, Nakaseke,

Thank you. Madam Speaker, on the project on Industrial Parks Electrification Phase II, the intended project is to construct substations and power lines to supply power to industrial parks. This will include the Sukulu Hills in Tororo, Mbale Industrial Park, Kapeeka Park in Nakaseke, the Wobulenzi Park in Luwero, and Nakasongola-Kaweweta Defense Industrial Park, amongst others. Under the Kampala Metropolitan Transmission System Improvement Project, we intend to have an upgrade of the Kawaala, Mutundwe, Mukono, and Buloba-related infrastructure. Madam Speaker, the planned area of benefit is Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono environs. Madam Speaker, there is the ORIO Mini Hydro and Rural Electrification Project. The ministry intends to undertake construction of the mini hydro infrastructure, 288-kilometre distribution network, and 71,081 last-mile connections, particularly intended for areas in Hoima, Nchweera, Igassa, and Nsongya. Forgive my pronunciation due to cultural challenges. On the Kiba Hydropower Project, the ministry is undertaking a feasibility study, the environmental sustainability impact assessment, and access works and stakeholder engagement for this mini project, which is intended to be constructed in Nwoya and Kiryandongo districts. The Oriang Hydropower Project is still the same, and it is intended to be located in Nwoya and Oyam districts. On the Ayago Hydropower Project, preparatory studies are to be undertaken, as well as stakeholder management activities. The same is in Nwoya and Kiryandongo areas. Under the Buyende Nuclear Power Plant site evaluation is going to be undertaken, including meteorological tower installation, seismic and groundwater monitoring, and a resettlement action plan finalisation. This project will be located in Buyanja Subcounty in Buyende District. Madam Speaker, on the geothermal development, there is an intention to undertake deep exploration and drilling, as well as undertake surface studies. This project will be in Kibiro in Hoima, in Panyimur in Pakwach, in Okidi in Amuru, Karungu in Rubanda, Ihimbo in Rukungiri, and Kabuga in Kasese. The electricity access scale-up project

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

18652 CONSIDERATION OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR FY 2026/2027 The gravity-piped water schemes are intended for Mbunga-Nyakazinga and Bughema in Kasese, and Mpunga in Kanungu. The climate-span smart wash clusters for Rwere in Kateretere, Bugarama-Karweru and Kagarama-Bushura-Kibuzigye in Rubanda, Kabale and Kisoro areas. Karamoja region schemes Under the institutional water schemes, Nadunget SS in Moroto, Amita Prisons in Abim. Public sanitation facilities There shall be two institutions in Karenga and one in Ngora. Additional water schemes in Kalapata, Lorengedwat, Tokora, Kathile listed under the broader solar and service expansion. The committee notes that the ministry’s water for production portfolio is particularly important in the drought-prone and livestock- dependent areas for expanding irrigation agriculture. Colleagues, we have selected water for production projects, which you will all see. I want to allow you to see them by yourselves. Under table 16, in Isingiro, Kanungu, and then those in Karamoja. Another area that will be covered is Agule in Kalaki, Soroti District, Bulusambu in Mbale, Biduku in Nakaseke, Kiryandongo, Masaka, Oyam, Gulu, Nwoya, among others. There will be solar-powered irrigation water systems also cited in the numerous areas across Central, Eastern, Northern, Karamoja, and Southwestern regions. Colleagues, the other aspects are those that I believe we will go through. I just would like to invite you to the aspect of the unfunded priority under Vote 019. Madam Speaker, the committee notes that under the project 2041- this is 7.6 colleagues: 100 per cent Service Coverage Acceleration project, (SCAP 100, Umbrellas Phase II), the Ministry of Water and Environment has identified critical financing gaps for targeted investments in water pipeline extensions, power extensions to pump stations, off-grid solar installations, and pump stations and drilling of production wells in small towns, rural growth centers, and the six umbrella and water and sanitation projects countrywide. Colleagues, in totality, the SCAP 100 project was in response to His Excellency, the President’s promise that every village in Uganda should have at least one clean water source. So, SCAP 100 was intended to ensure that water sources are placed in districts and in administrative units such as sub-counties, so as to distribute water using piped water systems. So SCAP 100 is crucial because it responds to the Government’s undertaking to the citizens. Here, the committee identified a funding gap of Shs 35.85 billion for Financial Year 26/27, which would support the undertaking of rehabilitation of water supply and sanitation skip schemes, as well as extend 5,000 kilometers of pipeline water to provide for 5,000 new water connections in the various communities of the country. The committee further notes an unfunded requirement under the water and sanitation development facilities that are responsible for the design, construction, and setting up of infrastructure for rural water supply. Colleagues, the unfunded priorities under Vote 019 are provided for under table 18. Madam Speaker, permit me to conclude with National Water and Sewerage Corporation. National Water and Sewerage Corporation remains central to urban water service delivery and to several other sectors, most visible investments in towns and municipalities. The committee notes that National Water and Sewerage Corporation medium-term financial and investment plan covers five projects currently supported by government

18665 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 16 APRIL 2026 sharp increase reflects the Government’s priority to accelerate industrialisation and job creation through industrial parks and investment promotion. The main drivers of the increase are: i) External financing; an increase of Shs 281.03 billion, from Shs 90.97 billion to Shs 372 billion, primarily to finance the development of industrial parks; and ii) Government of Uganda development; an increase of Shs 44.9 billion, from Shs 217.97 billion to Shs 262.9 billion to support infrastructure development at Mbale Industrial Park and institutional strengthening of the UIA, including systems, governance, and investor facilitation. Vote 141: Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) The proposed budget for URA in Financial Year 2026/2027 is Shs 917.3 billion, an increase of Shs 40.1 billion from Shs 877.2 billion in Financial Year 2025/2026. The entire increase is on the non-wage recurrent budget. The proposed budget comprises Shs 400.2 billion for wage, Shs 452.3 billion for non-wage recurrent, and Shs 64.7 billion for Government of Uganda development. Refer to Annex 2. These resources are geared towards supporting the URA in implementing the successor Domestic Revenue Mobilisation (DRM) Strategy - meaning what is going out because this one is expiring, so we look at the new strategy of the DRM - and improving taxpayer education and compliance management. Vote 143: Uganda Bureau of Statistics The proposed budget for UBOS in FY 2026- 2027 is Shs 148.4 billion, an increase of Shs 14 billion from Shs 134.3 billion in FY 2025- 2026. The increase is driven by Government development, a Shs 23 billion increase despite a reduction in non-wage recurrent of Shs 8.8 billion. The budget comprises Shs 23.2 billion for wage, Shs 83.8 billion for non- wage recurrent, and Shs 41.3 billion for the Government of Uganda development. The additional development resources will support the construction of Statistics House in Entebbe and investment in modern statistical infrastructure, which are expected to improve data production, dissemination and coordination of the National Statistical System. Vote 153: Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) The proposed budget for PPDA for the FY 2026-2027 is Shs 33.3 billion, an increase of Shs 3.5 billion from Shs 29.8 billion in the Financial Year 2025-2026. The increase comprises Shs 2 billion on wage and Shs 1.5 billion on non-wage recurrent. The budget comprises Shs 16.5 billion for wage, Shs 15.5 billion for non-wage recurrent and Shs 1.29 billion for the Government of Uganda development. Refer to the attached annex. Vote 163: Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA) The proposed budget for URBRA in the Financial Year 2026-2027 is Shs 18.7 billion, an increase of Shs 4.4 billion from Shs 14.3 billion in the Financial Year 2025-2026. The increase is mainly on non-wage recurrent expenses by Shs 4.34 billion. The budget comprises Shs 7.8 billion for wage, Shs 10.1 billion for non- wage recurrent, and Shs 0.72 billion for the Government of Uganda development, plus Shs 0.057 billion in arrears. This allocation is intended to strengthen URBRA’s capacity to regulate the retirement benefits scheme, safeguard members’ savings and deepen coverage for the formal and informal sectors. Honourable colleagues, I have covered all the Votes. Suffice it to say that it is, therefore, prudent that we go straight to the observations of the committee Vote by Vote.

Chairman, maybe I should just inquire. These training facilities you are talking about, Kakyeka, Mbale, Soroti; how much has the Finance ministry provided?

18708 CONSIDERATION OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR FY 2026/2027 Flats, and Shs 7.55 billion towards outsourcing cleaning and security guard services. Kyambogo University On Kyambogo University, the committee recommends that the Uganda Land Commission and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development undertake a comprehensive land audit to resolve overlapping tenure conflicts. Two, the committee also urges the finance ministry to allocate Shs 28.58 billion in a phased manner for the recruitment of academic staff in the medium term to bring the staffing level to at least 50 percent. Gulu University The committee recommends that the finance ministry allocates an additional Shs 2.902 billion to cover shortfalls arising from salary harmonisation, Shs 18.643 billion in the mid-term to increase the university’s staffing level to at least 50 per cent. Secondly, that the finance ministry allocates Shs 28.41 billion for the completion of the construction of Gulu Constituent College in Moroto, and Shs 12.815 billion to complete the construction of the Business and Development Centre. Muni University For Muni University, Madam Speaker, we recommend that the Finance Ministry allocates Shs 14.698 billion towards the completion of the various construction projects which have stalled at the university, and Shs 15.302 billion towards kick-starting the construction of the teaching hospital. Mbarara University of Science and Technology The committee recommends that the Finance Ministry allocates an additional Shs 35.43 billion towards the recruitment of staff in the medium term to increase the staffing level to at least 50 per cent. Shs 0.491 for salary scale harmonisation for non-teaching staff. The Finance Ministry is also urged to additionally give Shs 2.8 billion towards retooling of labs and workshops, with specialised machinery and equipment for teaching, research, and innovation. Soroti University The committee recommends that the Finance Ministry allocates Shs 5 billion for the procurement of the necessary equipment and machinery for instruction of the three new engineering courses. Lira University The committee recommends as follows: i) That the Finance Ministry provides Shs 5.0 billion to promote additional critical staff, and Shs 1 billion to cover shortfalls; and ii) Shs 1 billion to cover shortfalls within the welfare facilities and NSSF; and Shs 1.5 billion for the research and innovation fund. Vote 307: Kabale University The committee recommends that an additional Shs 3 billion be allocated to the university to support its research agenda for Financial Year 2026/2027. Vote 305: Busitema University The committee recommends that the ministry for finance provides an additional funding of Shs 14.862 billion to increase on its staffing levels from 10 per cent to at least 50 per cent. Shs 5.23 billion for strengthening labs and ICT to provide in the provision of its services in IT. Vote 312: Uganda Management Institute (UMI) The committee recommends that finance allocates an additional Shs 15.2 billion for the construction of a new purpose building at Kampala branch, new classroom office at Mbale branch, and new classroom office block at Mbarara branch.

18575 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 15 APRIL 2026 people with a medical background and other specialties working for them, or will they just rely on people from NDA on that point so that we do not have double recruitment? We can borrow the speciality from NDA but have some permanent medical staff also in UNBS. On the issue of industrial parks, we have noticed that investment, at the moment, is not widely spread across the country. You find most of the investment along the Kampala- Jinja Road and now stretching up to the Mbale corridor, leaving the rest of the country untapped properly. For example, an area like the West Nile has a population of almost 4.5 million people without any industrial park. We did have an industrial park in Nebbi that is in -

Is the motion seconded? It is seconded by Hon. Obua, Hon. Kafuuzi, Hon. Hellen, Hon. Silwany, Hon. Charity, Hon. Paul Omara, Hon. Kabanda, “Dubai”, Hon. Teira, Hon. Maurice, Hon. Noah, Hon. Komakech, Hon. Gerald, Hon. Nancy, Hon. Emmanuel, Hon. Victorious, Hon. Rose, Hon. Gabriel, “Obama”, Hon. David, Hon. Isaac, the Minister of Education and Sports, Hon, Keefa, Vice chairperson, Hon. Achia, Hon. Pamela, Hon. Maximus, Hon. Flora, Hon. Akifeza, Hon. Mbabazi, Hon. Nsibambi –(Laughter)- Nnalongo is also there, Hon. Edakasi, Hon. Victoria Businge, MP for Ruhaama and Member from Mbale. Honourable members, this is a Bill for the First Reading. Pursuant to Rule 135(1) and (2) of the Rules of Procedure, the Bill stands referred to the Committee on Budget for consideration. BILLS FIRST READING THE MAGISTRATES COURTS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2026

18349 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 12 MARCH 2026 iv. Vote 116 – National Medical Stores; v. Vote 127 - Uganda Virus Research Institute; vi. Vote 134 – Health Service Commission; vii. Vote 151 – Uganda Blood Transfusion Services; viii. Vote 401 – Mulago Hospital Complex; ix. Vote 402 – Butabika Hospital; x. Vote 403 – Arua Regional Referral Hospital; xi. Vote 404 – Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital; xii. Vote 405 – Gulu Regional Referral Hospital; xiii. Vote 406 – Hoima Regional Referral Hospital; xiv. Vote 407 – Jinja Regional Referral Hospital; xv. Vote 408 – Kabale Regional Referral Hospital; xvi. Vote 409 – Masaka Regional Referral Hospital; xvii. Vote 410 – Mbale Regional Referral Hospital; xviii. Vote 411 – Soroti Regional Referral Hospital; xix. Vote 412 – Lira Regional Referral Hospital; xx. Vote 413 – Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital; xxi. Vote 414 – Mubende Regional Referral Hospital; xxii. Vote 415 – Moroto Regional Referral Hospital; xxiii. Vote 416 – China-Uganda Friendship Referral Hospital, Naguru; xxiv. Vote 417 – Kiruddu Regional Referral Hospital; xxv. Vote 418 – Kawempe Regional Referral Hospital; xxvi. Vote 419 – Entebbe regional far hospital; xxvii. Vote 420 – Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital; xxviii. Vote 421 – Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital; and xxix. Vote 422 – Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital. I beg to lay.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I join the people of Ngora and the family of Mr Isodo to mourn a friend, Stella Isodo. As the people of Mbale, we remember Hon. Stella Isodo for the good that she did for our district. In 2023, I organised a fundraising to purchase land for one of our health facilities. Hon. Stella Isodo, being one of my friends and a God- fearing woman, joined me and supported me, and I was able to achieve that. The Bible says that blessed are those who do good, and those who die in the Lord, their good works will follow them, and they will rest from the labours of this world. It is in Revelations 14:13. I encourage the family, especially the children, that your mum was a God-fearing woman. Pick it up from that and fear the Lord. God will strengthen you because your mum did well, not only for Ngora District but also for other districts where some of us live. So, we celebrate a woman who was good and loving. Hon. Stella, may your soul rest in peace. Thank you.

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.

Thank you. Honourable colleagues, in the public gallery this afternoon, we have a delegation from the Greater Nebbi Development Forum (GNDF). They are represented by Hon. Phiona Nyamutoro, Hon. Esther Afoyochan, Hon. Catherine Mavenjina, Hon. Isaac Otimgiw, Hon. Hashim Sulaiman, Hon. Agnes Acibu, Hon. Jane Avur Pacuto, Hon. Emmanuel Ongeirtho, Hon. Lawrence Songa, and Hon. Gabriel Okumu. Please join me in welcoming them. ( Applause ) You can stand up for recognition. Thank you. Honourable colleagues, also in the public gallery this afternoon, we have students and teachers of Mbale Secondary School, Mbale City. They are represented by Hon. Masaba Karim and Hon. Nakayenze Connie Galiwango. They have come to observe the proceedings of this House. Please join me in welcoming them. (Applause) [The Deputy Speaker] COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

The concerns that we have about the deplorable state of these hospitals are almost similar. The buildings are dilapidated and the case of Bududa is even worse because during critical health crisis and disasters, it is overwhelmed by casualty cases that are referred to Mbale and you know the sorry hospital state is conjoined to the deplorable state of the road and it becomes very difficult for some of these emergency cases to reach the referral hospital Mbale. You know, for Bududa Hospital, I must say this petition that has come from Soroti Hospital and others is a blessing in disguise, so that maybe the House recoils and plans better for all these dilapidated hospitals. Bududa Hospital serves not only Uganda, but also has over five districts within Uganda, from Namisindwa, Manafwa, Sironko, parts of Mbale, and Kenya. At one time, four years ago, when there was an outbreak of dysentery in neighbouring Kenya, most of those cases were actually brought to Bududa Hospital and we ended up again having many of our people affected by the same. I will conclude with a plea to my good friend, the Hon. Bahati, about the National Prayer Breakfast. You remember we had agreed - that time I had not been promoted; I was a bishop but I have now been promoted to presiding apostle. We had a unanimous agreement that the National Prayer Breakfast should not be held in the State House, as it cuts off some of the believers who think that the guest of honour, who is none other than the President, is also chairman of a party and this particular prayer breakfast should not have partisan colours. It should be non-partisan. I do not know why, after we upheld this proposal, the National Prayer Breakfast continues to be held in the State House - (Interjection) - Yes, please, because Hon. Abed Bwanika was part of the meeting that agreed on this - (Interruption)

Honourable members, in the public gallery this afternoon, we have pupils and teachers from North Road Primary School from Mbale. You are welcome. They are here to observe the proceedings. They are represented by Hon. Connie Galiwango and Hon. Wambede Faith. Thank you so much for coming. On the other side of the gallery, we have pupils and teachers from Ikwera Negri School for the Disabled in Kwania District. You are welcome. They are represented by Hon. Okae Bob and Hon. Auma Kelly. Thank you so much for coming. Yes.

17968 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT Remember, we were coming out of COVID-19, Ebola, and the chronic strikes. So, I think that we deserve a clap as the Government and Parliament. There has also been tremendous investment in infrastructure in the health sector and in the LOP’s constituency, and we have yet to be one of the best heart hospitals in Africa. I think the Rt Hon. Prime Minister did the ground-breaking in February. It was a loan from the Saudi Fund, and once it is completed, we shall stop referring our heart patients to Turkey and India. Those are some of the things. I think three weeks ago, there was a loan request for a cancer centre in Arua. The one in Mbale will soon be coming aboard. It was in the same loan request by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and then Mbarara and so forth. Madam Speaker, the issue is appropriation. Once given the right funds, I think the Minister and the Ministry of Health would be on the right track. As I conclude, the 10 th Parliament was able to borrow money, and over 200 health Centres III were built. It is for that same reason that we were able to reduce maternal mortality. I would like to implore the House to avail the necessary funds so that we can revamp all these health centres IV that we are talking about, all the ambulances that we need, and all the general hospitals that we need. I thank you, Madam Speaker.

17981 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2025 Therefore, continuing to approve multi- year commitments without parliamentary approval is a breach of Section 22(1) of the Public Finance Management Act, Cap 171; (ii) The committee notes, however, that where Parliament approves the entity’s budget and work plan for the financial year under review, it is deemed to have approved. It is apparent that since the entity is allowed to retain some funds, it could have resorted to the same funds, which still would be use of funds without appropriation contrary to the law; (iii) The committee was not presented with the ministerial approval for the multi-year commitment, although the accounting office explained that permission was obtained from the PS/ST. Authority from Parliament was not obtained as required under Section 22 of the PFMA. In the absence of such authority, it is not clear where the entity got the money to execute the multi-year commitment; and (iv) The Ministry for Finance, Planning, and Economic Development is responsible for ensuring, upon request, that the necessary parliamentary approval is obtained before entering into any execution of multi-year contracts. The committee recommends that the accounting officer always ensure parliamentary approval for a multi-year contract to ensure compliance with the law. Performance evaluation Review of the implementation of the entity’s mandate Madam Speaker, the committee went through the entire record and the findings of the Auditor-General, from page 19 through to page 22, and came up with the recommendations thereon. Then a review of the implementation of the approved budget on page 23 is canvassed through to page 26. Management explained that the recruitment of 1,200 staff is in the final stages. Written assessments were completed on 12 January 2025. Oral interviews commenced on 17 to 28 February 2025, and appointments were effective in March 2025. It further explained that the procurement of 250 computers was also completed on 11 October 2024, with the supply of laptops. Procurement of workstations and other furniture was also completed on 19 August 2024. The progress of the procurement for the construction of the Mbale office was at the bid evaluation stage. Committee observations i. The committee observes that failure to utilise all the allocated funds locks up resources for service delivery in other areas; and ii. The presence of inherent structural and operational bottlenecks encountered by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) in the implementation of planned activities affects optimal budget absorption. Recommendations i) The accounting officer should see to it that all warranted funds are utilised to ensure the timely implementation of the planned activities; and ii) All structural and operational bottlenecks encountered by URA in the implementation of planned activities should be assessed and eliminated to achieve optimal budget absorption. We make an analysis on the implementation of unfunded activities, Madam Speaker, on pages 28, 29, through to page 31, and make observations on pages 30 to 31. i) Not all warranted funds were fully utilised on the planned activities; and ii) There continue to exist structural and operational bottlenecks that impede the implementation of URA’s full mandate, and these include, but are not limited to, persistent strikes by taxpayers.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Let me join you to congratulate the Tooro Kingdom, on behalf of the Bamasaba cultural institution, upon the 30th coronation anniversary of King Oyo. Madam Speaker, the Bamasaba cultural institution enjoys lots of cordial relationships with the Tooro Kingdom. Whenever there are these functions that are locally termed Mpango , and even on this one, Mpango 2025, the cultural leaders of Masabaland will definitely participate. I have ever benefited from such visits, courtesy of the first Umukuka We Bamasaba, the late Wilson Wamimbi. However, Madam Speaker, the Bamasaba are soon paying you a courtesy call with a petition, putting the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development on notice for meddling in the affairs of the kingdom. As we talk, there is a serious rift, Madam Speaker, of a clique of self-seekers among the Bamasaba who have created their own kingdom called Inzu Ya Bagisu, which is parallel to Inzu Ya Masaba. The rest you will see, which is well articulated in that petition by your humble petitioners, Madam Speaker. Otherwise, I want to thank the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities for the construction of the Mbale Zoo which is still under construction. I must salute you for the work that is progressing and are in the advanced stages. Thank you, for supporting the Imbalu Festival, though some of the money disappeared mysteriously, but you did a lot. COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR [The Speaker]

17867 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 2025 Madam Speaker, looking at the procedures of borrowing the equipment, we have regional offices in Gulu, Mbarara, Mbale, and Soroti. However, whenever the districts go to borrow the equipment, the regional offices do not supply them, and we discovered that many of them are hiring out the railroad equipment. In fact, they are making money instead of helping the government offices. Madam Speaker, the minister needs to be very serious.

17908 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT General reviewed 71 human rights awards, court awards, ex-gratia and compensation ordered by courts and reported that awards worth Shs 1.98 billion remained unpaid for the period ranging from two years to over 10 years. We have these pending and the committee recommends that the accounting officer should budget for the awards, and the Government should provide the requisite funds. The accounting officer, together with the Uganda Human Rights Commission, should establish the details of the beneficiaries for quick settlement to avoid the accumulation of interest. Madam Speaker, whenever we delay payment of these arrears, interest is paid on these arrears. So far, the Government is going to pay Shs 159 billion as interest on these arrears that have not been paid on time. Madam Speaker, the other report is the report of the Committee on Public Accounts (Central Government) on national regional referral hospitals and other specialised hospitals. Honourable colleagues, I am going to summarise. We are looking at the details of the following hospitals in summary. We are looking at the following: Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, Mbale, Naguru, Jinja, Mubende, Fort Portal, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Kabale, Lira, Gulu, Moroto, Hoima, Arua, Butabika, Mulago, Kawempe, Kiruddu, Soroti, and the Mulago Women’s Specialised Hospital. Implementation and budget performance Madam Speaker, for all the regional referral hospitals we observed - I will begin with the implementation of the approved budget. Regional referral hospitals are expected to collect Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) to support the Government budget. Honourable colleagues, the total NTR was supposed to be Shs 20.406 billion, and there was an over performance of Shs 21.924 billion. However, this should be noted. From the table, the Government projected to collect the above, but Shs 21.924 billion was collected, meaning there was an over-performance. Honourable colleagues, as a committee, we noted that all accounting officers who did not meet their budgeted Non-Taxable Revenue (NTR) targets, or failed to realise their NTR contravened instructions 4.102 of the Treasury operations. The committee noted that less/non-transfer of NTR to the treasury deprives the Government of revenue and also noted that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development failed to provide revenue targets to some of these entities. That is why there was an over-performance and also an underestimation of NTR by these entities. Therefore: (i) The accounting officer should ensure that NTR targets are set based on strong assumptions and benchmarks to enable realistic NTR. (ii) The accounting officers should institute mechanisms to ensure that a billed NTR is fully collected. (iii) The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should always make prompt responses to requests of NTR revisions by entities. (iv) The accounting officers should incorporate all NTR sources during the budgeting process. Performance of the Government of Uganda warrants Madam Speaker, a total of Shs 475.44 billion was budgeted to be released to these referral hospitals and national specialised regional hospitals. However, a total of Shs 470.65 billion was released. From the above table, the Government

Thank you. Madam Speaker, you know that Bududa is synonymous with landslides, but we thank God that even with the heavy downpour, we have had landslides, but they have not claimed lives. However, we know that lots of crops and livestock have been destroyed. Most importantly, the bridge that connects Manafwa, Namisindwa, and Kenya to Bududa Hospital, as you know, is in ruins. With the pounding, heavy downpour, the situation has been made worse. We have seen the tributary of River Manafwa, which is called River Tutu, burst its banks. Soon, that bridge will be carried away. This means that the matter of disaster in Bududa will be exacerbated because the river will have demonstrated against the road, disallowing any communication or other transport between Mbale and Bududa. Once that road is cut off - you know Bududa is landlocked - there will be no other road that may connect it to Mbale or the border of Lwakhakha. The situation is as dire as that, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. He will come back with a report to give information on where Mr Sam Mugumya is. Next item? (Hon. Ssemujju rose_) No, you cannot just ambush him about Mr Sam Mugumya. Does he know him? I know Mr Sam Mugumya. Honourable minister, take note of that issue and let us know. Next item. PROPOSAL TO BORROW UP TO EURO 9.4 MILLION FROM UNICREDIT BANK AUSTRIA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPPING OF MBALE ONCOLOGY CENTRE AND $36.5 MILLION FROM THE ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARUA ONCOLOGY CENTRE AND RADIOTHERAPY EQUIPMENT FOR THE MBALE ONCOLOGY CENTRE

Madam Speaker, I beg to lay the proposal to borrow up to Euro 9.4 million from UNICREDIT Bank, Austria for the construction and equipping of Mbale Oncology Centre and $36.5 million from the Islamic Development Bank for the construction of Arua Oncology Centre and radiotherapy equipment for the Mbale Oncology Centre.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to take this opportunity to second the motion as well and to welcome our Muslim leaders from the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council. I have seen some of my voters from Mbale. I have also seen my former teacher from Kibuli SS, Hajji Siraj Katantazi, with your permission, maybe he could stand up because Hajji Siraj, yes, he taught me at Kibuli SS. I believe he is proud of me, seeing that I am presenting or seconding this matter today.

17729 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 7 AUGUST 2025 a standard fee of Shs 150,000 was set across all tests, while in Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Shs 180,000 was charged for non- contrast procedures and Shs 250,000 for contrast procedures. The committee established that in some cases, hospitals gave waivers to selected patients after thorough scrutiny and under exceptional circumstances. The committee was also informed that the charges for CT scan services were a result of the guidelines on the users’ fees provided by the Ministry of Health, after taking into consideration the input and maintenance costs of the equipment. See Annex 7. The committee further found out that in some regional referral hospitals, the infrastructure housing newly installed CT scan machines was not available and lacked trained medical personnel to operate the machines. This compromised the functionality of the equipment and the safety of the patients as well as the personnel operating the equipment. One such case was in Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital. The equipment was installed in an improvised room, lacked specialised medical personnel to operate it, and had already broken down by the time we visited. The committee observed that: i) In some regional referral hospitals, the infrastructure housing the newly installed CT scan machines was not appropriate. This exposed the equipment to a gross risk of damage. ii) There were variations in the fees charged to access CT scan services, as already mentioned. iii) The user fees charged to access the CT scan services were a hindrance to the uptake of the CT scan services, especially among low-income patients. iv) There was a general lack of qualified staff to operate the newly installed CT scan machines. The committee therefore recommends that: i) The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should prioritise the release of funds, Shs 8.7 billion as budgeted for in the Financial Year 2024/2025, for the construction and remodelling of the appropriate infrastructure to house the CT scan machines in all the regional referral hospitals. ii) The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should provide adequate funds to all regional referral hospitals in the budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025 to cater for the routine maintenance of the CT scanner equipment, to ensure their sustained functionality. We looked at the installation of the ICU bed equipment While the Ministry of Health reported that the Government procured and delivered 143 ICU bed units in 14 regional referral hospitals, five selected national referral hospitals, and Bombo Military General Hospital (Annex 7), the committee established that most of the ICU bed units delivered in regional referral hospitals were still boxed and kept in stores, due to lack of standard ICU infrastructure at the respective regional referral hospitals. That means they are not deployed for use. In other cases, the regional referral hospital administration had put some of the ICU equipment to other use. For instance, in Mbale and Masaka Regional Referral Hospitals, the ICU bed equipment that the Ministry of Health delivered was still kept in the stores, because works on the surgical complexes meant to house the new 10-bed capacity ICU had stalled due to a lack of funds. Similarly, in Buhinga and the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospitals, some ICU Bed equipment was still in the stores because they lacked adequate space to accommodate them. The Government had not provided for any future infrastructural development to cater for standard ICUs. Jinja Regional Referral Hospital The committee established that a new 20- bed Intensive Care Unit was still under

17730 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT construction. Yet, even the projected space looked insufficient for the overwhelming patient population, given that the old ICU building was also under renovation. Gulu Regional Referral Hospital The committee uncovered ambiguities in the receipt and usage of the supplied ICU Bed Units. The committee was informed that the hospital received 10 ICU Bed Units, but had only installed four in the ICU. The in charge of the ICU, who was not a qualified intensivist, could not account for the other six beds at the time of the committee’s visit. On being probed further, she disclosed to the committee that the balance of beds was in different locations, including two in the stores due to missing parts, while others were being used in the wards. The committee visited the wards and established that one of the beds had been dismantled and used in the orthopaedics ward, while another was being used in the nutrition room. The committee further engaged the store assistant, who denied having received any ICU Bed Units during his term of office. He, however, disclosed that two beds had been brought into the stores on the day the committee visited. We do not know where these beds were, but when they saw us, they brought them. The committee observed that - I can skip that one and read the recommendations. Committee recommendations The committee recommends that: 1. The minister responsible for finance should provide adequate funds to regional referral hospitals in the budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025 to cater for the construction/ completion of the infrastructure meant to accommodate ICU bed equipment to ensure their installation and utilisation. 2. The Ministry of Health should train and recruit specialised medical workers to manage the ICUs in regional referral hospitals. 3. The Ministry of Health should investigate the handling and management of ICU equipment delivered to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, including donations from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and report back to Parliament in two months from the time this report is adopted. 4. The Ministry of Health should conduct an inventory of all ICU bed equipment delivered to the regional referral hospitals and report back to Parliament in three months from the time this report is adopted. Installation of oxygen plants in regional referral hospitals and the distribution of oxygen cylinders up to health centres IV The Ministry of Health reported to the committee that the Government procured and delivered 20 new oxygen plants to national referral hospitals, regional referral hospitals, and Bombo Military General Hospital. The procurement of four new oxygen plants for Hoima, Lira, Mbale, and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospitals had not yet been concluded (see Annex IX). In addition, the Government had procured and distributed 10,000 cylinders across the country to all levels of health facilities up to health centres IV, as indicated in Annex X. However, the committee found out that none of the newly procured oxygen plants at the various regional referral hospitals visited was operational. For instance, in Buhinga, the plant was yet to be installed; in Mbarara, Masaka and Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, construction of the infrastructure meant to accommodate the Oxygen Plants had not yet been completed. The UPDF Engineering, in the case of Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, handled this. Additionally, the Ministry of Health indicated to the committee that the newly procured oxygen plants could not operate on the low- capacity transformers currently in the regional referral hospitals. It required Shs 13.7 billion to upgrade the transformers and voltage stabilisers to a capacity sufficient to run the oxygen plants in all regional referral hospitals. Of this, the

17731 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 7 AUGUST 2 0 2 5 Government had provided only Shs 2.2 billion in June 2023 to functionalise five out of 20 plants, leaving a funding requirement/gap of Shs 11.5 billion for power requirements to run the remaining 15 plants. In addition, at the time of the committee’s oversight visit, the already existing (old) oxygen plants at various regional referral hospitals had been out of use for several weeks. For example, in Masaka and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, the old oxygen plants had broken down. Similarly, Buhinga Regional Referral Hospital did not have a functional oxygen plant at the time of the committee’s oversight visit. The committee established that the delays in repairs were due to a lack of the necessary expertise and funds from the officials at respective regional referral hospitals. The committee also noted that high costs of electricity and maintenance were a major factor affecting the smooth operation of the existing oxygen plants. For instance, at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, the existing oxygen plant was reported to consume an average of Shs 20 million monthly, a cost way above what the hospital budget can accommodate. The absence of functional facility-based oxygen plants has forced regional referral hospitals to seek oxygen supplies from external sources. In Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, the administration had opted to procure oxygen from Roofings in Namanve. Mbale Regional Referral Hospital relied on Soroti Regional Referral Hospital for over 500 additional oxygen cylinders to supplement its oxygen supplies from the National Medical Stores (NMS). Buhinga Regional Referral Hospital was entirely relying on oxygen supplies from the NMS. The committee observed that: 1. The Ministry of Health procured new oxygen plants without putting in place the necessary infrastructure. 2. The newly procured oxygen plants cannot run on the current low-voltage power transformers in regional referral hospitals. 3. The current budgets for the regional referral hospitals cannot sustain the smooth operations of the new and existing oxygen plants in the regional referral hospitals. 4. The Government’s assurance to install new oxygen plants in regional referral hospitals had not yet been met. The committee recommends that: 1. The Ministry of Health should ensure completion of the required infrastructure and installation of newly procured oxygen plants in all regional referral hospitals within six months from the tine this report is adopted. 2. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should provide funds amounting to Shs 11.5 billion in the budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025 to facilitate the upgrade of the transformers and voltage stabilisers to a capacity sufficient to run oxygen plants in all the regional referral hospitals. 3. The Government should provide adequate funds to regional referral hospitals in the budget for the Financial Year 2025/2026 to specifically cater for increased recurrent expenditure resulting from the installation of the new oxygen plants. Madam Speaker, we looked at the rehabilitation of Busolwe General Hospital, and I would like to go straight to the committee observations. The honourable members will read the other narrative. The committee observed that: i. The project works were behind schedule, and work had not been completed. ii. The UPDF Engineering Brigade did not have any Bills of Quantity, nor other documents available for verification by the committee. iii. Renovation work for staff quarters under the UPDF Engineering Brigade had not yet been done. iv. The UPDF Engineering Brigade was adamant and declined the supervision of the district leadership, but instead got guidance directly from the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs; and

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. On 7 September 2023, I raised a matter concerning Mbale Regional Referral Hospital regarding the ICU and surgical complex, and the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Oboth Oboth, came and committed that they would be completing that building within two months. He confirmed that he had received funds from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. I remember he invited you to come and commission that building when it is complete. To date, nothing has been done. The Minister of Health can probably enlighten us when that structure will be complete. Secondly, it concerns Namatala Health Centre IV in Mbale City, but when I looked at the annexes, I saw they were one of the beneficiaries of beds and other equipment. Unfortunately, as I speak now, they have never received anything. They had one old maternity bed, the one our mothers produced on, which was very old. Actually, the two new beds that they are using, I had to provide and supply them, to help, because there is a gap. So it is sad that a health centre IV does not have a single proper or new bed on which our mothers can give birth. Lastly, it concerns the sub – (Member timed out.)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. If I can move to the issue of the oxygen plants, 24 high-capacity oxygen plants were procured. However, the oxygen plants for Lira, Mbale, Mbarara, and Hoima were procured by the Global Fund, not the Government of Uganda, and they came in after, not at the same time as the government ones. To date, 15 oxygen plants have been installed and are working. Nine are not. This is because each installation requires a transformer, which the Ministry of Energy was not able to provide. Parliament provided for some, and for the others, we are still waiting for the money. The Chairperson of the Committee on Health has pushed for this several times, but it is true that it consumes a lot of power. We have been pushing that the hospitals be put on the industrial line if we are to maintain them. We have yet to have a breakthrough with this request. The issue of the intensive care unit beds. Madam Speaker, you will recall that this funding was provided at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, we needed intensive care unit beds and oxygen as urgently as possible for the patients. Therefore, they were procured with the intention of having to install them in existing buildings. Some were installed, some were impossible. To date, Parliament has provided funding to construct ICUs at Jinja, Masaka, Mbale, Arua, Hoima, and Kabale. The rest, not yet. We have been requesting, and it is there in our budget. When you go through it, you will

Can we hear from the minister? Honourable Minister of Works and Transport, I can confirm the stations are working. Mine in Mbale is working. Maybe you need to check with your stations. Honourable members, can you sit? Honourable minister, we would also like you to address us on the issue of the Shs 1.3 billion that goes to the districts and whether you have given the districts guidelines on what should be done.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I am interested in knowing the progress of the upgrade of the 150km Tororo-Mbale-Soroti Road, because it was planned for rehabilitation. As I speak, there is nothing that shows that there is any work to be done on this project. The other one is the Mbale-Nkokonjeru-Wanale Road, which is about 21 kilometres. Then lastly, I am interested in knowing how you are spending the money on the Rural Bridge Infrastructural Development Project, because we have not been receiving proper accountability. We expected that this would probably come and help most of our bridges and roads in our districts and cities. I would like to get those details as well. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. The 28-kilometre circular road of Bududa was identified in NDP III and NDP IV for tarmacking. As we wait for the tarmacking to take place, we are putting a contractor to do maintenance. That road is supposed to be done by Abubaker Technical Services as the contractor on the tarmac. As we wait for that to be done, it will be maintained. I can even share with you the number of my station manager of Mbale, called Dina, you can call her and she will tell you who the contractor is on that road.

Yours is Nkokonjeru? For that road, we are using our team from the training centre, which you know, Meltek. We want to do a cobblestone project on that road because of its nature. Doing tarmac, it will be washed away very readily. Our team in Meltek, which is our training centre, has already done studies on how to do cobblestone. We intend to pave that road with cobblestone technology. You wait until we start. Then the away road - ( Hon. Lucy rose_) Atiak-Nimule; there is a company called MTF, which will go on that road. The road from Atiak - of course, you know that Atiak- Laropi is already done. For Laropi-Afoji, we are at the procurement stage. ( Members rose_) Tororo-Mbale; that road is under what we call the Northern Road Rehabilitation Project (NERAMP). It is being done by Mota-Engil Africa, under the World Bank. They have so far done the section from Kamdini and have now

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Mine is a quick one to the minister that would require to review that directive by the President on the way the Shs 3.7 trillion has been allocated to the roads. Madam Speaker, the President was very unequivocally categorical when he mentioned the road from Mukono-Lugazi-Jinja. It therefore leaves the whole of eastern Uganda missing out on this allocation of the Shs 3.7 trillion. That raises serious concerns because I have received numerous calls and the President brought it out very clearly. Western Uganda is a beneficiary; central is a beneficiary, and Northern Uganda is equally that. Doesn’t this horribly go in breach of the National Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy (XII)? It clearly states on balanced and equitable development that, the Government should ensure, in the allocation of the budget or resources, balanced and equitable development or rather sharing out of the resource. That is a serious concern. Secondly, the issue of the false hopes - let me not call them “false hopes,” because I trust you. I have interacted with you and you have promised that this time round, for the Bududa circular road, you have already procured a contractor. However, what would have required your ministry, which is managing the National Roads Maintenance Programme - it covers both paved and unpaved roads. This road has had a very important bridge, which has cut off access to the hospital for the people from Kenya, Namisindwa, Manafwa and the other side of Mbale. We expected, after you made another promise, which has never been honoured, to have had an emergency operation to have that bridge fixed. It was your colleague who made that pledge. Could you please consider it as an emergency that requires urgent intervention, because the hospital can no longer be accessed? Thank you.

Thank you. I also want to refer the honourable Leader of the Opposition (LOP) to page 310 on Integrated Transport Infrastructure and Services. It does not only refer to roads but also looks at the standard gauge railway, and then the meter-gauge railway. Both the standard gauge railway and meter-gauge railway pass through the east: Tororo, Mbale, Soroti, Lira, Kagwara – let us not be mean to the country. All these are in the east. As leaders, let us represent all the people of this country.

Yes, thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Let me correct that impression that the road is going to end in Jinja. That road, as I said, is our artery. It is the aorta of this country. It goes up to Malaba. The road is going to be joined with the rehabilitation of the road from Kamdini- Lira-Soroti-Mbale-Tororo. You can see the whole network will be linked. Remember, we are also rehabilitating the railway line from Tororo. So far, the old meter gauge has reached Soroti heading to Gulu. The railway line from Kampala to Malaba is already functional. The standard gauge will start as soon as the contractor finishes the mobilisation and setting his camps for the works to start; so we are addressing the whole country. On the issue of liabilities from Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), I agree. When you inherit, you inherit liabilities and assets. There are some liabilities we inherited. Among them was the issue of compensation of the Project

Madam Speaker, our scope covered 10 areas, which I am going to go through in summary form. We looked at the legal and regulatory framework of these cities. On 28 April 2020, the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Raphael Magyezi, tabled a Motion seeking Parliament’s approval of the proposal to create new cities, which Parliament approved on 28 April 2020. The new cities were to be operationalised in clusters beginning 1 July 2020 to July 2023 with Jinja, Mbarara, Gulu, Mbale, Arua, Fort Portal and Masaka, taking effect with the new Financial Year 2020/2021. Madam Speaker, I beg to go to the observations and recommendations. 1. The Legal and the Regulatory Framework The committee observed that despite the fact that the Attorney-General provided his opinion, the minister failed to present regulations to address contradictions between cities and districts. The regulations are intended to streamline the operation of the Local Government Act Section 175(1). Section 175(1) requires the minister to make regulations for effecting the provision of the Act. 2. Whereas the creation of the new cities does not violate any provision of the Constitution of Uganda, their management and administration need to be harmonised. The committee recommends that the Government should introduce an appropriate Bill to govern cities in their uniqueness in operation, structure, and service delivery. Alternatively, the Government should amend the Local Government Act to incorporate administrative and governance legal frameworks for cities. The Ministry of Local Government should come up with regulations on the governance of cities and table them before Parliament within three months from the time this report is adopted. The physical development plans of these cities Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Local Government classifies gazetted cities, municipalities, and town councils as urban areas. The Local Government Act Cap. 243 empowers the ministry to declare an area urban if it satisfies the following criteria; a. Has a minimum of 25,000 people for a town council, 100,000 people for municipality, and 500,000 people for a city. b. Has a master plan for land use. c. Has available water sources and can meet the cost of providing services. d. Preparation of urban physical plans. Madam Speaker, again, allow me to go to the observations. The committee observed that whereas the cities have approved physical plans, developments are not guided by those plans. The ministry has not yet provided funding for new cities to develop physical development plans. For those that have plans, funding was provided by development partners. The majority of the residents in these new cities live in unplanned areas and, as a result, experience development problems that put more strain on the already existing infrastructure. According to the Building Control Act Section 28(3), the chairperson for the planning and development committee of the district council shall be the chairperson of the district building committee. Subsection (5) provides that the chairperson of the urban planning and development committee of the urban council

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the chairperson of the committee who came in after I was the vice chairperson. I also had the time to visit these cities when I was the vice chairperson, carrying out the same job. However, your report is stronger than mine. Thank you very much, Hon. Abed Bwanika. The issue of land in the new cities, honourable minister, through the Speaker, must be given a lot of attention. In Fort Portal, the old district was in control of the land against the new city, and they were fighting each other. So, who takes control of land? What is the process of taking over assets between the old district and the new city? Properties in Mbarara - they were complaining. The mother district was in control of the offices within the city, while the administrators of the new city did not have where to sit. Could those assets be taken over by the new city because they are within its jurisdiction now? And what happens to the new districts? Honourable minister, concerning the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID), you are making very good roads in these new cities, even in Masaka, we have them, but what kind of contract did you sign with USMID? This is because after the construction of these roads, there must be equipment to do the routine maintenance. As we talk, Madam Speaker, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation is digging out some areas. After digging out parts of those new roads, nobody repairs them; there is no equipment in place to work on those roads after they are handed over to the Government. Places taken over from different annexed areas - in Kalungu, where I come from - Masaka was in a battle, when it came to taking over some parishes from Kalungu District - Kibisi and Kasanje. But from the time they were taken over by the city, they have not changed. There is still dust. You have put some night lights there, but they are all filled with dust. People need to see the difference, but what is happening is that you are putting strict laws in these new areas, stopping people from building the type of houses they are used to before they became part of the cities. Could we see that change take place, honourable minister? Lastly, on governance structures, we need these leaders in those other cities to resemble those in Kampala City. When you talk about the Lord Mayor of Kampala, you notice that he has an official vehicle with the number plates reading “Lord Mayor.” Then in Masaka, Mbale and other areas, the mayors are still looking like the LC V chairman of where I came from, with an old double cabin. As I enter Masaka or Mbale City and any other city, I want to feel that pinch, interest, love, beauty of Kampala and my mayor should also be in that kind of status –

No, they are ten cities. They are: Arua, Gulu, Soroti, Mbale, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Hoima and Lira. Those are operational, out of the 15. Now, five cities are the ones which are not operational.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity. I thank the chairperson for the wonderful report. As a Member of Parliament from Mbale City, most of the challenges we are facing surround funds, and as the minister stated, issues concerning garbage. Madam Speaker, I think we need to address it as soon as possible because, for example, we only have two trucks that have to ferry garbage in the entire city. We have dedicated one to the central market, meaning only one truck has to collect garbage in the entire city, which is not realistic. Madam Speaker, you look at the money that was sent to Mbale Municipality, it is the same money being sent to Mbale City, yet the scope of work has significantly increased. For example, roads. You will see we are covering about 150 kilometres within the municipality. Now we have over 500 kilometres to deal with, but the money does not reciprocate the amount of work that has increased. The last one concerns the assets that were shared. When you look at Mbale City - the district has taken almost all the assets. Even the land in the city, Mbale District, owns everything. We also do not have any road equipment. That is why we are facing challenges. We have to go to Jinja to bring equipment, and it is very expensive because the employees who come with the equipment from Jinja have to be paid per diem. You find that we are spending about Shs 70 million in a quarter to pay staff who come from Jinja with their equipment to help in Mbale. Look at the roller, we depend on the mercy of Bukedea District because Bukedea has come several times to help with rollers to do most of our roads –

Yes, which is very expensive. The last thing concerns the site where we dump garbage in Mbale City. I do not know what plan you have, but the current site at Doko is at the entrance of the city. When you are coming to Mbale, you are welcomed by heaps of garbage, which is not a good picture. I think it is high time we got somewhere else, far away from the centre of the city, where we can dump our garbage. Thank you.

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

Madam Speaker, he is too tall, so for people who are short like me, when you take a photo with him, you look like a dwarf. (Laughter) In brief, he should prepare a stool. Thank you so much. Madam Speaker, I have another question from Hon. Veronica Nanyondo, the District Woman MP of Bukomansimbi. Her prayer is that there is an effect on the implementation of the new lower secondary school curriculum on primary school leavers. Can the Government update us on this matter? My response is that at the moment, primary school leavers transition from the knowledge- based curriculum to competence-based curriculum in secondary school, under the revised lower secondary school curriculum. The process of revising the primary school curriculum to make it competence-based has already commenced to harmonise curriculum designs across primary and secondary level education. Once this is complete, the learners will be introduced to competence-based teaching and learning from primary school and progress with it to secondary education. I got another question from Hon. Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga, MP for Nakawa Division East. He says that Uganda has very many experienced jua kalis, but they have no industrial parks and have continued to operate in a domestic setting, with very high electricity and water domestic tariffs. This is something that has crippled their businesses, yet they compete with investors who operate in Government industrial parks. These investors in Government industrial parks have always been incentivised in the form of tax exemptions, low electricity and water tariffs. This makes it harder for the jua kalis to compete favourably with them in the same market. His prayer is; When is the Government going to set up jua kali industrial parks? My response is that in this principle, for all Ugandan investors - if they all go through the Uganda Investment Authority, industrial parks have been designed with spaces specifically planned for setting up Small and Medium- sized Enterprises (SMEs), which cater for jua kali artisan activities. SME parks of 20 acres have been planned in all the operational industrial parks of Namanve, Soroti, Kasese, SINO-Mbale, and others. The Uganda Investment Authority also acquired the Mbarara SME Park of 12 acres that has been handed back to Gatsby Group, the SME artisans from Mbarara. The Government’s vision is to develop new industrial parks in phases, depending on the availability of resources in Gulu, Nebbi, Arua, Madi-Okollo, Yumbe, Pader, Paidha, Dokolo, Rukungiri, Isingiro, Oyam, Lira, Hoima, Buliisa, Kisoro, Kakumiro, Nakasongola, Luwero, Nakaseke, Mubende, Mityana, Masaka, Kabale, Bushenyi, Tororo, Rakai, Kamuli, Kween, Busia, Soroti, Gomba, Kayunga, Kyegegwa , and Iganga, where land has been mobilised by districts and already offered to Uganda Investment Authority for industrial development to foster innovation and equitable, sustainable industrial growth. Madam Speaker, the major infrastructure, for example, workplaces with shared common user facilities such as production equipment, showrooms for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to use as they sell and grow their businesses, will be constructed within the said industrial parks. 10. Hon. Lucy Akello, the District Woman Member of Parliament for Amuru, raised an issue on the lack of radiologists in the regional referral hospitals like Gulu, Soroti, Mbale and others.

Honourable Minister of Energy, I thought it was only happening in my district. I am happy it has come from another place, and what happened in my own district, they were collecting money from people, saying that it was facilitation for the people connecting power. When I reported it to the Mbale office, they said no, it was a mistake. Just know that it is happening. Hon. Okaasai - is it still on energy? Honourable minister, just hold on and you will respond at once.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. For record purposes, Komol Joseph Miidi is my name. I rise on a matter of food shortage in Kaabong District. In my constituency, a lot of land was not opened, and no harvest has been realised. As a result, for the one month I have been in the constituency, I have made a lot of contributions to burials, and over 10 people have died. By yesterday, three people had died in three sub- counties. Madam Speaker, people do not have an alternative; it would have been selling a goat or a cow to buy food that comes from Mbale. However, some families cannot afford. As a result, these are the families that have been affected. A kilogram of maize - traders from Mbale come with lorries of food. A can of maize that contains three kilograms is sold at Shs 7,000, and people line up, if you came to my constituency; the way I saw it, people line up, and those who do not have are the ones who have been victims of death. My question to the Prime Minister is, what is going to happen in such a situation since people are nearly dying every day? Thank you.

Madam Speaker, if I may answer the honourable directly. One, Bubulo-Bududa Circular Road, the 28 kilometres. That road is under NDP IV now for tarmacking. However, Mbale station has now put a contractor to maintain the road before we go into the tarmacking. So it will be maintained. On the issue of the money. If I may, we had a discussion with the Minister of Finance. Actually, we had it yesterday but one under the chairmanship of the President and this is what they said – but they will be here to defend – that we understand your challenges but as of now, because of elections, most of the money is in elections. (Interruptions) So bear - And you are the people who are in elections, I am not.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. They have stated something to do with equipment for the new districts and cities - Mbale is a new city but we have never received road equipment. Apart from that, there is equipment that is supposed to be for the Ministry of Works and Transport. However, as I speak, in Mbale, the equipment has broken down. I was in touch with the manager and he have told me that there is no money to repair these machines. So, for the last five years since I joined Parliament, the UNRA roads, now under the Ministry of Works and Transport, have not been worked on, for example, the road from Masanda to Butale -

17519 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 12 JNUE 2025 Agro-Industrialisation Madam Speaker, the interventions in agro- industrialisation this financial year and next financial year have prioritised research, an increase in productivity, commercialisation, and value addition in agriculture. Madam Speaker, some of the key achievements in this financial year include: 1. Research and genetic development of selected value chains. The National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Databank has introduced superior animal genetic resources for breeding, multiplication and distribution to farming households under PDM. NARO has completed the manufacturing facility for anti-tick vaccines at Nakyesasa in Wakiso District with the capacity to produce over 20 million doses of the anti-tick vaccine per year. NARO has also developed agricultural technologies that increase productivity such as water-saving cultivation technology, drought-resistant varieties, and integrated pest, disease and weed control technologies, among others. Research in coffee by NaCORI has contributed to increased national coffee production, productivity and export earnings. 2. Increasing agricultural production and productivity. The capacity of water for irrigation has increased to 54.76 million cubic metres. This is on account of Government investment in small and large irrigation systems, including solar-powered irrigation. In particular, seven large-scale irrigation schemes have been completed. These include Ngenge in Kween District; Rwengaaju in Kabarole; Tochi in Oyam; Mubuku II in Kasese; Olweny in Lira; Doho II in Butaleja; and Wadelai in Pakwach. Another three irrigation schemes are currently under construction. These are: Acomai in Bukedea District; Atari in Kween/ Bulambuli Districts; and Namatala, covering Budaka, Mbale and Butaleja Districts. Madam Speaker, another 145 solar-powered irrigation and water supply schemes have been completed across the country. In addition, 157 solar-powered irrigation and water supply schemes are under construction. Furthermore, 4,300 micro- scale irrigation facilities were constructed in 135 districts across the country and have benefitted smallholder farmers of less than 2.5 acres. Madam Speaker, in addition, the Government completed Usake Dam in Kaabong, and Ongunga Dam in Katakwi for livestock, irrigation and fish farming. In addition, 5,251 small- and medium- scale irrigation schemes were established in 135 districts. Madam Speaker, the Government established five zonal agricultural mechanisation centres in Namalere, Buwama, Bungokho, Agwata and Sanga to support equipment access and tractor hire services; procured and distributed 260 assorted four-wheeled tractors and implements to farmer groups in 60 districts countrywide, 750 power tillers (single-axle tractors and implements), and two pieces of dredging equipment for water hyacinth and weed control; and trained 2,150 youth and women as operators, artisans and mechanics for tractors and implements. Beginning this financial year, the Government introduced the large-scale commercial farmer interest-free credit facility of Shs 175 billion. This facility will help to increase production and productivity for improved food security and exports. The loan facility can be accessed through Government-owned banks, namely Post Bank, Housing Finance Bank, and Pride Bank Limited. 3. Agricultural value addition and marketing. NARO completed setting up an Aflasafe facility at Namulonge with capacity to eliminate aflatoxin contamination in grains. The facility has capacity to clean five tons of produce per hour. This will save the country an estimated $38 million per year, which is lost in export rejections due to aflatoxins and, most importantly, save the lives of Ugandans. Madam Speaker, to add value to agricultural produce, the Government constructed 11 agro- processing and storage facilities to increase opportunities for value-addition and access to high value markets. These include Rwimi Rice Processing Facility in Bunyangabu; Kasina Maize

17526 BUDGET SPEECH ii) Enhance access to electricity through implementation of the $638 million Electricity Access Scale-up Project covering grid expansion, connectivity and clean energy options for one million new electricity connections. Further, the Government will continue investing in priority transmission lines and sub-stations, particularly to the industrial parks, growth centres and other strategic manufacturing facilities like the clinker factory in Moroto, Karamoja; the fertiliser factory in Kampirigisa, Mpigi; Simba Cement Factory in Mbarara, Western Uganda; Dei BioPharma in Matugga, Wakiso District; and; the Coffee Factory in Ntungamo, among others. iii) Commence development of new power generation plants to meet the growing demand. These include new hydropower plants at Ayago and Oriang in Nwoya District, and Kiba in Oyam District, the development of nuclear power in Buyende District, and the rehabilitation of Kiira- Nalubaale Power Plant. Industrial Development and Manufacturing Madam Speaker, with regard to industrial development and manufacturing, the following achievements have been registered: i) The Government has operationalised eight industrial parks, which include Namanve, Luzira, Bweyogerere, Mbale, Soroti, Kasese, Mbarara, and Jinja industrial parks. We have also supported the development of three privately-owned industrial parks, which are Liao Shen Kapeeka in Nakaseke District, MMP in Buikwe District, and Tian Tang in Mukono. ii) To-date, a total of 628 companies/industries have been allocated land within the various industrial parks, 47 per cent of which are in manufacturing. Out of all the companies allocated land, 307 are fully operational, 195 are undertaking construction, and 122 have commenced preparatory activities. The parks have attracted a total capital investment of $4.5 billion and created 181,403 jobs. iii) Madam Speaker, several industrial parks have become centres of innovation, hosting firms that have introduced new technologies and products, such as: a single HIV pill (Quality Chemicals Ltd); GIS transformers (Orion Electricals); plastic-to-fabric recycling (Fei Long Investment Ltd); locally manufactured electric vehicles (Kiira Motors); the first powder-free surgical gloves (East African Medical Vitals); and import substitution products like fridges, transformers, toiletries, textiles, ceramics, televisions, and blankets. iv) The government has supported industrialisation by investing in strategic manufacturing facilities through Uganda Development Corporation with a total investment of Shs 1.2 trillion. Madam Speaker, next financial year, I have provided Shs 308.9 billion to further support infrastructure development in industrial parks, including roads, waste management, drainage, and utilities; and Shs 187 billion for capitalisation of Uganda Development Corporation (UDC). Security, Good Governance, and Rule of Law Madam Speaker, security, good governance and the rule of law are the foundation for socio- economic transformation. Everybody knows that. During this financial year, the following achievements were registered: i) Strengthened and modernised the security infrastructure to protect Ugandans, investors and our visitors from any security threats. We have invested in security apparatus and more sophisticated intelligence network and border control mechanisms. ii) Provided adequate funds to security institutions, including the Military, Police, Prisons, and intelligence agencies for operations, and improving the capacity and welfare of men and women in uniform. iii) Promoted regional and international relations, including playing a strategic role in peace processes in Somalia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Equatorial Guinea;

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

17496 ADDRESS ON THE STATE OF THE NATION 6. The PCR kit developed by scientists at Makerere University to conduct more than two million tests at 50 per cent of the cost of imported alternatives. This has saved the country $37 million in imports per year; 7. Gulu University developed highly effective rapid test kits for crop diseases – for cassava and sweet potatoes; 8. The engineering development and innovation centres in Rwebiteete, Kiruhura District and Namanve are enhancing capacity for industrial technology, metallurgy, electrical and electronics, civil engineering, automotive technology, agricultural mechanisation, and construction machinery. 9. The Presidential Initiative on the Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) plant in Bushenyi – can you show us that one? Bushenyi banange! If you don’t want to die from a heart attack, you eat our bananas. They have got potassium for your heart muscles. The Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development plant in Bushenyi has significantly increased commercial production capacity to 140 metric tonnes of fresh Matooke – “Matooke” is bananas – per day. The plant has sales orders from the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Italy. Over the last 17 years, the NRM Government has prioritised infrastructure development, especially the roads, railways and electricity. We now have a solid foundation to support industrial development. All parts of the country are interconnected using tarmac and good murram roads. This means that whatever is produced in the country can easily reach the markets. It also means that the cost and time of moving goods has reduced significantly, facilitating both investments and trade. The stock of tarmac roads is now 6,199 kilometres, compared to only 1,900 kilometres when the NRM took power in 1986. Of these 1,900 kilometres, only 114 kilometres were in fair condition, while the rest, totalling 1,786 kilometres, were in poor condition. The roads to commence construction to tarmac standard next financial year include: 1. 23.6km., Yumbe-Ure Road and bridge. Are my people from Yumbe happy? Awadifo. (Applause) 2. 69.3km., Katine-Ochero Road – apwoyo, apwoyo, apwoyo – and 2.9 kilometres of town roads in Kaberamaido and Kalaki towns. 3. 105km. of Kyenjojo-Kihura-Bwizi-Rwamwanja- Kahunge and Mpara-Bwizi. Mwebale muno. 4. 56.3km., Iganga-Bulopa-Kamuli-Jinja. Mwebale ino . 5. 127km Mbulamuti-Kamuli-Bukungu – at long last. 6. 10km., Jinja City roads. 7. 115km., Kitgum-Kidepo. Apwoyo, apwoyo! (Applause) 8. 88km, Ishasa-Katunguru Road. Mwebale munonga . 9. 65.3km, Luku-Kalangala-Mulabana Road. Do the bassesse have their own language? Bogera Luganda? Kale bagenderawo. 10. 10.67 kilometres on the seven town roads in Kalangala. 11. 72km, Nabumali-Butaleja-Namutumba. 12. 73km, Karenga-Kapedo-Kaabong. 13. 69.6km, Kotido-Kaabong Road. Alakara noi noi . 14. 25km, Bubulo-Bududa Circular Road. Akaguto ako banange. Aba Masaaba. 15. 21km, Mbale-Nkokonjeru Road . 16. 46.4km, Kabwohe-Nyakambu-Bwizibw - era and Nyakambu-Nsiika Road. Abany - abuhweju, at last. The Government is repairing the 78.9km road from Nebbi to Arua and I am also negotiating for more money to tarmac other roads, namely: Kabujogyera-Kitagwenda-Kamwenge Road – a batagwenda bangye mutebwo amastiko; Muhaanga-Rwamuchuuchu-Kisiizi-Rubaare Road with a branch to Nyakisheenyi and another one to Kebisooni – Abahooro, Abakiga tindabasa kubebwa; Lyantonde-Lumbugu- Rakai – abakooki baffe eyomunda eyo;

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.

17330 MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET, 2025/2026 c) Rwenkunye-Apac-Lira-Acholibur Road – Shs 166.25 billion; d) Kisoro-Nkuringo-Rubugiri-Muko Road - Shs 1,260.98 billion; that is a long road; e) Moyo-Yuumbe-Koboko Road – Shs 125.08 billion; f) The rehabilitation of Mityana-Mubende Road (100 kilometres) - Shs 21 billion; g) Proposed upgrading of Kyenjojo (Kiruhura) Bwizi-Rwamwanja-Kahunge (68 kilometres), Mpara-Bwizi (37 kilometres) – Shs 109.14 billion; h) The upgrading of Iganga-Bulopa-Kamuli Road (57.2 kilometres) Shs 42.55 billion. Colleagues, the list of the high impact projects is in the report; i) There is also Rehabilitation of District, Urban and Community Access Roads (DUCAR), which will continue under the Ministry of Works and Transport. So, DUCAR roads - Shs 91.78 billion; j) The road fund management has also been given Shs 91.78 billion. On tourism, colleagues, following the ATEINI strategy, tourism has been boosted. Tourism Development a) Shs 11.16 billion for the Mount Rwenzori tourism infrastructure. This includes improving the existing trails and establishing shorter ones, improving the existing bridges, taking into consideration the issue of the flash floods, providing eco-friendly accommodation facilities, improving the safety of tourists by establishing rest points along the trails, among others; b) Shs 21.52 billion for the development of the museums and heritage sites for cultural tourism; and c) Shs 10.15 billion for the development of the source of the Nile tourism infrastructure that includes construction of the modern piers, docking places for boats and other amenities. Human Capital Development On health, a few highlights are here. Some of the highlights include: i) Shs 1,012.19 billion for the Global Fund for Tuberculosis, AIDS and Malaria; ii) Shs 194.2 billion for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) vaccines and health sector development; iii) Shs 57.89 billion towards Uganda COVID-19 response and emergency preparedness; iv) Shs 65.65 billion for the construction and equipping of the Uganda Heart Institute; v) Shs 42.14 billion towards infrastructure development at Uganda Cancer Institute; vi) Shs 116.94 billion towards rehabilitation and construction of general hospitals. This is a new resource to all the general hospitals in the country. A sum of Shs 116.94 billion has been allocated for construction and rehabilitation; and vii) Shs 30.75 billion for the establishment of regional oncology and diagnostic centres in Arua, Mbale and Mbarara; viii) Shs 623.51 billion for essential medicines and health supplies for all health centres, general hospitals, regional referral hospitals and national referral hospitals. Colleagues, it is worth noting that the Ministry for Finance has restored Shs 100 billion of the fund that was removed from National Medical Stores last year. It has been restored into the budget and this is really a great development; we thank the ministry for that. Education a) Shs 244.94 billion towards the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project Phase 2; b) Shs 12.87 billion towards the development of the Primary Schools Project; c) Shs 54.44 billion towards funding the Vocational Projects Phase 2; and d) Shs 7 billion towards the Uganda National Examination Board infrastructure project.

17348 MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET, 2025/2026 of the country is still relying on rainwater for agricultural production. Irrigation is undertaken at only four per cent. Mind you, 62 per cent of Uganda’s population, or 28 million people, are engaged in and survive on agriculture. There was a proposal, last year, to buy and roll out 300 tractors to boost agricultural production. Mr Museveni ordered this Parliament to remove the money for tractors, which it had allocated last year – and you remember who we gave it to: Magoola. The amount required for these tractors, Shs 300 billion – the vice-chairperson was very happy that this is the best budget. You want Shs 300 billion for tractors and they have provided Shs 25 billion and it is a very good budget! Last year, Parliament had also allocated Shs 60 billion to complete construction of health centres. You still have the list. President Museveni forced Parliament to, instead, allocate this money, as I said, to Magoola. He has now restored only Shs 25 billion. For example, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital has no window – nothing! It is almost 95 per cent completed, but you cannot find money to complete it, and then you come here and say this is the best budget - (Interjection)- For you, from Mbale, if it is the best, I thank you. I am finishing. This is the last. Our recommendation is that: Do not approve the budget until it is structured to deal with the country’s socio-economic challenges. The money for workshops, entertainment, travel, fuel, etc., should be re-allocated to education, health, agriculture and roads. You were accosting the Minister of Works here. He does not have money. Shs 900 billion to buy fuel for Government vehicles, and then they begin moving around as if they are touring the country! The final pages are just staff. I do not have to read them. They are staff of our dear President, including the cooks and gardeners, but I have also put the staff of Mulago Hospital for you to appreciate that the national referral hospital operates at 49 per cent. Our view, since the law says that the budget should be passed by the 30 th of May, is for you to reject this particular budget. We should go back and restructure it, to deal with those issues that are affecting our people. If you do not, you will have betrayed them. I want to thank you very much, Members, for listening to me. I also thank you, Madam Speaker. (Applause)

Hurnsn Capttel Dcvelopnent Hedth Servlcer: i. UGX 1,Ol2.l9bn - Global F\rnd for TB, AIDS and Malaria; ii. UGX 194.26a - GAVI Vaccines and Health Sector Dwelopment iii. UGX 57.t9ba - tourards Uganda Covid 19 Response and Emergency Preparedness; iv. UGX 65.55bn for constnrction and equipping of the Uganda Heart Instihrte (UHD v. UGX 42.l4bt towards infrastnrcture dwelopment at Uganda Cancer Instihrte (UCI); vi. UGX 116.94b4 towards rehabilitation and constmction of General Hospitals; vii. UGX 30.75blr for establishment of Regional Oncologr and Diagnostic Centers in Arua, Mbale and Mbarara viii. UGX 623.51b4 for essential medicines and health supplies for all Health Centers, General Hospitals, Regional Referral Hospitals and National Referral Hospitals; Education: a) Ushs /f,,.$$a towards Uganda Secondary Eclucation Brpansion Project phase II b) Ushs l.Z.t7bn towards Dwelopment of Primary Schools Project. c) UShr gQ,.$la towards funded Vocational Project Phase II d) UShs 7.OOba towatdr Uganda National Exarrrination Board Infrastructure Project II Dldtel Transformetloa UGX 197.Otbn has been allocated to the Government Network (GovNet) project towards orpanding the digital infrastnrcttrre outreach, strengthening infrastruchrre among others. digital services in priority Energr, OII aad Gas lrevelopmeat: a) UGX 686.35ba towards midstream petroleum #L Some of the planned include, Supervision of in Uganda, 'f\S s EACOP ffi .-\fiJE). of the 31 N

Votc ' . '- _-':i'- UculnUo rmrt(UGXOOOI RGfGrrl Horpltdt 403 Arua Hoqrital 11,525,914 404 Fort Fortal Hospital 12.943.6L9 405 Gulu Hospital L4.57L.970 406 Hoima Hospital 13,313,426 407 Jinja Hospital 18.335.966 408 Kabale Hospital 12.100.368 409 Masaka Hospital 13,452,7L2 410 Mbale Hospital 16,738.569 4Lt Soroti Hospital 9.9t2.492 412 Lira Hospital L5.522.676 413 Mbarara Recional Hospital 18,645,268 4t4 Mubende Rcsional Referral Hospital L2.292.t33 415 Monoto Resional Rcferrd Hospital 11.150.847 4L6 Nacuru Referral Hospital L4,902,927 417 Kinrddu Refenal Hospital 27.401.331 418 I(awern c Rcferral Hospital 26.564.466 4t9 Entebbe Reeional Referral Hoepital 17.281,838 420 Mulaso Specialized Women and Neonatal Hospital 30.925.771 42L Karrunga Referraf Hospital 14.772.948 422 H Yumbe Referral ffudoar Abroad 1 501 Ugqnda Mission at the United Nations, New York 18.306.699 502 Uganda High CotDrlission in the United Kinedom L5.640.947 503 Uganda High Comrnisaion in Canada . Ottawa 10.323.859 504 Uganda High Cornrnission in India. New Delhi 8,877,777 505 Qgrnrniggign i11 1 506 in Tanzania , Dar es gnlaarn \ 12.790.806 507 Ugand**IiEh Qsrnrnisgiqn in Niqeria. Abuia /'a^, \ 6,699,770 ( ,$ t 2,A # -ffuT a8e

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I wish that the issue of migrating people from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management System (IPPS) to the Human Capital Management System could be interrogated. The problem raised here is an issue that concerns the policemen. However, I also have teachers who have called me and said that they have gone for over four months without receiving their salaries. The challenge is that they have not been moved to the Human Capital Management System from the IPPS. We are now saying that the same case also happened with the Police. The issue of the Police might have been raised but there could also be many other people who have not migrated on to the Human Capital Management System. I want to challenge the Ministry of Public Service. Almost every two or three years, we introduce different systems. These systems are bought very expensively from outside. We train people to use them and as they get used to them, we move away from them and another one is introduced. What is the intention? Why don’t we bring a system that can serve the country for at least 10 years? You bring a system, it serves for only two, three years, and you migrate to another one. What is the problem? This becomes very expensive. Mr Speaker, we used to move to do oversight in some of these local governments. There was a time we were in Bukwo and they told us that it would take time for them - if they were to work on their people - because they had to come up to Mbale. That was where they could access the internet and the system. I think we need to interrogate this. The issue is not only with the Police. It has affected very many people. Like I had said, teachers are also affected. Maybe if you opened up, we could even find that there are many other employees who have not got their salaries.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. It is very unfortunate that up to now, we are still lamenting about the roads in this country. That is why you see most of our colleagues in the Opposition are smiling. In the National Development Plan (NDP) III and NRM manifesto, it was clearly indicated that the Namutumba-Busolwe-Nabumali Road was supposed to be upgraded in the Financial Year 2022/2023. All of us were excited. I did not even sleep, reading through the entire report to see where I would find that road. Unfortunately, it is not even mentioned as one of the roads that anyone is dreaming of being upgraded. Mr Speaker, Butaleja District is in Bukedi, which has seven districts but only one district, Butaleja, does not have tarmac, which is very unfortunate. Honourable minister, please, can you think about this road? The moment you work on this road, people from Lwakhakha will never go to Mbale; they will use that shortcut. People from Malaba will never use Bugiri Road; they will use this shortcut. In one way or the other, we shall be saving a lot economically in terms of fuel, distance and so on. It is my humble prayer that we make this road a priority, so that we also improve the lives of the people of Butaleja. Two, in the report, you are talking about what I would call a conflict between UCAA and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. You are talking about – (Member timed out.)

No, I am not confirming the sickness. He referred to a transformer. First of all, we have got a special tariff for health facilities where we are charging only Shs 350 instead of Shs 780. That is one. Secondly, for all referral hospitals, we have a budget to provide them with dedicated lines. Mbale has already got a dedicated line. Soroti Regional Referral Hospital will also have a dedicated line within the budget that you are going to discuss here.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I join my colleagues in supporting the report. However, I have noted that very critical areas in health, especially in Sebei, have been left out. I do not see anything supporting us. For example, when we came up with the policy to halt the creation of district hospitals, we accepted because we knew this would be a chance for us to have health centres III in all the subcounties, which has not happened. We already had a district hospital in Bukwo District but around 2023, it was downgraded to a health centre IV, Mr Speaker. Now Bukwo, which is a district bordering Kenya, does not have a district hospital and yet it is a highly populated area. I have also noted that the statement does not include the creation of a regional hospital in Sebei, which we were promised when we started this Parliament. We were told that the referral hospital for Sebei will be in the budget and now it is not there. Even the health centres IV that we were promised do not appear anywhere and yet they would help us, who are in areas without the district hospitals. For example, in Kween, we are patiently waiting for a district hospital which we thought would be covered by having more health centres IV and health centres III. I want to end by also adding to what Hon. Mudimi said about Mbale Hospital. The situation in Mbale Hospital is really bad and yet this is the referral hospital supporting all of us; the entire Sebei district. All of us go to Mbale Hospital. I request that even as we wait for others, help us allocate this Shs 5 billion to complete this structure in Mbale because it is highly – (Member timed out.)

Thank you so much, Mr Speaker. Allow me to take a minute to welcome the students of Bukedea Comprehensive Academy. You know, I studied in Mbale Comprehensive, so I had to welcome the students. I worked in Bukedea from 2006 to 2015, before I resigned to enter politics. These are our home products. Mr Speaker, a few comments here. One is on the issue of the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project. I agree with the committee. We need to support the Government to get money for counterpart funding and what have you. The issue is whether the money is reaching us. For instance, in Kumi, I would love the committee to tell me how many women from my place have benefited. That is critical. We do not want to fund what we do not know. Two, there is this issue of rent for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Until then, Mr Speaker? It is high time we committed ourselves. If we are constructing offices, let us do that. The amount of money that we are putting into rent is too much, in my opinion. We must stop this kind of bleeding.

16934 APPROVAL OF BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR FY 2025/2026 concern of another honourable member, who asked about where these mechanisation centres are. The 19 mechanisation centres, according to a decision of Cabinet, are in all the subregions. We are supposed to establish one mechanisation per subregion. For example, Busoga, Bukedi, Bugisu, Sebei – those subregions that correspond with the old districts at independence. I think they are 18. The 19 th is supposed to be a national referral mechanisation centre, located at Namalere. Are they operational or not? We have started on the journey of establishing those 19 mechanisation centres. So far, we have only five in place. However, even those five are not fully equipped. Some of them are not fully constructed. Therefore, it is work in progress. For example, in Mbale, there is one that we started, which we are still constructing and equipping. Another one is in Lango – in Agwata. There is one in Kiryandongo and another in Mpigi to cater for the areas near Mpigi. We have one in Busoga, specifically in Iganga. We have just started the one in Iganga. Therefore, our plan is that in each of those mechanisation centres, there will be spare parts for the tractors that we distribute to the country. We shall not stop at that. We shall also train tractor mechanics and technicians. We shall also train operators of these machines, in those mechanisation centres. On the issue of the fishing community – that they are not supported – I think I have already addressed that. Hon. Byakatonda talked about the Malabo Declaration. I think this is for all of us, because this House has the mandate of appropriation. We need to progressively increase the budget for agriculture, in view of this. Hon. Kajwengye talked about the communal water facilities that are silted. Yes, we have made a proposal but as I said earlier, it is a budgetary matter; we need to address it together. Aligning research and development and production, for example, the anti-tick vaccine. On the anti-tick vaccines, we have made a request for funds for mass production of this vaccine and we hope that we shall get those funds. Mr Speaker, you have asked us to harmonise the two centres – the one of Prof. Kahwa – Prof Kahwa is from Makerere University – and the other centre of National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), in as far as the anti- vaccine study is concerned. It was –

16880 BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR THE FY 2025/2026 shame to us as a nation and its leaders. Two days ago, two gentlemen came to my office. They have their arrears under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), and their outcry was so painful. The children have dropped out of school - those who are just finalising their doctorate course, one has cancer with no treatment because of the situation, and all their properties have been taken by the banks. These are citizens of this country, and they worked when the Government advertised. If these activities were budgeted for, where did this money go? As a chairperson of a committee, I know that all Government activities are budgeted for, but I have realised one problem, which is to do with the way releases are made. We budget like this, but finance does not release money, or they release it halfway, and make these ministries and agencies commit these contractors to do their work. I would like to give one reference. Right now, under the Dairy Department, there is already construction going on in Mbale for a milk factory to support the eastern region. It is in its first phase. The contractor has already been committed, but in this current budget, there is nothing. That contractor will sue the Government. In Kasese, there is a construction of a laboratory for coffee. It is now halfway done, but in this current budget, there is nothing. This is how we are making the Government lose a lot of funds – (Interjection) - I will give you space to provide information. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should be serious. We are blaming MDAs for nothing. Finance should prioritise its releases. Ongoing projects should be funded in time so that we meet the deadline and even for our domestic - we are rushing to clear other arrears, but we are crippling our citizens yet this money will come back to our economy. These people and their children will be useless in the future, crying out our names. They are dying, crying with our names as Government. We have to take this as a serious matter, and we want the minister for finance to commit himself and also prioritise these allocations of Shs 13.8 trillion for arrears, because you will find that those who are able are the ones going to be paid. Those who are badly off are left out - Information is allowed . (Hon. Balimwezo rose_)

16771 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 12 MARCH 2025 Vote 409: Masaka Hospital – Shs 600 million The committee was informed that this hospital required Shs 600 million for running the regional equipment maintenance workshop which repairs and services medical equipment for referral hospitals and health facilities in Greater Masaka. So, the committee recommends Shs 600 million to Vote 409. Vote 417: Kiruddu National Referral Hospital – Shs 2 billion This money is needed to enable the hospital to procure dialysis consumables to cater for the increased number of patients and also support other satellite sites in Lira, Mbale and Mbarara hospitals. The committee recommends the approval of Shs 2 billion to Vote 417. Vote 505: Uganda High Commission in Kenya – Shs 1.8 billion The Uganda High Commission in Kenya provided Shs 1.8 billion as funding that will be used for remedial works on the restoration of Uganda House, which was destroyed during protests in Nairobi to avoid deterioration of the building. The committee was further informed that these funds arose from a saving from tax exemption on building materials and appreciation of Uganda shillings against the Kenya shillings. The committee, therefore, recommends approval of Shs 1.8 billion to Vote 505. Vote 600: Local Governments – Shs 9.536 billion The committee was informed that this money was provided to various local governments for additional local revenue to local governments that are projecting to collect more local revenue for the financial year. The local governments are listed in annex 1. Therefore, the committee recommends Shs 9.536 billion to various local governments, as provided in the annex. Vote 808: Amuru District – Shs 1.271 billion The committee was informed that Amuru District required Shs 1.271 billion to cover the shortfall on the verified wage bill. The committee recommends the approval of Shs 1.271 billion to Vote 808: Amuru district to cover the verified wage bill. Vote 837: Isingiro District – Shs 2.348 billion The committee was informed that Isingiro District required Shs 2.348 billion to cover the shortfall on the verified wage bill. The committee recommends approval of Shs 2.348 billion to Vote 808: Isingiro District to cover the shortfall on the verified wage bill. Conclusion Madam Speaker, I request that the House approves the supplementary expenditures under Schedule No.3 for Financial Year 2024/2025, totalling to Shs 4,254.968 billion, as outlined in table 3 and detailed by Vote in the supply schedules of the proposed supply schedules. I beg to report. (Applause)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank the presenter for the excellent report. Honourable minister, the Leader of government Business now, the signals are very clear that we in Government must begin to put priorities on the kind of agricultural produce, which would pay attention to and invest money and tea is one of them. I come from a formerly tobacco and cotton growing area but in my travels around this country, tea estates are some of the most beautiful sceneries in this country. How come we are producing poor quality tea, yet the sceneries are so beautiful? Honourable minister, our tea is sold in the Mombasa auction, and it is all exported as Kenyan tea, not even Ugandan tea anymore. What fights are we putting into making sure it is Ugandan tea, hence the branding that people are asking for? The report talks about fertilisers. Hon. Opendi’s area, Sukulu, has vast deposits of fertilisers. We have been talking about phosphorus since kingdom come. There is another mineral in the Mbale area called the vermiculite. That mineral has the advantage of water retention in the soil. It would help a lot of crops around this country. What are we doing about it? Lastly, the issue of value addition. We are establishing several industrial parks but none of them are using any of our raw material - (Member timed out.)

When you go to Mbale Industrial Park, you notice that there is no single raw material input in those factories. I have been to Kapeeka; the Chinese are sewing textile material, school bags, and making shoes all with imported material. Even their Goodwill tiles; no raw material is from us. Our country’s base is agriculture. All these investors we are attracting, their first priority should be agro-processing and tea should be one of those key areas that can market this country. Thank you.

Honourable members, first of all, in the case of Hon. Odur vs - I remember “Togikwatako” that you cannot smuggle an amendment on the Floor. I still remember that case in Mbale. Therefore, even if there is a problem with this law, the Government cannot present any amendments on the Floor. All they can do is to – the report has already been signed – I do not know.

16345 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 2025 Let me now go to the descriptors. The samples are shown below under grade, achievement level and descriptor. I would like to repeat that Grade A talks about exceptional. If your child has scored A, under the descriptors, it demonstrates that that child has an extraordinary level of competence by applying innovatively and creatively the acquired knowledge and skills in a real-life situation. Why are we insisting on acquired knowledge and skills? This is the main purpose of the new competency-based curriculum. I know it will take us some time, but this is the best we want for our education. Two is B for outstanding. It demonstrates a high level of competency by applying the acquired knowledge and skills in a real-life situation. Grade C is satisfactory. It demonstrates an adequate level of competency by applying the acquired knowledge and skills in a real-life situation. Grade D is basic. It demonstrates a minimum level of competency in applying the acquired knowledge and skills in a real-life situation. Grade E is elementary. It demonstrates below the basic level of competency in applying the acquired knowledge and skills in a real-life situation. My honourable colleague from Mbale - if I am correct - is telling me that Grade E is a failure and I confirm that it is a fact. Important to note: i) The subject grade was computed from continuous assessment at the end of the cycle scores course; and ii) The transcript is not a certificate. Any errors detected, of course, must be reported to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) immediately. UNEB reserves the right to correct the information given on the transcript, which will be confirmed by the issuance of a certificate. Explanation notes: Result 1 - candidates who qualify to get a certificate. Result 2 - candidates who did not fulfil the conditions for award of a certificate. Result 3 - candidates who do not meet the minimum level of achievements in all subjects. Result 4 - absent candidates. Madam Speaker, I would also like to give this information to the august House on the senior five selection criteria. The computerised system at the Uganda National Examinations Board will provide the selection list for senior five students, as has always been the case and this will be a basis for admission and placement. Conclusion I thank the Rt Hon. Speaker and honourable colleagues for allowing the Minister of Education and Sports to clarify issues regarding reforms in the assessment of candidates under the new lower secondary curriculum. I say this for God and my country. We will continue, as a ministry, to engage the public, and even as Members, to make sure that we all come to par with this new development.

16166 THE OCCUPA TION A L S A FETY A ND HEALTH ( A MENDMENT) B ILL, 2 0 2 3 6. The Platform for Labour Action; 7. The Uganda Small-Scale Industries Association; and 8. The Safety and Health Association of Uganda. Then we also met Dr Ekwaro Obuku as an individual. 6.2 We reviewed documents like the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, The Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2006, and The ILO Convention, 155. 6.3 We also had a field visit, where we visited Land Industries Uganda, Sino- Uganda Mbale Industrial Park, and Tembo Steel Uganda Limited. We also had a benchmarking visit. The committee sent a delegation for a benchmarking visit to Nairobi, Kenya, coordinated by Kenya’s Central Organisation of Trade Unions. The delegation held meetings with staff of the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services in the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection. The report has been laid on the Table. 7.0 General observations and recommenda - tions: 7.1 Limited scope of the Bill in addressing the defects in the current OSH law. The committee observed that whereas according to the memorandum of the Bill, the Bill intends to expand the scope of the application of the OSH law and provide for the changes at the workplace arising from the new dynamics and rapidly evolving sectors such as telecommunication and extractive industry, the Bill does not effectively address this defect. For instance, the committee observed that the submissions of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development; Federation of Uganda Employers; Uganda National Association of the Community and Occupational Health, that whereas the Bill sought to provide a proposal on the new changes arising at the workplace from the new work dynamics, like new hazards in the telecommunications and extractive industries, the Bill did not provide for internationally-recognised OSH standards and practices, like the obligations of an employer to call out safety and health risk assessment and health surveillance plans which evaluate health related hazards at the workplace and monitor the safety and health of workers. Secondly, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and Uganda’s small- scale industries informed the committee of the need to regulate OSH practitioners, who are currently not being licensed under any law, and as a result, there is a lack of standardisation of OSH assessments and reports done at the workplaces. In addition, the Federation of Uganda Employers noted that the current provision of first aid was archaic and did not provide for internationally-recognised practices like an employer to put in place a first aid assessment plan. The committee recommends that the additional proposals should be adopted to form part of the Bill to enrich the intention of the Bill. 7.2 Compliance with occupational safety and health standards by enterprises The committee assessed occupational safety and health status in selected factories during the consideration of the Bill and observed that whereas certain workplaces had put in place safety and health measures for their workers, in others, there were still gaps that needed to be addressed. The committee recommends that the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development regularly follow up on issues of compliance and effective implementation of occupational safety and health laws and measures in all workplaces. 7.3 Absence of occupational health services for employees at the workplace The committee observed that the current law does not have provisions obligating the employer to provide occupational health services for his

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise on a matter of very urgent national importance regarding the absence of radiologists at our regional hospitals. Last week, I had a patient who was referred to do a CT scan. He went to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. It was conducted, and they asked him to provide a phone number on a smartphone so that they could give him the video. Unfortunately, he had no smartphone. Therefore, the video had to be sent to another person who had a smartphone. Eventually, it was sent to me. They told him to go back after four days and get the results. At first I did not understand why it takes about four days until I asked a friend, an OB actually, who works in Mulago Hospital. That is when he explained to me that the policy has now changed: all the results are analysed centrally from Mulago yet there are very few radiologists working on those issues. Indeed, it took four days for the results to come. However, I was lucky that I had somebody who could interpret the results immediately and I got the results of my patient immediately. How about the other Ugandans who are unable to get people to help them interpret the results quickly? This is, to me, a very big problem, because emergency issues are not handled immediately. My plea to the Minister of Health is that this issue must be urgently handled since we are now in the budgeting process. Can we have radiologists employed and deployed? I am reliably informed that it is not only in Gulu. Even Soroti, Mbale, and Arua Regional Referral Hospitals have nothing. This is a crisis and many Ugandans are actually suffering silently. Madam Speaker, Ugandans need an urgent answer. Thank you.

Yes. Thank you so much, Mr Speaker. Allow me to welcome my people from Mbale. You are most welcome. “ Kwabasimire Mwanyala Kweza ”. Mr Speaker, I am sorry that I have used that language but I wanted to show my joy to my people.

Thank you. Honourable colleagues, just give me a minute and I will give you information on the issue of the boundaries. I went to welcome the committee as an area Member of Parliament for Ruhinda North when they came to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park on this issue. Honourable minister and Attorney-General, the Director for Legal Affairs in UWA updated us on what they were doing. It will require you, honourable minister, to see how it can be expedited in Cabinet. UWA sat down and said, let us be realistic. Which one is our land? Which land are we occupying? Why are we quarrelling with people every day? People say, “We are entering.” They say the Constitution stops them from de-gazetting but not from adjusting their boundaries properly. This is where the problem is. We shall need help because this is the same Government here. Honourable Attorney-General, what is funny is that if you are to go by the boundaries they are talking about, in Mbale alone, the city will be gone. My home in Mitooma will be gone because when our parents came in 1952, the government then gave them Queen Elizabeth National Park. We have three subcounties of Bakiga down there. The moment you are to follow your boundaries – Recently, the National Forestry Authority (NFA) came and said, “You are in the Maramagambo Forest” and marked it. People started running around. We cause panic as if we are not serving the people of Uganda. Why don’t we live a realistic life? Therefore, minister in charge of UWA and the Attorney-General, why I called on you is for you to interest yourself in what they have done. They said they did a mapping. I think, honourable minister, the updated one is for around 2022. They have an updated one.

16015 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2025 They are supposed to come before Cabinet. Look into this so that you sort out issues of human-wildlife conflict. In fact, leave alone human-wildlife conflict. It is the UWA-people conflict whereby UWA says, Mbale town is a national park. I think we should move Mbale. (Laughter) These are issues, which were determined by the government then. These people did not put themselves there. For us the Bakiga, when we were coming, Omugabe Gasyonga brought my grandfather and said, “If you have energy, wherever you can stop cutting, that is the land you will take.” That is why we have land there. Otherwise, you will have to take all of us; over 60,000 people, out. We need titles. You even allowed people to make titles and now you are coming to say, “You are in our land.” I have passionately talked about this because of the Elgon issue. People there are doing badly. We go there and we promise but never implement. Therefore, I request the Attorney-General to interest himself in this matter, together with the Directorate of Legal Affairs and the minister, because they told us they have got a solution. They need it before Cabinet. This is the only realistic way we are going to solve issues to do with contestation over land between UWA and the local people. I am sorry I have gone deeper but I felt I should give you that information since I was there. Hon. Sekyanzi and Hon. Emma.

15893 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 30 JANUARY 2025 Secondly, what we must take seriously is where we are failing to have harmonisation between the NDP IV and the Budget Framework Paper – where the other one talks of Shs 90 trillion and the other talks about Shs 57 trillion. That is important because, ideally, in this process, we need to harmonise the two documents. I want to know the commitment and how we should go about it. When we remain at the current budget figure in the Budget Framework Paper – the other is talking of Shs 92 trillion – how do we harmonise and get to one common figure and ensure that we move in tandem? Thirdly, Mr Speaker, when you were presiding over one session last year, tree nursery operators came here. These are people who borrow loans and put up nurseries, but there is a public outcry: they have never been paid. So, under climate finance, can we focus on this and see how we can help to handle this matter? On human resources development, I am happy that during the last sitting, you mentioned that you went to Mbale Industrial Park, and it has caused some results. However, as workers’ representatives, we normally have challenges where quite often, machines are cutting workers in those areas. There are no remittances or collective bargaining agreements, yet Uganda is one of the constituencies of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). How I wish we could see how we could move and ensure that we have this. Still, on that aspect, how do we consider the primary school teachers and other lower cadres? Are they catered for under this human resource development fund appropriation? This is very important. These are very core issues because we find that there are already gaps between S cience and A rts teachers and other workers. So, under the human resource development fund, is there an indication that the primary school teachers will be catered for? Otherwise, going forward, I think we can move and ensure that we get better. The other disturbing aspect is when NDP is talking of Shs 2.4 trillion for agro- industrialisation – and of course, when we talk about import substitution, we can only reduce imports by actually producing and exporting through value addition. That is very important. By so doing, the committee has assured us that they are looking at aspects of research, as important. However, we find that institutions such as the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) are underfunded. Even in terms of staffing, they are at below 40 per cent, yet when you talk of the PDM, these people require quality planting materials, but they pick anything and plant, under PDM, and then the returns on their investment are jeopardised. Lastly – Mr Speaker, it is good you mentioned it. Under UNBS, the solution was given. Institutions such as NDA and Uganda Wildlife Authority are using non-tax revenue to supplement their budgets. The same applies to Management Training and Advisory Centre. Why don’t we ensure that we close this gap and ensure UNBS is facilitated through such an arrangement? I beg to submit.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, this goes directly to the Attorney- General and the minister for finance. As you are aware, under Section 25(3) of the Public Finance Management Act, a minister has powers to appropriate 10 per cent of the budget without coming to Parliament. This 10 per cent arises from Section 26 of the same Act, pertaining to the Contingency Fund, which is 3.5 per cent of the total budget. I want you to confirm to us that you do these budgets intentionally so that you can have the 10 per cent without a recourse to Parliament. If not, why don’t we amend the law to say that, “Instead of the approved budget, what was spent the previous financial year should be applicable.” Two, Mr Speaker, they talked about ghost schools, and how education is very important. I have seen a school in Mbale, called Mbale Secondary School. It is under the schools called faith-based or government-aided. Mbale Secondary School is 100 per cent a government-aided school. How do you leave schools, that are meant to benefit, and you put Mbale Secondary School? This is on page 386, number 162. I want the committee to explain to us how they brought in a ghost school, which is already a government-aided school. In fact, we would propose that that money be applied to start Mbale University, which all of us are clamouring for. Mr Speaker, I have noticed in these budgets every year that, if you look through the lists of those projects that are going to be implemented, you notice that they have been brought here year in, year out, like the schools, health units, and whatever. Why do you recycle? We need a commitment from the Government that if anything stays - because these are millions – by the way, these are the schools that always appear, and we do not know how they get onto the list. I had my brother saying that they proposed four seed schools in their area, and none appeared. They must tell us the criteria for choosing these schools and health centres. This is becoming very interesting. Is it because you are Members of the budget committee, that you include on the list what belongs to you? This must be explained to us. This may be the reason the President returned the last budget saying, “You are making mistakes.” For the first time, we must deal with how these lists got to the budget committee. Three, Mr Speaker, I have here, a school in Kampala. I can say it is in Mukono. They are charging Shs 3,865,000. It is a private school but is headed by one person on the Front Bench – (Interjections) – per term, about Shs 4 million. That is a school MPs can afford – (Interjections)- exactly . That is a very expensive school. That means the recourse for other poor Ugandans is public schools - if a public school is not in an area with good teachers, we are in trouble. I want to make a proposal - the Government right now has created many subcounties. Those that used to be villages are now subcounties. Those that used to be subcounties are now

Fr Onen? FR CHARLES ONEN (Independent, Laroo-Pece Division, Gulu City): Thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting me this opportunity. I join my colleagues to thank the chairperson of the Committee on Budget and Hon. Ssemujju. There should be consideration for the Local Governments. In 2021, new administrative units were created – new cities, divisions, municipalities and districts – and yet in all these cities, only administrative units are operating without road equipment. For nearly four years, they have been hiring that equipment. If the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development could consider giving road equipment to the new cities. People have been talking about the cancer issue. Last year, I was with my brother at Uganda Cancer Institute for six months; eventually, he passed on. I was with him and the issue of crowding – I am a witness. We need an infrastructure expansion policy for the cancer centre. So far, the Government has prioritised regional centres in northern, eastern and western Uganda like Mbarara, Mbale and Gulu. At the same time, all these centres are

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.

Thank you. Naluyima and, then, Mbale.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Before I comment on the report, I want to take this opportunity to thank you very much for your recent visit to Mbale City Industrial Park. It has been a few weeks since your visit and I can confirm that there has been progress, because the welfare of most of our people working there has slightly improved. One of the bridges that connects the community to the industrial park, I can confirm, was constructed – the Chinese have constructed it. The community, mainly the employees who are working around the industrial park, now has access to the park. So, thank you very much, Mr Speaker. About the report, I want to thank the chairperson and the entire committee for the very good report. One of the issues that you have noted concerns the land being prone to land grabbers, specifically in Mbale City. When you look at the land in Mbale, it is not fenced and they do not have a title. I expected that one of your recommendations would be for the Government to find ways of titling and fencing off this land to protect it from land grabbers. This should be one of the key things because when you look at one of the pictures, you have shown that one of the dogs killed a goat and if our people were not good, they would have probably sold that meat to us, the people. So, once we fence off this facility, it will prevent such scenarios or circumstances where even dogs have access to the slaughterhouse, which is quite dangerous to the community. The second issue concerns electricity that was cut off, mainly in Mbale. We need to come up with a permanent solution. When you look at most of the Government facilities, including the central markets and other facilities, they are facing challenges to do with electricity. In conclusion, now that Umeme is being taken over, the Government needs to come up with a proper plan on how to subsidise mainly electricity and water for most of these facilities to enable them to continue running effectively. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

15686 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT Richard Wanda, the Chairman of Bugisu Parliamentary Forum - they hosted me for two days in Mbale and we did great work, where I went beyond my duty as a Deputy Speaker and engaged the proprietors of Mbale Industrial Park. We had a lot of problems and by the time we left, we had solved like 90 per cent. (Applause) We found that the workers were using nearly Shs 4,000 every day on transport from their homes to the park and back, yet these people could construct a small bridge and gate that would connect them by only 400 metres to the city. It had been a bone of contention, so we managed to engage with the proprietor and like he has said, it has now been constructed. I received many messages from the young people in Mbale. (Applause) They also wanted a showroom because the products are manufactured in Mbale, but the people come to buy them in Kampala. Mr Zhang has briefed me that he is going to put up - I think they have already started; it is under construction. He is going to put up a showroom in Mbale for all products, so that the community can benefit. The other issue was that the youth wanted to have a workshop. Let us say you have brought all these investors, but as young people who have our own small businesses, we do not have anyone to help us. When we engaged with him, he agreed to build a workshop for them on one acre, equip it for free and they use it. Also the facilitation – (Hon. Masaba rose_) - Yes?

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

6 FINDINGS: According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), animals are slaughtered in different spaces, namely: a) Slaughter slabs: there are 1,003 slaughter slabs spread in 93 districts. b) Slaughter houses: Central (23), Eastern (7), Northern (7), Western (7) and Karamoja (1). Table 1: Distribution of Slaughter Facilities in the country Region Specie (cattlel Swine Poultry Central 6 5 T2 Eastern 2 3 2 Western J I J Northern a 2 c Karamoia 1 0 0 Source: MAAIF The findings ofthe oversight are provided according to regions and the details for the abattoirs are provided on a case-by-case for each facility in the district, municipality and city visited. This section of the report presents hndings of tl:e oversight visit to abattoirs/ slaughter houses where nine cities and four district local government were covered. These included; Masaka City, Mbarara City, Fort Portal City, Hoima City, Masindi District, Jinja, Mbale, Lira and Kampala City. 6.1 Masaka City In Masaka, the committee visited the Masaka city Abattoir and Masaka city Pork Slaughter house. k W 9 FLC

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

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"

Municipal authorizes' efforts to supervise and inspect the meat and it byproducts. b) Not enough time is given to animals to rest before they are slaughtered this is partly because some slaughter houses did not have holding areas. Therefore animals were slaughtered as soon as they were delivered at the facility. Slaughtering stressed animals affects the quality of meat. c) There were no mechanisms for detecting animals under medication creating a risk of drug residues in the meat products. There were some animals that did not appear healthy in some facilities. d) There was poor or no record keeping at the facilities. The facilities that kept records, the nature of the records did not provide all the required information about the alimals like; origin, health status, pregnancy status, number of animals incinerated etc. e) Some facilities were operating as animal market where traders buy animals like the city Abattoir. f) In some districts like Mbale, the Committee obscrved that stamps were being forged, there were over four different sta-rnps being used to permit meat for public consumption. g) Animals were being slaughtered, prepared and transported in a non- hygienic nature. For example, meat was being transported on people's backs, motor cycles and private vehicles which have not been approved by the authorities in charge. Recommenddtlons: Regular ueterinary inspections should be lmand.ated. to ascertain the health o;f animals beJore slaughter, Inadequate dnte mortem can lead to risks of zoonotic diseases such cs rift aalleg feoer, anthrqx, brucellosls, Joot and mouth dlsecse, tuberculosis, 1 35 W @ |$-5

19 Hon. Dr. Lulume Bayiga Micheal Buikwe South DP 20 Hon. Auma Kenny DWR Kwania UPC 2t Hon. Zawedde Victorious DWR Nakasongola Ind Hon. Mukhaye Miriam DWR Mbale Ind ZJ Hon. Nantaba Ida.l. Erios DWR Kayunga Ind 24 Hon. Col. Dr. Nekesa Victoria UPDF C,/, 25 Hon. Kamateneti Joselyine DWR Ntungamo NRM I 2lPage

Okay. The industrial courts, LDC interventions that contribute to justice service delivery, court-related forensic analysis interventions, LC courts, DPP interventions that contribute to justice service delivery are more directly related to the administration of justice programme. Therefore, the committee recommends that all the interventions currently under the governance and security programme that relate to the enhancement of equitable access to justice for social economic development and the strengthening of justice service delivery systems should be transferred to the administration of justice programme. It is an issue of alignment of the 18 programmes, as highlighted above. Regionally balanced development The committee observes that although commendable progress has been registered in reducing poverty, regional disparities have, however, remained and increased vulnerabilities across regions. The chairman had mentioned it, so, I will not read it. The committee recommends that the Government prioritises the development and implementation of regional development plans, including comprehensive regional physical plans, to ensure balanced economic growth, equitable service delivery, and equitable resource distribution. I would have asked for an investment map, but the committee did not allow. Promotion of games and sports The committee observes that the National Development Plan (NDP) IV provides for several interventions for promoting games and sports but does not provide interventions relating to physical exercises for health reasons, amateur sports for mass participation and professional sports for commercial benefit. In addition, the committee observes that the NDP IV high-impact projects focuses only on the establishment of four regional sports stadia and 14 district sports grounds in the traditional sub-regions of Uganda. These do include international and national stadia. Further, the committee observes that the desired high-level programme results by the year 2029- 2030 provide insufficient information in regard to niche sports rankings. This hinders the effective monitoring of the high-level program results. Therefore, the committee recommends two interventions. a. That the NDP IV is amended to incorporate interventions for physical exercises for health reasons, amateur sports for mass participation and professional sports for commercial benefit. b. NDP IV high-impact projects should be amended to include three international stadia, Namboole, Hoima, and Akii- Bua, 10 KCCA artificial surface grounds (Rubaga, Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa and Central Divisions) and 15 national stadia (Arua, Moroto, Soroti, Mbale, Tororo, Iganga, Jinja, Lugazi, Luwero, Masaka, Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kabale, Kasese and Fort Portal. Railway master plan The committee observed that the NDP IV mentions that in order to lower the cost of doing business, the focus will be on improving the transport infrastructure. However, the NDP IV is silent on the need to develop a railway

15432 THE TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING BILL, 2024 ii) Clause 128 be amended to provide that the employee of the Directorate of Industrial Training is the one to give an option on where he or she wants to serve on the board or not. 4.13 Management Training and Advisory Centre (MTAC) Clause 121 of the Bill repeals the Management Training and Advisory Centre Act, Cap 253. The committee interacted with and received written recommendations of memoranda from the Management, Training and Advisory Centre (MTAC), who submitted that the Bill sought to repeal a non-existent law, as the MTAC law was repealed by the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act of 2001. MTAC attached a legal opinion to this written submission, dated 19 September 2014 from the Solicitor-General, that stated that the MTAC law was repealed by the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001. The legal opinion further stated that the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act (Register of Public and Private Tertiary Institutions) Legal Notes No.14 of 2008, lists Management, Training and Advisory Centre as a public tertiary institution under Part B. The Minister of Education and Sports stated that following the Government policy of rationalisation of Government Agencies, Commissions, Authorities and Public Expenditure and Cabinet Memoranda CT (2018)128, it was decided that MTAC would be merged with Nakawa Vocational Training Institute. Furthermore, the Minister of Education and Sports stated that prior meetings were held with MTAC on the Bill and were, therefore, informed about the merger with the Nakawa National Training Institute and the repeal of the MTAC law. In a meeting with a committee, MTAC indicated that the dissolution of MTAC has far- reaching implications as argued below: (a) That dissolution of MTAC will undermine the execution of the projects that informed the establishment of MTAC. (b) The dissolution of MTAC will significantly undermine the implementation of the micro, small and medium enterprises policy. (c) The dissolution of MTAC would erode the relevance of MTAC in the region. (d) The dissolution of MTAC would suffocate the growth of MTAC business incubators already established in Ntungamo and in Mbale. (e) A dissolution of MTAC would significantly undermine the implementation of the National Development Plan, the Uganda Vision 2040, and the Africa Agenda 2063. Committee observations The committee observes that MTAC law was not repealed by the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 as is and is still in force. The committee observes that the matter of rationalisation of MTAC was approved by Cabinet under CT (2018)128. Recommendation The provisions of the Bill in regard to the Management and Advisory Centre (MTAC) should be maintained in the Bill. Conclusion The committee understands the pertinent need to regularize and promote the TVET sector and the committee’s interaction with the various stakeholders depicts their readiness of rationalisation which is necessary to make the TVET sector better. The committee recommends that the Parliament adopts the committee report and passes the Bill, subject to the proposed amendments. I beg to submit, Madam Speaker. (Applause)

Honourable members, I welcome you to this afternoon’s sitting. The nation is currently experiencing a lot of rainfall, which is causing a lot of disasters and flooding in various parts of the country. Yesterday we highlighted the situation that was unfolding at Pakwach Bridge. I am reliably informed that the taxi that was trapped amidst the flood was successfully retrieved, and the passengers are safe. (Applause) However, on a sad note, in the process of the rescue, we lost one of the engineers of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). That was really a very tragic incident. We must take note that the floods are all over the country. When you go to the east, the floods are there. I am informed that Nabuyonga Bridge, at the entrance into Mbale, is off; you cannot enter. You cannot cross the road between Mbale and Soroti. Tirinyi Road has the same problem. Bulambuli – and, last night Hon. Ssasaga sent me pictures of people who had died in the floods. That is what is happening in the country, specifically the landslides.

Hon. Allan, Hon. Isaiah, Hon. Kirabo, Hon. Miriam, “Maama Mbale” - I am coming down, what is the problem? MR ALLAN SSEWANYANA (NUP, Makindye Division West, Kampala) Thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving me an opportunity. I am not speaking as a coffee farmer but as a consumer who represents coffee consumers of Makindye and Kampala at large and some other areas. As a coffee consumer, I am worried about the quality of coffee, which will be supplied to us in the market because UCDA has been ensuring quality coffee in the market, both in Uganda and beyond. If it is taken to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, we are very worried as consumers that our very favoured coffee will not be favoured in the whole market because of the lackluster way of the agricultural ministry - the way they do things - not concentrating on the coffee bean quality. That is why I do not support the rationalisation of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority. As consumers and businessmen, we are going to suffer with poor quality coffee being produced under the supervision of the agricultural ministry. I beg to move.

14984 THE COTTON DEVELOPMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2024 to get on the market and are developed by specialised teams. This is a continuous activity, season after season. Therefore, the two entities mandate not only differ but are also too unique and do not overlap. We must note that the ministry does not have the capacity. It has insufficient budget funding. It is also struggling with too much bureaucracy, which will affect efficiency and effectiveness. The above is coupled with the laissez-faire syndrome of permanent and pensionable staff that has seen the ministry to date fail to come up with fisheries and aquaculture regulations to protect our fishermen, even after this 11 th Parliament passed the Bill. The MAAIF has failed to come up with the T-Regulations up to date, even when Parliament resolved that the minister in charge of agriculture come up with the T-Regulation. The ministry gave out tractors without ploughs and other spare parts in Northern Uganda and in other parts of the country. MAAIF has occasionally failed to regulate the fake agricultural inputs on the market, like pesticides, fertilisers and the agrochemical inputs. Equally important to note is the fact that MAAIF has failed to guide the Government on the long-delayed Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) which are flooding our market. MAAIF has failed to implement water for production projects in most parts of the country. Technically, the ministry has been launching these projects and failed to complete them and they end up not handing over anything to local governments. This has been evident in Moroto, Karamoja Sub region and other parts of the country. MAAIF has failed the mechanisation centres across the entire country. They are dysfunctional wherever they were established. A case in point is Kiruhura District where the committee, at one of its oversight roles, visited and discovered that officials upon discovering that the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries was going to visit the place, carried two tractors, slashed around and poured some murram so that their presence avails. In actual sense, they are non-functional. This was the same in Agwak, Dokolo and in Mbale. Madam Speaker, the Agricultural Cluster Development Project has terribly failed under MAAIF. The ministry has constructed factories for cooperatives for cotton and other products across the country, where there is no electricity to run these factories, rendering these them mere white elephants abandoned in the areas where they were established. For instance, in West Nile, where they built a cassava drying and peeling plant which has never kicked off up to date. We observed that monitoring cotton, processing and marketing plus quality control requires swiftness and high-level efficiency, which can only be provided by a specialised and accredited agency like the Cotton Development Organisation. Madam Speaker, with the overwhelming demand for textile products in Uganda and abroad, the task ahead is so enormous that it requires empowering and supporting the Cotton Development Organisation (CDO) to mobilise farmers to grow more cotton, quality assurance, consolidate and build on its achievements. Mainstreaming CDO into the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), will lead to failure to promote quality and loss of market. The minority report notes that in countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi, which liberalised their cotton industry without setting up a regulator like CDO, the sub-sector collapsed. The minority report also observed that regulating on-farm and off-farm cotton activities is a function that requires full- time attention by a specialised agency that is internationally accredited. Such a role is not duplicated anywhere in the mandate of MAAIF or any other Government agency. Accreditation

On the report, Madam Speaker, some of the issues that I did not address related to the money that is supposed to come to Mbale Industrial Park, for infrastructure development including roads and culverts. About Shs 66 billion had been budgeted for both Kapeeka and Mbale Industrial Parks and Shs 32 billion which was not released was meant to come and do work in Mbale. Perhaps, the minister can enlighten on why Mbale Industrial Park was left out. One of the key projects that was supposed to be done is a drainage channel that runs around the industrial park, to prevent it from flooding. Some work was done by the investors; they just did manual digging with machines. The channel was supposed to be constructed, but this has not been done. As a result, some of the houses that are along the border with the industrial park have collapsed. The land is collapsing because it is about 10 metres deep and about a kilometre above the industrial park. That is one of the key issues that I needed the minister to clarify. The second was about the renovation of the one-stop centre in Mbale. Perhaps the minister can give more information on when it is

14723 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2024 nothing was done. For example, if you look at the design, construction, and/or the building of access roads, drainage, and sewage plants, all these are behind schedule, and that is Mbale. When you go to the design and the construction of the sewerage treatment plant, there is no sign of any activity starting, yet money was released. In addition, when you go to the industrial parks, it is a white elephant. What is shown here, madam minister - your accounting officer must be behind bars by now and if not, together with you. (Laughter) I am telling you, I have no kind words because while I was the Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Government Assurance, Madam Speaker, we visited these industrial parks. They are white elephants. You might take things lightly, but once the Speaker gave this, take time and look at – (Interruption)

Madam Speaker, the Member from Mbale highlighted that issues are emerging from the industrial park in his area. A few days ago, we saw Kapeeka’s various products being exhibited from the industrial park there. One of my colleagues also talked about the industrial park in Namanve, from where we are getting many products. Is it in order for Hon. Ssewungu to misinform the country that the industrial parks are completely white elephants when there is evidence that something is being done? I think this kind of checking of the Government must be informed and based on facts. This is what I would like to invite my colleagues to –

Honourable members, there are industrial parks. I think you need to take a tour of the Kapeeka and Mbale Industrial parks and see how beautiful they are. They give a lot of our people jobs. I can ably talk about where I come from, Mbale. It is doing very well. It is not a white elephant per se. Maybe in others, there could be challenges that need to be worked on.

Yes, and that we will come up with the Treasury Memorandum within six months to make good of the recommendations and observations of the committee. Now, to the issues that my colleagues have raised, I will start with the first person, Hon. Karim. You asked why Mbale was left out. I want to make it very clear to you that Mbale was not left out. We actually did the budget for Mbale, Kapeeka and Namanve industrial parks. The only challenge was cash flow. That is why we have not even released the money for the two industrial parks – Mbale and Kapeeka. However, for Namanve Industrial Park, that was a loan, which was approved by the Parliament of Uganda and the money is available. I will speak later about that project since there was a question about it. You asked a question about the renovation of the One-Stop Centre. The challenge has been cash flow. We did a budget as Parliament, but we did not get the exact release for the One- Stop Centre in Mbale. You talked about selling land in Mbale Industrial Park. Madam Speaker, I would like to give information, as far as the concession on Mbale Industrial Park is concerned, that it is an investor called Mr Paul Zhang, who came to this country as an industrialist and his first industries are in Mbalala around Mukono.

14726 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT [Ms Anite] Mr Paul Zhang came to Uganda, went to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda, and requested to be allocated 619 acres of land in Mbale. Therefore, the President directed the relevant ministries, which is the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and my ministry as well, to work with the Attorney-General’s office to sign an agreement to lease the 619 acres to Mr Paul Zhang. The understanding and the condition is that the Government provides the infrastructure for the industrial park but Mr Paul Zhang would have to travel abroad and attract investors to that park. Madam Speaker, that park was land that the Government acquired from Bugisu Cooperative Union, and we paid for it. However, the land was encroached on. There were squatters who were planting mayuni , sweet potatoes and maize, among other things, for about 10 years, until the Government got Mr Paul Zhang, who has now established 50 factories in that industrial park. Madam Speaker, I thank you very much for recognising the efforts of the industrialists in that industrial park. Therefore, there is no land for giving out to any investor in that place. We have leased it out for five years until the investor fails. I want to say that he is on time, he has not failed and we have 50 factories there; which are in steady progress. Madam Speaker, I continue to the next question about the failure to access the industrial park. Of course, it has been privatised. The government leased that entire land, so, one cannot just wake up from their house and walk into that industrial park. The public land is that of Namanve Industrial Park, which you can wake up and walk into. Hon. Betty Naluyima, asked a question about the land at Namanve, the only land for the National Forestry Authority (NFA), that the Government wants to take away. Hon. Betty, I would like to assure you that that is not going to happen under my watch because I believe in protecting our environment and so does the President of the Republic of Uganda. (Applause) We shall not take that forest land. I am very honest about it and you can say “ah ah” but the truth is, we will not encroach on the forest land. Be assured! Madam Speaker, Hon. Betty Naluyima again asked another question about the Accounting Officer releasing Shs 800 million. Everyone in this country has heard me talk about the corruption in the Uganda Investment Authority. There is nobody who does not know that there is corruption there. Even I, as the minister - where is Hon. Ssewungu? Hon. Ssewungu said that I should be behind bars. For saying that corrupt people are there? Madam Speaker, my heart is bleeding that the corrupt in Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) are getting protected. They are corrupt, they have to be behind bars like yesterday. However, they are getting protected, what can poor me do -(Interjections)- Nothing! Madam Speaker, allow me to proceed to a question from Hon. Juliet - I have done my part as the minister responsible. I know the extent to which the law empowers me. The law empowers me that if I am not sure - if I detect corruption -

14736 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Water and Environment is implementing the Integrated Water Management and Development Project across the country. Subcomponent 1.2 of the project targets construction of water supply and sanitation systems in refugee-hosting districts in Western Nile and northern Uganda. The refugee-hosting districts that were targeted to benefit from the project include Moyo, Madi-Okollo, Terego, Yumbe, Adjumani, and Lamwo in West Nile and Kiryandongo District in the mid-western. A total of six solar-powered water supply systems in six rural growth centres of Awoba, Rodo, Goboro, Lomunga, Lobe and Nyori were planned to be constructed in Yumbe District. Furthermore, Enyau Gravity Flow Scheme will cover part of Ariwa Sub-county, including Zone 5 of Bidi-Bidi Refugee Settlement. A total of 26 sanitation facilities will also be constructed along the water supply system in Yumbe District. Due to foreign exchange losses, the project is not able to implement all the activities as had been planned. Furthermore, the feasibility studies and detailed engineering designs have recommended the inclusion of water treatment processes due to the quality of the underground water that required full-scale conventional treatment that was not envisioned at the project proposal. The inclusion of the water treatment processes ultimately made the system costlier as compared to the planned cost. As a result of these changes, the project had to be reprioritised by reducing a number of systems to be implemented across the project districts to match the available resources. The water supply systems that were ultimately chosen for implementation are those that provided the highest impact. I mean those with high yielding borehole sources and covering large populations. Therefore, this reprioritisation affected the mentioned rural growth centres of Nyori, Rodo, and Awoba. Madam Speaker and Members, with available funding, the project will therefore construct the three solar-powered water supply systems of Goboro, Lomunga and Lobe, and Anyau Gravity Flow Scheme which will also cover parts of Ariwa Sub-county and Zone 5 of Bidi- Bidi Refugee Settlement in Yumbe. Government will continue to source for finances to construct the remaining three solar- powered water supply systems of Rodo, Awoba and Nyori in Yumbe and the other systems that have been left out in other districts as well. The designs for all the systems have been completed and will be implemented as soon as funds are available. Hon. Byakatonda again, the question is: Why are pensioners attached to Mbale Hospital have discrepancies in their pension payments whereby officers with same seniority, that is, title and duration of service, but who retired in different years, would be paid a different monthly pension? Madam Speaker, my response is a statement of law and facts: i) The Public Service Pension Scheme is an un-funded PAYGO and non-contributory, Defined Benefit (DB) Pension Scheme. The Scheme rules are provided under Article 254 (1) of the 1995 Constitution, which for avoidance of doubt, states that, “A public officer shall, on retirement, receive such pension as is commensurate with his or her rank, salary, and length of service.” ii) Article 254(2) on the other hand, provides that, “the pension payable to any person shall be exempt from tax and shall be subject to periodic review to take account of changes in the value of money.” iii) The parameters and formula used to compute pension and gratuity are further provided by the Pensions Act, Cap 89, and Regulations therein. And these are: [Ms Nabbanja] PRIME MINISTER’S TIME

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Let me start with the Non-Tax Revenue. When you look at the target given to these regional hospitals, you notice it is Shs 34 billion. However, the collection, which was made is Shs 28 billion. The total budget for this regional referral hospital is about Shs 1 trillion. Couldn’t the Government even make this money available? It is about Shs 1 trillion for all the regional referral hospitals. We are making our people suffer just because of pay. Some cannot afford and so, they get into problems. Can’t that be collected? Even those who have met the Non-Tax Revenue targets have done it because they charge almost everything. When you go to the hospital, you find people being charged for everything. Two, there is no uniform fees structure in the hospitals, which has also been brought out in the report. Can the Minister of Health tell us why we do not have a uniform fees structure in all these hospitals? You are leaving it to the accounting officers to determine the rate at which they charge the patients. When you come to the issue of delayed deliveries of drugs, this is like sentencing our people to death. Look at the case of Mubende. For six months, no drug was delivered. Look at the people who are living on ARVs, who cannot afford them, how do they survive? Can the committee tell us what reasons were given for failure to deliver drugs on time? I do not buy the argument given by a colleague that possibly the problem is with the delays in the release of funds. Funds are released for drugs for all these regional hospitals at the same time. Why should others receive drugs and others not? That must be addressed, Mr Speaker. There are cases like Arua. It took 46 days before the drugs were delivered. Mbale, 69 days. How would the people who cannot afford drugs survive? Look at Fort Portal; three months. How? Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, please help our people and find out what the problem is. I do not think this was due to a delay in the release of the funds. Otherwise, why should others get on time? There must be a problem with the National Medical Stores. As I conclude, there is the issue of a ban on the recruitment of personnel. Let the ban possibly apply to other areas but not areas that concern life. Surely, the Ministry of Public Service should make exceptions to some cases like the health sector because it is about life. If you are not healthy, you cannot do anything. You cannot vote or mobilise for your party. Why can’t they consider them? Mr Speaker, I want to appeal to the Government and especially the Ministry of Public Service to ensure the ban on recruitment of the staff of the health sector is lifted. Also, you have seen - Dr Ayume gave us an example of the equipment that we acquired. They are going to run obsolete because we do not have the technicians. Why would we put a lot of money into acquiring all this equipment without staff to run them? Hon. Musasizi, you are a minister for finance in charge of planning. Please plan such that we can have this equipment run. Otherwise, it is going to be a very big problem and at the same time a vote of no confidence on the leadership of this country. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to join my colleagues to thank the committee for the good job. Moroto Regional Referral Hospital actually serves a big catchment, including parts of South Sudan and Kenya. The report indicates that there are lots of drug stock-outs and non- delivery of medical supplies to that particular facility. Also, the report notes that there is a reduction in releases to the referral hospital, particularly in Moroto. Amidst these huge health service needs of the region, you can be able to tell why the development indices are very dire in the region. This is one reason the Ministry of Health needs to take a keen interest in what is happening in Moroto Regional Referral Hospital. Two or three months ago, all the Karamoja leaders had an opportunity, together with the Secretary General of the NRM, to move around the hospital. You would attest to some of the reports that this particular committee has actually indicated. You realise that there is some key equipment that has not been installed. We had a scanner that had stayed outside of the building in which it is supposed to be housed, for close to about five months. Just imagine. In such a region where there are road traffic accidents, there is no scanner, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), people have to move to Soroti and Mbale. There is a need to look at this critical facility for the region. At the point when the Moroto Regional Referral Hospital is not providing services, St Kizito Hospital Matany has been very instrumental. This is a not-for-profit facility funded by donations from the Comboni Missionaries. When they were celebrating their 50 years, there was an appeal that they needed to be recapitalised. They asked the Government if they could be able to deal with the Shs 600 million debt that had accrued to the hospital. Therefore, there is a need for the ministry, together with the Office of the President, to recapitalise - part of the promise they made on that day of the Golden Jubilee was that they were going to recapitalise the hospital. That facility, which is not-for-profit is struggling. We need to see how we can help them. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

14413 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 Mr Speaker, I will go to the performance of NTR in regional referral hospitals. The Government expected regional referral hospitals and other specialised institutions to collect a total of Shs 34.556 billion, as NTR, from the 22 referral hospitals as per the table below. However, there are 22 referral hospitals. We were expected to collect Shs 34.556 billion. However, only Shs 28.094 billion, which is 82 per cent, was collected, leaving a variance of Shs 5.962 billion. Out of the NTR collection of Shs 28.094 billion, Shs 26.972 billion was transferred to the Treasury, leaving a balance of Shs 1.122 billion not transferred to the Treasury. These funds are expected to be collected to support the Government of Uganda’s budget thus the collected amount are supposed to be transferred to the Consolidated Fund for appropriation by Parliament as prescribed under Section 30 of the Public Finance Management Act. So, they are entities that collected money and never transferred it to the Consolidated Fund to the tune of Shs 1.122 billion. I will not conclude in the report, but that is illegal. Absolutely illegal to collect money and you fail to transfer. On the table I have put down, Masaka Hospital had budgeted to collect Shs 472 million. It collected Shs 698 million, a variance that is the difference of Shs 226 million over and above what was budgeted. It transferred Shs 389 to the Treasury and remained with Shs 309 million, which was not transferred, contrary to the law. Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital - this is a bit confusing - had budgeted to collect Shs 1 billion but it collected Shs 681 million, which is a variance of Shs 319 million. It transferred Shs 679 million, which was lower than what it collected. Mbale Regional Referral Hospital budgeted to collect Shs 35 million. It collected it all and transferred it all. Naguru budgeted to collect Shs 36 million. It collected Shs 233 million and transferred Shs 232 million. Naguru Hospital - (Interjection)- is supposed to be Shs 360 million but not billions; it collected Shs 233 million with a variance of Shs 127 million and transferred Shs 232, which was less by only Shs 1 million. Jinja budgeted to collect Shs 886 million. It collected Shs 424 million with a variance of Shs 462 million and transferred all the money. Mubende planned to collect Shs 150 million. It collected Shs 151 million and transferred Shs 150 million. Fort Portal -

14414 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT hospitals is the charge being placed on basic medical services that could ideally be so critical in diagnosing diseases; the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), other equipment and the scanners. They now charge everything to be accessed. This increase in NTR is basically because basic accessible medical equipment in all hospitals, today, is charged and that is a key point. It is not a positive on that note. People should not cheer up that NTR is in hospitals where you are charged when you want an x-ray, MRI and whatever equipment; those who cannot afford it, know what happens. NTR transfers to the Treasury The Auditor-General noted that two entities, including Uganda Blood Transmission Services and Moroto Regional Referral, did not transfer their NTR to the Treasury. On the other hand, only six entities, including Mbale, Jinja, Gulu, Hoima, Kawempe, Soroti regional hospitals and the Uganda Cancer Institute transferred all their collected NTR to the Treasury. The committee observed that underperformance in NTR negatively affects the implementation of planned activities. The committee further noted that accounting officers who did not meet their budgeted NTR targets or budget for NTR at all contravened Instruction 4.10.2 of the Treasury Instructions, 207. Further, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development failed to provide proper revenue targets to some regional referral hospitals. In other instances, low NTR targets were set ignoring other revenue sources like hospital private wings. Committee recommendation 1. NTR targets should be set in consultation with both the accounting officers and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to enable realistic NTR budgeting; 2. The accounting officers should institute mechanisms to ensure that all billed NTR is fully collected during the period in which it relates; 3. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should always make prompt responses to requests for NTR revision by entities; and 4. The accounting officers should consider all their NTR sources at NTR budgeting to avoid cases of NTR under collection. Performance of Government Warrants The Auditor-General reported that the Government had allocated a total budget of Shs 558.107 billion to 19 regional referral hospitals and five specialised health institutions, out of which Shs 584.681 billion was warranted, which is 98.31 per cent, implying a shortfall of Shs 9.426 billion, which is only two per cent. The detailed breakdown of this figure per hospital is under Table 2 of the main report. The committee noted that 16 entities received less than their budget. These include Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital, Mulago National Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda Heart Institute, Kiruddu, Butabika, Masaka, Entebbe, Mbale, Naguru, Jinja, Mubende, Kabale, Mbarara, Gulu, Lira and Moroto Regional Referrals. The committee observed that revenue shortfalls inhibited the effective implementation of the entity’s planned activities and thus affecting service delivery. Revenue shortfalls further place spending pressures on entities, which promotes diversion and mischarge of funds. The committee recommends that the Government should always fully release funds as approved and in a timely manner to all referral hospitals. Utilisation of warrants Many accounting officers attributed their underutilisation of resources - where we put ACT - you go to the main report - to late releases of resources from the ministry for

14415 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2024 finance, the existing ban on recruitment, delayed recruitment by the Health Service Commission, excess releases by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, for example, at Mbale Referral Hospital, and delayed supply of goods and services, among others. The committee observed that under-absorption of funds does not only distort planning and budget implementation but also denies services to other deserving beneficiaries. The committee recommends that pursuant to Section 45 of the PFMA 2015, accounting officers should adhere to the annual budget performance contract signed with the PS/ ST. This is a standard one that we have recommended there. Implementation of outputs Mr Speaker, during the financial year under review, the Auditor-General assessed the level of implementation of outputs across regional referral hospitals and other specialised institutions and noted that many accounting officers either partially implemented activities or did not implement at all, despite having received the required funds for the entities and even spending them. Details of this, per the entity, can be found in Table 5 on the main report. Honourable colleagues, get interested in Table 5 because it is the source of abuse of public funds. This is where an entity is given money – a full amount of money – it utilises it for specific activities and outputs, but they are not implemented. Instead, they divert the money. The committee noted that the non- implementation of planned activities implies that expected services to the beneficiary communities were not attained. It also points to cases of diversion and misallocation of funds by the accounting officer since they received the monies and spent them. In the earlier submission by members here, people tried to justify that this diversion could be for beneficial use. It is illegal. If you are to divert money – if you are to do a virement – the PFMA tells you how you can. Anything outside the law is illegal. The audit report we do is a financial audit. We do not do a value- for-money audit. The committee further observed that although the Auditor-General mentioned the sampled number of outputs, which were with their respective activities, the corresponding funds allocated for their implementation were not indicated by the auditors, making it difficult for the committee to determine the level of diversion and waste. Relatedly, some outputs and activities that were partially implemented could not be quantified due to the generic nature of reporting. For instance, Mbarara Referral Hospital had 15 outputs out of 29 activities partially implemented, but no value was attached to the partial implementation. Therefore, the committee found difficulty in ascertaining the funds unutilised in relation to each entity. The committee recommends as follows: 1. Accounting officers with partially implemented or unimplemented outputs should be held responsible for the action, inaction or omission that occasioned the anomaly; and 2. The committee further recommends that accounting officers should always itemise and cost activities for easy tracking and accountability. Mr Speaker, when you go to the main report, you will notice that we have established the amounts of money that were diverted. The sums are there for each hospital – how much was diverted, mischarged and possibly embezzled. Delayed delivery of drugs The Auditor-General examined the stores’ records at Fort Portal, Mubende and Mbale regional referral hospitals and reported delays in the delivery of medicines and sundries by the National Medical Store. Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital, particularly, had

14416 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT delays of between 19 and 61 days. Mubende Hospital had delays of over six months. Arua Hospital had delays of nine to 46 days. Mbale Hospital, 15 to 69 days of delay. This is nearly committing people to death – when you do this. When you read the detailed report, you notice that it is a little emotional, as you go around it. The accounting officers explained that the issues had been raised before the Parliamentary Committee on Health and they had hoped for redress. However, this persisted, which is affecting service delivery. The committee observed that National Medical Stores failed at its duty to make prompt deliveries, which led to drug stock-outs and disruptions in treatment schedules. You can imagine people with HIV, who have specific schedules to receive these medicines. When you delay, you worsen their situation. Further, long lead time affected the effective delivery of health care services as it creates shortages. Therefore, the committee recommends that National Medical Store be reprimanded for the delayed delivery of drugs to hospitals. Three months is a lot of time. Utilisation and maintenance of medical equipment Idle medical equipment Paragraph 5.2.2 of the National Medical Equipment Policy, 2009, on the operation of medical equipment, states that all health workers are responsible for ensuring that equipment is used well and maintained properly However, the auditor noted that some medical equipment in some hospitals had remained unutilised, yet they were in proper working conditions. The delays of this equipment and where they are located are found in Table 6 of the main report. I invite you, honourable colleagues, to go to Table 6. You will see which equipment in our hospitals are equipped. They are there but non-functional. The committee observed that hospitals lacked specialised personnel to operate some of the machines, thereby rendering them idle. For instance, Fort Portal had no orthopaedic surgeon or a trained surgeon to operate the C-arm and endoscopy machines respectively, while Mulago National Women’s Specialised Hospital had no renal physician and renal nurses to operate the dialysis machine even after its installation. This was coupled with poor planning for hospitals to acquire machines without personnel to operate them. Idle machines deny the community proper health service delivery and expose the machinery to wear and tear over time. The committee noted that the hospitals’ budget for the maintenance of medicinal equipment is inadequate to address all the challenges as they fall due. There was laxity by accounting officers to address their concerns at least through seeking supplementary funding, as provided for. The committee further observed that the Ministry of Health failed in its duty to supply and install oxygen plants and Intensive Care Units, thereby rendering the equipment non- functional. Redundancy of equipment denies services to patients and contributes to the obsoleteness of the equipment. The committee recommends that the Government should provide adequate funds for installation and maintenance. Honourable colleagues, it is painful that all the machines and ICU beds that were procured for all the referral hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic are non-functional and many of them are lying idle. You will read the full report. For Mulago National Referral Hospital, has a capacity of 28 beds are functional, but those that are installed cannot be hung because of the ceiling are 48. Honourable colleagues, I invite you to read the full report. You have spent so much money to procure this equipment but they are rotting away.

14227 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA FRIDAY, 30 AUGUST 2024 In our recommendations, the key one is that due to the huge burden of sickle cell disease, Lira Regional Referral Hospital needs to be equipped with an electrophoresis sickle cell testing machine to avoid the transport – or having the samples sent to Kampala for testing. Karamoja subregion We noted that in terms of the burden of disease – there were also cases of mortality – there was a high malaria burden and, in addition, we also noticed that there were high cases of liver cirrhosis. This was mainly attributed to two factors: Hepatitis B infection; and alcoholism – as reported to us. On the specific findings on distribution of health facilities, Karamoja has a population of 1.4 million with three general hospitals that are Government’s, two private not-for-profit facilities and one private for-profit facility. Notably, we were informed that one of the private not-for-profit facilities, Matany Hospital in Napak district, was facing financial constraints due to an impending total withdrawal of funding from the Italian funders. We have recommended that the Government should consider taking over Matany Hospital as a Government facility, plus planning for other health centres IV and III. The status of infrastructure Mr Speaker, this is one of the areas where there were big challenges in Karamoja subregion. We noted several buildings within Moroto Regional Referral Hospital that were dilapidated, having been constructed in 1948. Also, they did not have a functional mortuary and, therefore, have to rely on Mbale and Soroti regional referral hospitals. They, also, did not have a functional ICU despite having the equipment, because they did not have the space. In addition, they had the highest rate of caesarean section. What is acceptable is that for every 100 mothers that come, a maximum of 15 should undergo a caesarean section for delivery. However, the figures were as high as 45 per cent, and this was attributed to non- functionality of some of the theatres in the health centres IV. We also noted that one of the big constraints in terms of infrastructure development is because they were not among the major beneficiaries of Uganda Government Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UgIFT) programme because they had the Karamoja Infrastructure Development Plan, which delayed to commence and, as a result, many of the health centres II have not been upgraded to the level of health centres III. We also noted that Abim Hospital and Kotido General Hospital had not received the required funds for renovation. For example, Abim, since 1968, has never had any renovation. We also found out that the facility did not have any water supply available. So, we recommend the provision of the necessary funds. Notably, Abim Hospital did not have three-phase power, which was critical for running some of the equipment that they have within the lab and, also, in the imaging. Status of human resource On the status of human resource – these are the same observations that we made across the subregion. However, notable was that there were staff working in critical areas, majorly as volunteers without substantive appointment. As regards the status of diagnostic services, we noted that the digital X-ray in Abim Hospital has not been functional for the last seven years. This is a new digital X-ray machine, but because of lack of three-phase power, it has never been installed. The ICU is also not functional despite having 10 ICU beds that were delivered there two years ago. Therefore, there is need for intervention on the diagnostic services. As regards availability and utilisation of medicines and supplies, we noted that,

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Good job to the chairperson and his team - the committee - for that report. I would like to draw my attention to the issue of the ICU. Mr Speaker, you have seen how far Northern Uganda is from the Central, where most of the functional Intensive Care Units are. If you look at Moroto, Lira, Gulu and Arua regional referral hospitals, these are very far places and we all know what an ICU does. What we have in place are not ICUs. The equipment is there, but we have high- dependency units. A few months ago, we lost a patient in Karamoja, and in my opinion, as a doctor, we should not have lost that lady. We had to transport her all the way from Moroto, Soroti, Mbale, and Jinja, regional hospitals, without functional ICUs until Mulago. She was still alive by God’s grace, but she eventually passed on. Therefore, these are the things we need to be addressing ourselves to. The other one is dialysis. The health committee two years ago set up dialysis in Mbarara, Mbale and Lira, and the plan was to eventually roll out, but I think because of funding this financial year, it was captured as an unfunded priority. As a matter of urgency, we need to have dialysis at regional level hospitals. Adjumani General Hospital, like the woman MP said, is operating in a very dilapidated structure, and it needs urgent attention, at least the maternity unit. Mr Speaker, as I conclude, I am happy that the Committee on Public Service will address the issues of recruitment, but some of these health centres IV, like Pajule, have medical officers who have not been formalised into service, and they want to leave. When you ask the district local government, there is local government politics involved. Honourable members, we need to also discern the fact that part of the health system, the biggest bulk, is in the local government. Therefore, recruitment is a function of the District Service Commission. The contractor of the seven-story building in Gulu is being taken to court because of Shs 3 billion that has not been paid out by the Government. As a matter of urgency, can we please find this money for both Arua Regional Hospital and Gulu Regional Referral Hospitals, for their staff complexes. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to present the addendum as per the Karamoja region; the discussions related to the infrastructure report of yesterday. Karamoja region identified key roads that need to be included in the report as follows: i) Moroto-Kotido Kaabong-Karenga Road; ii) Soroti–Amuria–Abim–Kotido Road; iii) Nakapiripirit–Amudat–Alakas Road that is joining to Kenya; iv) Lokitanyala-Loroo-Amudat-Karita Road; v) Napak–Kapelebyong Road, opening the region to Teso; vi) Rehabilitation of Moroto-Soroti Road; vii) Moroto-Nakiloro-Nakabaat Road, opening the region to Kenya; viii) Kotido-Loyoro–Kaabong Road; ix) Kaabong–Timu–Loitanit Road, again opening the region to Kenya; x) K a a b o n g – T i m u – L o k a l a p a t a – Nawountos; xi) Kalapata–Pire; xii) Karenga–Bira, opening the region to South Sudan; xiii) Abim-Napak via Turtuko is an internal road, but very important; and xiv) Kotido-Abim-Otuke-Alebtong-Lira. The region also considered the security and trade roads as very important, namely: i) Kotido–Agago; ii) Kotido–Karenga; iii) Kotido–Nakitongo, that is opening the eastern part of Kenya; iv) Morunyang-Majimoto, again the eastern part of Kenya; v) Nabilatuk-Katakwi which is the Magoro Road; vi) Kaabong–Karenga; vii) Kaabong–Kitgum via Lolelia; viii) Lopelpel-Lokwakipi-Narengnya, that is a ring road around the mountain; ix) Namalu–Nabilatuk–Lokapel; x) Lotome–Korisae Nabwal-Magoro, that is the Teso side; xi) Amudat–Komerimeri; xii) Lokwanamoru–Amuria; xiii) Alerek-Okemer Road; xiv) Alerek–Kacheri–Karenga; and xv) Iriir-Nabwal–Natirae; The key bridges that we propose to be included are: i) Lotome Bridge, that is between Napak and Nabilatuk; ii) Lolachat Bridge, that is between Nabilatuk and Moroto; iii) Lions Bridge, that is between Abim and Napak, which has been claiming many lives; iv) Nakonyen Bridge, between Moroto and Amudat; v) Okemer Bridge, between Abim and Kotido; vi) Nakirianget Bridge, between Mbale and Nakapiripirit; vii) Lodoket angisigiria, that is between Kaabong and Karenga; viii) Koberyo Bridge, that is between Kaabong and Karenga again; ix) Nataa bridges, that is between Nabilatuk and Moroto; x) Komatheniko Bridge, between Moroto and Kotido;

14100 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT xi) Napiananya, between Nakapiripirit and Mbale; xii) Kocomin/Nacomin Bridge, that is between Amudat and Nabilatuk; xiii) Karita Bridge, between Amudat and Kween; xiv) Dingdinga Bridge between Amudat and West Pokot, which is a part of Kenya; xv) Nabokotom Bridge between Amudat and West Pokot, which is at the URA border point; and xvi) Dopeth Bridge between Kotido and Abim. In terms of the aerodromes, the region considered: i) Nadunget Airfield in Moroto which needs to be upgraded; ii) Amudat Airstrip; iii) Morulem Airstrip in Abim; and iv) Kotido Airstrip. This is the addendum that the region considered to be included in the infrastructure report. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, I beg to lay the minutes of the meetings of the Committee on Government Assurances and Implementation. From 1987 to 2005, the northern and eastern regions of the country were ravaged by several wars and insurgencies, which led to loss of lives, livestock and properties. In 2003, Cabinet placed a moratorium on ex- gratia payment for compensation claims by persons affected by wars and insurgencies. Consequently, claimants and beneficiaries from Acholi, Lango and Teso Sub-Regions filed numerous lawsuits against the Government in the high courts of Gulu, Lira, Soroti, Arua and Mbale. In 2008, His Excellency the President directed the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to amicably settle court cases and verify all claimants irrespective of whether they took Government to court or not. In 2016, the inter-ministerial committee conducted a verification exercise of war debit claimants/ beneficiaries in Acholi, Lango and Teso sub-regions. In 2020 the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs initiated a validation exercise in the three sub-regions of Acholi, Lango and Teso. In 2021, the verification exercise was devolved to the district structures. On 29 July 2021, the Rt Hon. Prime Minister confirmed to the Parliament that Government was in the process of verifying livestock compensation claims for the areas of Acholi, Lango and Teso sub-regions including Karamoja, West Nile, Sebei, Bukedi and Busoga sub-regions that were affected by the insurgency. On 3 August 2021, the Attorney-General also assured Parliament that he would give a report, in a fortnight, on where the Government was going and in what direction it was taking so that Parliament could know what Government was thinking. On 18 August 2021, the Deputy Attorney- General reaffirmed before the Parliament that the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs was conducting verification of livestock compensation claims in the areas, which were affected by the insurgency. He also informed the Parliament that other sub-regions affected by the insurgencies were to be incorporated in the next phase. These included Karamoja, West Nile, Sebei, Bukedi and Busoga sub-regions. He also informed the Parliament that all livestock claims and compensations would be settled within the Financial Year 2021/2022. He informed the Parliament that livestock compensation rates would be harmonised across respective sub-regions. He informed the Parliament that a report with the final assessment was to be submitted to the Cabinet and Parliament for consideration. Madam Speaker, allow me to go to the committee findings, observations and recommendations. We looked at the registration and verification of the claimants/beneficiaries. In 2020, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs initiated a validation exercise in the three sub-regions of Acholi, Lango and Teso and displayed the lists of the claimants at the district headquarters and subcounties. The verification exercise intended to confirm the genuine claimants/ beneficiaries. The following were the numbers of claimants/ beneficiaries recorded: Acholi Subregion – 16,946 verified claimants Lango Region – 42,024 Teso Subregion – 33,664 Giving a total of 92,634 claimants. The committee found out that the registration and verification exercise was marred by

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My name is Richard Wanda, Member of Parliament for Bungokho Central in Mbale. I am also the Chairperson of the Bugisu Parliamentary Group and the NRM Whip for Bugisu Subregion. Thank you.

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.

14046 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT The committee noted with concern that the project had a design review which was undertaken by a new consultant. This resulted into significant changes in the scope and price of the project. UNRA informed the committee that initially, the road had been designed to go through the existing road with the approval of the then leaders. However, during implementation, there was new leadership in Kwania District and Town councils who decided to maintain the old roads due to many buildings in the town. Consequently, UNRA had to redesign the road to create a new section, which was less expensive to compensate compared to the buildings on the old road. In addition, the committee was informed that design of civil works depends on samples. However, during implementation, after opening the ground, there are variations in length and width which result in either savings or additional costs. The committee recommends as follows; i) UNRA should use a design consultant to supervise the contractors so that any design reviews do not result in additional expenditure by Government. ii) UNRA should make its design review process clearer and more transparent to ensure that any changes to the project scope and price is thoroughly justified and documented. Delays in granting full access to site The committee was informed by the contractors that one of the challenges they were facing during project implementation was the delay in granting full access to site or right of way. And that 19 kilometres had not been acquired on lot 1 and 20 kilometre on lot 2. UNRA reported that land acquisition on this project commenced in 2017 with preliminary processes including the stakeholder engagements at all levels. Survey and valuation data capture and the first valuation report was approved on 3 September 2018. The second and third reports were approved in August 2021 and then the fourth in September 2023 and the fifth report on (Lira-Ngetta section) in July 2024. All are currently under implementation with two supplementary reports arising from the regional reports. The project was divided into the following smaller sections: i. Apac-Lira handed over to the contractor 93 per cent-this one members can go through. Madam Speaker, Tororo-Mbale-Soroti- Lira- Kamdini Road. Government of Uganda received funding from World Bank for implementation of an output performance-based road contract along Tororo-Mbale-Soroti-Dokolo-Lira-Kamdini, that is about 340 kilometres. The project is being implemented in two lots. The project duration is 8.5 years and table 7 summarises the contract. The Delayed Project Implementation The committee observed, that the eight-and- a-half-year project is being implemented at a slow pace. Since it has 29 months remaining out of the 102 months for the project duration and yet rehabilitation works have not started on lot one and lot two is at 47 per cent physical progress on the rehabilitation works as at the end of July 2024. The committee was concerned that further delays could lead to project extension of time which could result into additional supervision costs even if there is no cost time extension for the contractor. UNRA informed the committee that delayed approvals to key installations and auxiliary sites by NEMA had hindered the progress as planned. [Mr Awany] COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

Thank you Mr Speaker. My question is to the Rt Hon. Prime Minister. You are aware of the project of Namutumba-Butaleja-Mbale Road. The last time you updated us, you told us that the Government had signed a contract with China Power Company and you promised that very soon, they would commence the construction process. However, to date, nothing has happened. Can you, please, update the country as to when this will commence? Thank you.

Mr Speaker, the team from the Office of the Prime Minister is in Mbale today. The National Emergency Coordination and Operations Centre (NECOC) together with the Ministry of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees have come up to go through the lists, because whenever we say we are going to either relocate or compensate, other people come in. I know many people have problems, but sometimes we are focusing on a particular issue and you find other people coming from other areas, so, we have to clean the lists. They are doing that - but remember the homes that were affected when Mbale flooded were few. By the time you understand, they have brought more, or even triple the number. So, they are cleaning the lists and eventually, we shall come to Mbale and help our people.

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.

Mbale? There is no one on the Floor. Information is given to one on it.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also want to thank the minister for the statement. However, I just have two issues to raise with the honourable minister. I think Mbale is 60 per cent connected to the national grid, but we still have gaps in the health centres that are not connected in five subcounties and primary schools that have no power. I do not know the procedure to follow such that these institutions can be connected, especially the health centres. There is a lot of struggle for people to be supported in the health facilities simply because there is no electricity. The other issue is no-pole and one pole service. My people in Mbale District have applied for no-pole and one pole service, but they still complain that they are not supported. They have messages on their phones, having paid the amount that was required, but they have not got the service. So, I would like to know from you, honourable minister, what steps should be taken for these people to get the services? I thank you.

We are very sad as the people of Kyadondo East, Kiteezi and Lusanja, but I would like to bring it to your attention, Mr Speaker and honourable colleagues, that a number of these victims are from your areas. Actually, when I was on ground overnight, I saw a family of 20 stranded outside. I got interested and inquired and they told me that they had travelled from Mbale. Another family had travelled from Gulu. These people were saying that their family members were still missing, buried in the sand. When the Prime Minister visited Lusanja yesterday, I brought it to their attention that some of these families are not from here, but have come to identify the bodies of their people. The rescue exercise has been delayed: how do we support them? The Prime Minister said we cannot support them. These are your people. They are there waiting for the bodies of their relatives. They travelled from your areas. I pleaded with the Prime Minister to allow some of these people. I said that they can screen and allow them to shelter in the tent because they were staying outside. When you see them, you may think they are residents of our area, but they travelled from your own areas. When I brought it to the attention of the Prime Minister -

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity. My condolences to the families that lost their dear ones. I do not know whether the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs knows what waste management means. I picked up an interest in waste management three years back when my daughter was in year four and had a home assignment on waste management. I think waste management starts with waste collection, then transportation, and treatment. I want to thank the Attorney-General, for the information he has just given, that the Government has already approved the project for generating electricity in the area. My humble request - we have a problem; rescue those who are still down there yet we already have challenges of resources. We do not have resources because of corruption in the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). Therefore, my prayer is: can Parliament be exemplary? You have a budget to move around this country to hold regional parliamentary sittings. I am told though yet to confirm - I know it is very difficult even now, for us as Members of Parliament, to know the budget of this Parliament because we do not have access to it. I am told you have a budget to host regional parliamentary sittings in Gulu, Mbarara, Mbale, and Masaka. My prayer is: can we be exemplary and sacrifice that money to rescue the people in Hon. Muwada’s constituency? That is my humble prayer. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Kiteezi was a disaster waiting to happen. I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. My grief has been exacerbated by the information I have received from the area Member of Parliament, Hon. Muwada Nkunyingi. He has said that some of those who are homeless, hopeless, and devastated are from Mbale. You know Bududa is synonymous with disaster. This could be people who have moved from a frying pan to a fire. Most of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Bududa are either in Kiryandongo, Bulambuli, Mbale, Kayunga, Buikwe, and/ or the suburbs of Kampala. I want to bear with the new minister and salute her zeal and zest with which she has come to this disaster preparedness ministry. Much as we have been lamenting about the ill- preparedness - and you mentioned it in your statement; the contingency fund - Mr Speaker, this fund is provided for in the Public Finance and Management Act. Most of the thorny issues revolve around limited funding or constraints in finances or lack of funding by KCCA - but we have a provision. Section 26 even gives the formula. Three and a half times - that is what is calculated. The annual appropriated budget of the previous year is supposed to be in the Contingencies Fund. However, this is not the case – (Mr Musasizi rose_) - no, I am extremely informed on this one. (Laughter) I know why you have not been allowed. Mr Speaker, thank you for the protection.

Thank you. What I got from Hon. Masaba is that he was labouring to explain the conditions that these people work in and all that. However, he could have put it better without - honourable colleagues, there is what we call a glass half empty and a glass half full. If you say half- empty, you do not appreciate any effort that has managed to put in something in the glass. But when you say half-full, even if it is very little, you appreciate the little effort. It is better than those who have not got anything. I know many youths would want to go and work under those conditions in Mbale if you gave them the chance, but again, he is raising a grave concern he has as a leader from the area. So you can clarify it; package it better.

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.

Thank you so much. Hon. Kakembo talked about the new cities. That new cities were created and approved by the Tenth Parliament. There is need to operationalise these cities to enable us prepare for the forthcoming general elections and demarcation of constituencies. He asked, when will we operationalise Entebbe City? My response, Mr Speaker, is that the Government in April 2020, created 15 cities in Uganda to be operationalised in a phased manner. The 10 cities of Arua, Mbarara, Gulu, Jinja, Fort Portal, Mbale, Masaka, Hoima, Lira, and Soroti, took effect on 1 July 2020. These were to be followed by the five cities of; Entebbe, Moroto, Nakasongola, Kabale and Wakiso, meant to be operationalised as follows: On 1 July 2022, it was supposed to be Entebbe City. 1 July 2023, it was supposed to be Moroto, Nakasongola, Kabale, and Wakiso cities. However, in August 2020, the law (The Local Governments Act Cap 138) was amended, and midterm operationalisation of administrative units and local governments abolished. The newly created administrative units and local governments can only take effect six months before the general elections, and this amendment affected the next phase of the five cities. The Ministry of Local Government is currently carrying out the technical studies and consultations with stakeholders in the five cities, to prepare them for the operationalisation of 1 July 2025, subject to the guidance by Cabinet. Question number 6 is still from Hon. Ojok, Member of Parliament, Omoro County. His prayer is; what is the status of Government intervention in realisation of transitional justice law, to address the question of war reparations in Acholi Subregion? My response is that on 17 June 2019, Cabinet under Minute 239 (CT-2019), (Cabinet Memorandum CT (2018)38), approved the National Transitional Justice Policy as follows: a) Noted the key aspects of the National Transitional Justice Policy. b) Approved the National Transitional Justice Policy. c) Approved the wide dissemination and publication of the National Transitional Justice Policy. d) Approved the fast-tracking of the legislation on the National Transitional Justice Policy. e) Directed the ministers of Internal Affairs and Justice and Constitutional Affairs, to provide a transitional period between the implementation of the National Transitional Justice Policy, and the enactment of the relevant laws on the transitional justice to give the Government ample time to identify the most sustainable source of funding for the undertaking. The National Transitional Justice Policy is an overreaching framework of the Government of Uganda designed to address peace, justice, accountability and reconciliation needs of post conflict Uganda. Mr Speaker, it is therefore, seeking to engage with all parts of the country that have been affected by civil strife, conflict, and not only the Acholi Subregion. Since the approval of the policy, it has been disseminated and efforts are being undertaken to present principles for a proposed Transitional Justice Law. It should be noted that the principles for the policy were withdrawn from the Cabinet in February 2023, to enable the responsible ministries to harmonise certain issues, including administrative arrangements for the law.

When will operationalization of Entebbe City take effect? RESPONSE: Rt. Hon. Speaker and Honorable colleagues, Government in April 2O2O Created 15 Cities in Uganda to be operationalized in a phased manner. The 10 Cities of Arua, Mbarara, Gulu, Jinja, Fortportal, Mbale, Masaka, Hoima, Lira and Soroti took effect on l"t July 2O2O. These were to be followed by 5 Cities of Entebbe, Moroto, Nakasongola, Kabale and Wakiso meant to be to be operationalized as follows: l"t July 2O22-Entebbe City l"t July 2023- Moroto, Nakasongola, Kabale, Wakiso lities. However August 2O2O, the Law (The Local Governments Act Cap 138) was amended and midterm operationalisation of Administrative Units and Local Governments abolished. The Newly created Administrative Units and Local Governments can only take effect six months before the General elections. This amendment alfected the next phase of 5 Cities. The Ministry of Local Government is currently carrying out the Technical Studies and consultations with stakeholders in the 5 Cities to prepare them for operationalization on l"t July 2025, subject to the guidance by Cabinet. 11

1 Kayunga Regional Referral RRH Ka5runga Hos ital t6 Lira Regional Referral Hospital RRH Lira City 17 Masaka Hospital Regional Referral RRH Masaka City 18 Mbale Hospital Regional Referral RRH Mbale City 19 Mbarara Hospital Regional Referral RRH Mbarara ciw 20 Moroto Hospital Regional Referral RRH Moroto District 2t Mubende Hospital Regional Referral RRH Mubende District 22 Soroti Hospital Regional Referral RRH Soroti City 23 Entebbe Paediatric Specialized Hospital Surgery Specializ ed Hospital Wakiso District 24 Entebbe Hospital Regional Referral RRH Wakiso District 25 Yumbe Hospital Regional Referral RRH Yumbe District 22

13783 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 7 AUGUST 2024 Mr Speaker, corruption has been mentioned in Butebo which is near Mbale that was a beneficiary; a road with two kilometres took Shs 200 million. To us, that is not shocking. If you are looking for the most expensive road in the whole world, it is here in Uganda incidentally where close to Shs 35 billion was spent on a kilometre; the Entebbe Express Highway. Therefore, corruption here is endemic, systemic and we are not about to nip it in the bud, even with this threat by our President that he is crashing it sooner than later. It is more on talk but short on action. Mr Speaker, I am about to seek your indulgence to put your office on notice to grant me space on the Order Paper to sponsor a motion urging the Government to implement the National Objective and Directive Principle XXII on food security and nutrition. It states that: “The state shall establish national food reserves” and the able minister knows this. I heard from a Member here, Hon. Naome Kabasharira, that there was a bumper harvest in Rushenyi. They harvested beans and they were exploited by middlemen at throwaway prices. I have heard about milk mentioned by a doctor. I also heard from Hon. Christine Apolot of Cassava rotting. We have had a bumper harvest, even of maize. However, here is a Government that is sleeping on the job. It has failed. It is coming to 40 years down the road and they are failing to implement it. Moreover, we have this National Food Reserve, de facto -

Cluatar 229,A6r,75t 257,499,800 3 Bug\Men Butalela Butebo Buglrl Namutumba Palhsa Tororo Kapchorwa 4 80,520,828 232,500,O00 223,080.000 696,207,225 380,000,0o0 Mbale Bukwo Kumr Sorotl 60,354,275 5 Serere 66,250,000 Amuru 179,300.O00 302,900,o00 368,695,00O 6 Nwoya Oulu Omoro Lrra Kole Dokolo 284,597 ,?Oo 220,OOO,OOO 369,115,000 244,379,OOO 7 t96,959,267 222,500,0O0 303,988,900 260,O00,O00 Oyam Kwama Apac I(asese l(abarole 351,739,s00 262,240,OOO 46t,423,373 8 392,624 OOO 690,075,980 9 lfrac Of Dlrtrlctr Cuau.htl DlrbEtacacnt (ucxl 196,980,O00 295,OOO,OOO 5t4,949,440 r83,335.174 B I unyangabu Kamwenge Krtag! .enda Kyenlolo 803,442.0O0 Kyegeg!r/a N *d,.- 7

however, notes that the uptake of thesc scrvlcea la st l low because some e-workcrs do not have the necessary gadgets whrlc rn aome areas therc are challenges of accesslng and uslng lT The mobrle sorl testng apphcatron Thls rs aorl testrng to rdenbfy mlssii'lg nutnents and lnform fertlhzer use A So[ Nutnent Data Collectron Mobrle 'i Apphcahon was developed and used rn 12 dlstncts Samples were collected from 7,098 farmers m 12 dlstncts and so[ fertrlEatron plans wcre developed. The next step is thc drssemrnatron of the results to the farmcrs . MAAIF contractcd Jabba Engmeenng Lmrted to customrze a so testrng apptrcatron, undertake garden profilmg and sorl nutrlent testlng for benehcraqr farmers and supply soll test krts so as to rncrease adoptron of precrse opUmal fertrlEer apphcatron for rmproved crop productlvlty . Specrfically, Jabba was cxpected to, r Produce gardcn profiles and offer so testrng scruces to 7,2OO b€neficrafles rn 720 sub countues, ll Dcvelop a data collechon tool (a mob e App) that fac rtates soll tcstrng for mdlrduals irl Carry out sof nutnent data analysrs modcl for lntegratron $1th ACDP MIS of NAFAS rv Provrde 24O crop specrfic fert zatron plans and 12 nutnent drstnbutron geo-mapa, v Supply 14 mobrte dlgrtal soll tcstmg klts and provrde tra_rnlng to ACDP prolect focal persons and MAATF on klts usage . Under (v) Jabba Engneenng (U) Ltd dchvered Sorl Test Krts wrth complete rcagents to 12 drstrlcts as rndrcated rn the table bclow Dl.trlct Cluttcr Focal pcrtoa Co.trct Patrlck 075193403s Ogaz,a 07427? t696 Emmanucl o?0672334t I Kalungu tganga Palhaa 2 3 4 Mbale Rose Nablryc 5 Sorotr Odcny James Peter 6 Gulu o7726737a9 07?5619409 Codfrey Anywat o774454040 .#1,ft-rJ ry N

13702 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT As I conclude, it is not only about paying the interns, but it is where we are going to accommodate them. Mbale Regional Referral Hospital needed Shs 590 million, the price of a V8 Land Cruiser, which the front bench buys every financial year for their ministers, but we could not provide this in the budget. Masaka Regional Referral Hospital needed Shs 600 million to complete its Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It was an unfunded priority. Therefore, it goes beyond only payment for interns, there is equipment, the consultants who are going to train these people, and so many other things. So, we need to look at it from that context. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

13581 THE E L E V E N TH P A R L I A MENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY , 25 J ULY 2024 3. Attended Cornerstone Leadership Academy from 1994 to 1996, and got an Advanced Level Certificate of Education. 4. Studied at Makerere University 1996 to 1999 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science and Philosophy. 5. Studied at Kampala International University from 2017 to 2022 and completed a Bachelor of Legal Laws. 6. Was still a student at the Law Development Centre for the Bar course. Mr Speaker, the late Hon. Aleper was a competent professional in handling social and technical work. He was able to work in the field under emergency conditions and in a multi- cultural environment. This is ably portrayed in his career below: 1. 2001-2002: District Peace Building Monitor and Secretary to the Small Arms Disarmament Programme in Karamoja 2. 2003-2004: Community Dialogue Officer for Karamoja 3. 2004-2006: Zonal Project Officer for Northern Uganda Youth Rehabilitation Project 4. 2008-2009: National United Nations Volunteer – District Coordinator for United Nations Development Programme The late Hon. Simon Peter Aleper underwent various on-job trainings as shown below: 1. In 1999: Training of Trainers in Conflict Resolution and Conflict Management at the Centre for Conflict Resolution in Mbale; 2. In 2000: Training in Skills and Strategies for Conflict Transformation by the Centre for Conflict Resolution in Kampala; 3. In 2001: Training in Management and Planning improvement programme on Social Sector in Mbale; 4. In 2002: Training in capacity building of Community-Based Organisations on Finance and Reporting in Mbale; 5. In 2002: Training in Participatory Rural Approaches in Kampala; 6. In 2003: Training in HIV/AIDS awareness raising and counselling in Mbale; and 7. In 2003: Training in Famine and Early Warning Systems. The Late Hon. Aleper carried out various short- term assignments as mentioned below; 1. Support personnel for Northern Uganda Reconciliation Programme. Carried out needs assessment and consultative stakeholder workshops in the entire northern region, under the Office of the Prime Minister. 2. Conducted research on pastoral network in the Great Horn of Africa. 3. Carried out a drought assessment in Karamoja under the supervision of the World Food Programme. 4. Coordinator Karamoja Education Support Trust (KEST), a Community-Based Organisation. The late Hon. Aleper was a hard-working member of the NRM, who rose through the ranks: 1. 2016-2021 – NRM National Vice- Chairman for Karamoja; 2. 2011-2016 – Member of Parliament for Moroto Municipality; 3. 20ll-2016 – District NRM Secretary for Publicity; 4. 2006 – Subcounty NRM General Secretary; 5. 2001 – NRM Coordinator for Youth in Teso, Karamoja and Kapchorwa. Mr Speaker, I wish to extend my heartfelt sympathies and condolences to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda and the NRM Chairman, the family, friends and the entire Karamoja region upon this great loss of a first-rate politician. May the soul of Hon. Simon Peter A1eper rest in eternal peace. Thank you. (Applause)

13588 TRIBUTE TO THE L A TE H ON. S I MON P E TER A L E P E R She woke up in the middle of the night to get in touch with A-Plus Funeral Services, together with Captain Mike Mukula. They were able to pick the body from Iganga, have it treated, and brought to Mulago Hospital. Mr Speaker, we want to thank the Speaker and your office for that response. (Applause) Secondly, I would like to thank the Central Executive Committee and the President for being in touch throughout this terrible time and quickly deciding that at his level of a member of the Central Executive Committee, he should be accorded an official burial. I would like to correct the write-up of my brother, Hon. Ssewungu. Most of you know Tirinyi Road from that corner called Bukoona. Hon. Aleper was knocked at around 1.00 a.m. on a straight road. Before reaching where he was knocked, there are humps. He was coming from Mbale to Kampala, just 6.3 kilometres before joining the Iganga-Bugiri-Tororo Highway. In addition, it was not a head-on collision. Up to now, the front of the car – which is at Iganga Police – is intact. It seems to me – because if it had been a knock on the side and if it was a car in motion, it would have overturned. It seems to me that Hon. Aleper had foreseen a trailer coming and moved onto the side of the road. However, the oncoming trailer – we imagine it was a trailer because of the knock on his door. He was the one driving and the tyre marks are on the side of the door up to today. That trailer, or whatever it was, was very big because the tyre marks reached the window level of a Toyota Land Cruiser V8, and the side of the car bore blue and yellow paint marks. The car did not overturn. It knocked him on the side and he died on the spot. Hon. Ssewungu, please tell your Leader of the Opposition to correct this write-up. It is not true. We are mourning. It is now 72 hours later but we have not received a report on the whereabouts of the killer truck. We have been told that it is unknown and it seems to me that it is going to be like what happened to late Hon. Okabe. We want to hear from the Government how far the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the police and the CIID have gone with the investigations to apprehend the killer truck. In the circumstances, even at the entrance to Tirinyi Highway, there are cameras at that corner and along that road. How come, up to this moment, the people of Karamoja have not been told the whereabouts of the killer truck? Please, we need that statement from the Government. At the level of Hon. Aleper, a member of the Central Executive Committee, up to now, we do not even know whether there is a specialised unit of Police following up on this truck. We have not got any information - at least we, Members of the Parliament, the Chairman of Karamoja Parliamentary Group, and the family have not got any information about the killer truck. The longer it takes, the more it will give people room to start suspicious talk. Please quickly give us the report on this. Get information from the cameras – whichever camera is working – and give us the report. Mr Speaker, Karamoja has lost a voice. When Hon. Aleper joined campus in 1996, or even before that, in 1994 – Actually after finishing Moroto High School, he did not have anybody to pay his school fees. We would like to thank the people of Cornerstone Academy in Luwero; they are the ones who picked him. When he went there, he performed very well and joined Makerere University. When he finished Makerere University, he joined a cadet course. He was actually in Jinja as a cadet officer. At some point, he decided to come out and pursue active politics. He was not chased. Hon. Aleper was a counsellor who preferred dialogue. He would logically walk you through a matter, maybe because of his background of doing political science and philosophy. He always wanted to develop consensus. He did a lot in the region. When we were in this Parliament, he was the publicity secretary for the Karamoja Parliamentary Group while I was the secretary and Hon. Sam Lokeris was the chairperson. We did a lot here. [Mr] Achia

13547 Tuesday, 23 July 2024 the parliamentary sectoral committee leaders. He died in an accident along the Mbale-Tirinyi Road, this morning. It is very sad. I want to extend our condolences to the family, His Excellency, the President and Chairman of the NRM, members of the NRM CEC, the people of Karamoja and the country at large. Hon. Aleper has served this country diligently over a long time. The burial arrangements will be communicated later today in the Central Executive Committee meeting. I was told this is one of the matters, which was discussed. They will communicate to the country about the burial arrangements. In the same vein, our honourable colleague, Hon. Balmoyi Sharon Laker, the Woman Member of Parliament for Gulu District has this morning lost her husband, Mr Adyeri Norbert, at Mulago National Referral Hospital. I talked to her this morning and she was heartbroken. I would like to urge honourable colleagues who can, to reach out to her and console her; put her and the family in prayers. On behalf of the Parliament, I extend our condolences. Again, this week - Honourable colleagues, I know most of you are Gen-Zs. Hon. Otimgiw, Hon. Kwizera Wa-Gahungu and Hon. Omara – I know Hon. Omara does not qualify in that category – but this week, on a very sad note, we lost Mr Mathew Bukenya, the former Secretary, Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB). On your academic documents, most of you will see the signature of Mzee Mathew Bukenya. It is really sad. IN THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA Official Report of the Proceedings of Parliament FOURTH SESSION - 5TH SITTING - 1ST MEETING Parliament met 2.08 p.m. in Parliament House, Kampala. PRAYERS (The Deputy Speaker, Mr Thomas Tayebwa, in the Chair.) The House was called to order. COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

13515 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 2 JULY 2024 and these are funds required to commence establishment of mineral regulations, revenue collection infrastructure and implementation of the minerals law. These include weighbridges and Government regulated markets for precious stones et cetera. Under the same vote - Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, there was a reduction of Shs 15 billion from rural electrification and connectivity projects. These funds are required to kick-start works on the seven major construction roads, which include the following: 1. Under Batch 1; the Eastern Service Territory, including West Budama South, Tororo South and Tororo Municipality in Tororo District, Pallisa County, and Gogonyo in Pallisa District; 2. Under Batch 2; still in the Eastern Service Territory, it covers areas of Busiki in Namutumba, Bukooli South in Bugiri, Kamuli District, Kachumbala in Bukedea District, Mbale Northern Division, Bungokho in Mbale and Serere District; 3. Lot 3; Northwest Service Territory for Buyanja East in Kibaale District, Bugangaizi South in Kakumiro District, Buhaguzi in Hoima, Hoima City, Kikuube and Buyaga East in Kagadi District; 4. Under lot 4 of West Nile, Central North and North Service Territory for Ora area in Zombo, Gulu; Aringa South in Yumbe, Dokolo District and Lira East in Lira District. 5. West, South and South Western Service Territory for Sheema, Ruhinda in Mitooma, Isingiro, Rubanda, Ibanda, and Kisoro Districts; 6. Western, Central, and Rwenzori Service Territory for Busongora North in Kasese, Fort Portal Central in Kabarole, Kyankwanzi and Bunyangabo Districts; 7. Central Service Territory for Bbale in Kayunga, Mukono South in Mukono, Butambala, Bukoto East in Masaka and Kiboga Districts. Madam Chairperson, in addition, these funds are required to commence works of enhancing the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) framework priority interventions for small factories and cottage industries across the country. (Interjections ) The SMEs framework intervention is aimed at reducing the turnaround time for electricity connection to SMEs.

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

13525 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 2 JULY 2024 Makerere University gender equality project, Shs 1.2 billion. Uganda Tourism Board was given Shs 1.8 billion. National Citizenship and Immigration Control Shs 10 billion for border posts, technology and so on. National Animal Genetic Resource Centre and Data Bank (NAGRIC&DB), an additional Shs 10 billion, to kick start a demonstration farm in Bukedea District - (Interjection) - That one, yes. I also come from there, that is my district, honourable colleagues. Vote 410 - Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. It has been struggling to construct a surgical complex for about five years. It is not going far and they need Shs 5 billion to complete it. Mbale region covers a big area; that is Pallisa, Bukedea - Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB), Shs 4 billion. Uganda Microfinance Regulation Authority, Shs 3 billion. Uganda Export Promotions Board in order to participate in Expo 2025, Osaka, Shs 4 billion. Kisoro District was allocated Shs 1.3 billion for construction of Kanyamatekye Bridge, and rehabilitation of Buhoozi Health Centre III, Shs 350 million, Nyarusiza Health Centre III Shs 350 million. Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital. Ever since that hospital was upgraded from a district hospital to a regional referral hospital, the budget stayed constant. We had allocated an additional Shs 3 billion to Entebbe regional referral hospital. Uganda consulate in Mombasa, Kenya. They are supposed to host the Uganda-Kenya Coast Tourism Conference Centre in Kampala, November 2024. We had allocated Shs 1 billion. Vote 609 - Mbarara City, Shs 5.2 billion had been allocated for construction of Katete Bridge in Mbarara City that is going to connect to Isingiro and others. 1. St Helen Primary School refurbishment, Shs 100 million, 2. Kakoba Muslim Primary School, Shs 100 million, 3. Kagaga Primary School, Shs 100 million, 4. Nyamitanga Secondary School Shs 100 million, 5. Nyamityobora Health Centre II Shs 400 million. Sheema Municipal Council -

13454 PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET SPEECH FY 2024/2025 of Excellence for Cardiovascular Care at the Uganda Heart Institute located in Naguru and fast-tracking the completion of the East African Centre of Excellence for Oncology in Kampala and associated regional centres in Gulu, Mbarara, Arua and Mbale . (Applause) Iyii, engalo ezo nga si z’amaanyi; they do not encourage me. (Laughter); ii) Under the Uganda Inter-Governmental Fiscal Transfers (UGIFT) Programme, 371 health centres II were planned for construction and upgrade to health centres III status. So far, 261 health centres II have been upgraded to health centres III and are fully operational. I hope the Minister of Health can certify this. An additional 110 are ongoing at different stages. Meanwhile, 11 hospitals were rehabilitated in Busolwe, Kapchorwa, Kambuga, Buwenge, Koboko, Amuria, Kotido, Kaberamaido, Kawolo and Kitgum Districts; iii) Three regional blood banks in Arua, Soroti and Hoima have been completed; iv) The Government distributed a total of 25 million long-lasting insecticide treated mosquito bed nets countrywide for the prevention of malaria; and v) The Government also provided 116 new ambulances to 100 constituencies, another 10 ambulances for the regional referral hospitals and six for the Command Centre at Naguru, among others. Madam Speaker, to further enhance the health of Ugandans, a total of Shs 2.946 trillion has been provided for the next Financial Year 2024/2025. The following interventions will be prioritised; i) Promotion and implementation of interventions for the disease prevention and health education initiatives against communicable, non-communicable and neglected tropical diseases and injuries. ii) Provision of essential medicines where an additional Shs 100 billion has been provided; iii) Improvement of the welfare of the health workers including medical interns and doctors designated as senior house officers. I have provided more wage allocations to facilitate the recruitment of staff for the upgraded health centres III; iv) Construction and rehabilitation of more health infrastructure and provision of medical equipment to improve quality of care and provision of specialised healthcare. These include, among others, the Uganda Cancer Institute and Regional Cancer Centres, the Uganda Heart Institute, Intensive Care Units and an imaging centre for referral hospitals; v) Digitisation of the national health system to facilitate service delivery and tracking of medical supplies and health workers’ performance; vi) Construction, rehabilitation and equipping of dilapidated hospitals across the country including the Kampala Metropolitan Area; vii) Strengthening of the network of medical reference laboratories including the establishment of the East African Community Regional Centre of Excellence for Virology at the Uganda Virus Research Institute and the National Public Health Institute in Uganda; and viii) Establishment of a pharmaceutical industrial park and strengthening the National Drug Authority Regulatory Framework. Education The Government considers education as a key opportunity equaliser for all Ugandans, equipping them with the knowledge and skills required for productive employment as well as enabling them to live longer, happier and affluent lives. For this reason, the following

13466 PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET SPEECH FY 2024/2025 iii. Improving the quality of power supply through the systematic operation and maintenance of existing power infrastructure; iv. Increasing access to clean energy by supporting clean cooking technologies; v. The development of five micro-grid power plants using wind and solar hybrids in Karamoja; and vi. Preparatory activities for the 8,400MW Nuclear Power Plant in Buyende District. Industrial development and manufacturing Madam Speaker, in our tenfold growth strategy, the Government is going to step up efforts to accelerate the diversification of the economy, add value to raw materials to boost exports and import substitution to continue reducing our import bill, and also build more basic industries to produce items that Ugandans use daily such as sugar, soap, cooking oil, clothes, medicines, construction materials, et cetera. Our industrialisation efforts are being undertaken mainly through the private sector, but with the State playing a de- risking role. The Government, through the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC), is undertaking targeted investments to increase Uganda’s manufacturing capacity. During the financial year we are ending, the following investments have been undertaken by UDC to increase local manufacturing capacity: i. The Atiak Sugar Factory has acquired modern mechanised equipment for the sugarcane fields in Amuru and Lamwo districts and installed modern irrigation systems; ii. Four tea factories have been supported to expand and process tea for both domestic market and export. These are: Kayonza Growers Tea Factory; Kigezi Highland Tea Factory; Mabale Growers Tea Factory; and Mpanga Growers Tea Factory; iii. Continued support to Mutuma Commercial Agencies (Ltd) in Luuka District to produce intermediary and final products such as surgical cotton, cotton cake, soap stock, and cotton-seed oil; iv. Investment in Bukona Agro-processors Ltd in Nwoya District to process cassava and cereals into ethanol for cooking. It produces 40,000 litres of ethanol per day; v. Investment in Budadiri Arabica Coffee Mills (Ltd) in Sironko District to process coffee for export; vi. Additional investment in Soroti Fruits Factory (Ltd) that is processing six metric tons of fruit (mangoes and oranges) per hour into fruit concentrates and juice; and vii. UDC has also invested in East African Medical Vitals (Ltd), manufacturer of examination and surgical gloves, to increase the company’s production capacity to create jobs and also save the country foreign exchange through import substitution. Madam Speaker, the Government is also continuing to develop industrial parks to provide investors with the required infrastructure and utilities. Work is in progress in Namanve Park (with 190 companies operating); Liao Shen Park in Kapeeka (19 companies); Sino-Uganda Industrial Park in Mbale (18 companies); Luzira Park (11 companies); Bweyogerere Park (eight companies); and MMP in Buikwe (seven companies). Other operational industrial parks include Jinja, Soroti, Kasese, Mbarara, and Tian Tang-Mukono Industrial Park. So far, over $3.5 billion has been invested in these parks in the form of foreign direct investment. Over 266,812 direct and indirect jobs have so far been created. Security, good governance, and rule of law Madam Speaker, peace and security, as well as the rule of law, are the foundation for all other

Hon. Chemaswet, when you are driving through Mbale, pass by our place and get coffee. If there is anything I have said, which has disappointed you, as a brother from the mountains, my apologies.

Honourable members, the operation that was done by Dr Muhumuza - listen, you are a vet. (Laughter) Honourable members, I wish you had seen Hon. Cosmas. He had a brain injury but if you are looking for where to get treatment for such, go to Mulago. We have the best specialists in Mulago and if it is children, take them to Cure Children’s Hospital of Uganda in Mbale; very perfect. Next item?

-+, ,L'{ r Anount (OOO') Description Vote L2,19t,793 405 Gulu Hospital tt,309,247 406 Hoima Hospital t8,467,606 Jinia Hospital 407 tt,o77,oto 408 Kabale Hospital 10,487,888 409 Masaka Hospital t7,694,t3t Mbale Hospital 410 9,79t,927 411 Soroti Hospital t5,682,495 4t2 Lira Hospital 16,559,583 4t3 Mbarara Regional Hospital 12,256,956 4L4 Mubende Regional Referral Hospital 10,943,300 415 Moroto Regional Referral Hospital LL,824,457 4t6 Naguru Referral Hospital 25,160,483 Kimddu Referral Hospital 4t7 22,589,r92 t 418 Kawempe Referral Hospital 13,062,585 419 Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital 27,646,183 420 Mulago Specialized Women and Neonatal Hospital 12,368,354 Kayunga Referral Hospital 42r tr,429,3t7 422 Yumbe Referral Hospital 292,789,423 Sub total -Referral Hospltds Missions Abroad 20,806,699 Uganda Mission at the United Nations, New York 501 Uganda High Commission in the United Kingdom 1t,840,947 502 5,955,050 Uganda High Commission in Canada , Ottawa 503 7,677,777 504 Uganda High Commission in India, New Delhi 5,341,493 505 Uganda High Commission in Kenya ,Nairobi 9,273,94t Uganda High Commission in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam s06 4,023,569 507 Uganda High Commission in Nigeria , Abuia i .i +.- . t,' :,' r Il-, ,I -4 M\L 9 I ,l \.. . .!: # i\r.i I I '11 .t --.ts----- \

ait r [.' ,, .K .m- lir 2 I { ,&- .2 4l=# . '.t t. li ,',) .\ ,Lt Amount (OOO'I Descrlption Vote 2,006,435 313 Mountains of the Moon Universi 12,339,276 Mulago National Referral Hospital 401 2,262,036 402 Butabika Hospital 14,973,335,870 Sub total -Central Votes ( Drcl. Referrals and Mlsslonsf Referral Hospltals 108,000 Arua Hospital 403 109,81 1 404 Fort Portal Hospital 108,0o0 405 Gulu Hospital 108,000 Hoima Hospital 406 tt6,276 407 Jinja Hospital 108,000 Kabale Hospital 408 108,000 409 Masaka Hospital 5,109,39s 4LO Mbale Hospital 108,000 Soroti Hospital 4tl 108,000 4t2 Lira Hospital I 108,000 Mbarara Regional Hospital 4t3 L42,LO2 4t4 Mubende Regional Referral Hospital 108,000 415 Moroto Regional Referral Hospital 216,OOO \ 416 Naguru Referral Hospital l,377,OOO \+rz Kiruddu Referral Hospital 810,000 Kawempe Referral Hospital 418 810,000 4t9 Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital 2,O4t,200 420 Mulago Specialized Women and Neonatal Hospital 11,7o3,784 Sub total -Referral Hospltds Mlssions Abroad Uganda Mission at the United Nations, New York 501 2,90t,9r8 502 Uganda High Commission in the United Kingdom 9,700,000 503 Uganda High Commission in Canada , Ottawa Uganda High Commission in India, New Delhi 504 I , li , '.'; I i l, --l-l t ./' \1,. \: Ii \ ,,- H 4:-

'Bi -fu* {4+-. ll Y \**--= -X +.- #, w i i- t,'l'-- i 1' 23 #-- =--(.\, K Amount (OOO'I Descrlptlon Vote 10 790 oo0 Uganda EmbassY in United Ara b Emirates Abudhabi s28 490 o00 Uganda Embassy in Burun di, Bu umbura 529 t4 043 680 Uganda Consulate in China, Guan u 530 Uganda Embassy in TurkeY, Ankara 531 2 771 r64 Uganda EmbassY in Somalia, Mo shu 532 Uganda Embassy in MalaYsia, Kuala Lum 533 4 390 000 534 Uganda Consulate in KenYa, Mombasa Uganda EmbassY in Algeria, 535 390 000 da Embas 1n U tar Doha 536 537 U da Mission in Havana Cuba 1a U Mission in Luanda An 538 63 389 068 Sub total -Misslons Abroad l.ocal Governmclta 4 257 839 601 Arua ci 6 334 764 Fort-Portal ci 602 6 o22 534 Gulu ci 603 4 472 429 Hoima ci 604 7 884 358 Jin acl 60s 4 615 413 Lira ci 606 10 038 947 Masaka ci 607 6 140 296 608 Mbale ci t4 436 983 Mbarara ci 609 2 971 183 Soroti ci 610 5 371 776 A Munici al Council 701 673 734 702 Munici Council B 847 966 703 Bushenyi- Ishaka MuniciPal Council 2 360 688 Council Busia Munici 704 11 360 922 705 Council Entebbe Munici 1 o47 7tr Ibanda Munici al Council 706 \: . !.1 f;- l\ lr I r

By the way, as old as you are, when you go to your parents, your father will call you “my son”, even when - (Laughter) Honourable member, if calling you a young son has hurt you, I am sorry, but you are one brilliant young man that Mbale should be proud of. The Honourable LOP had a pertinent issue – Hon. Muzaale, please, sit down.

Madam Speaker, I want to make it clear. I do not know if I am reading the wrong law. Here they say that the mobile money transaction of withdrawal of cash is of the value of 0.5 per cent of the transaction; that is 13(f). Secondly, as we cross-check for that, agency banking is no different - let me give an example. An agent of Centenary Bank is more or less the counter of Centenary Bank, but he is in Sironko Town Council. You cannot charge - because you are telling me that somebody should get on a motorcycle to go to Mbale Town to withdraw money. The agent is working on behalf of the bank. Therefore, there is no reason, honourable minister, to bring charges on agency banking into this bracket.

Thank you, seconded by Minister of Finance, chairperson finance, Government Chief Whip, Hon. Frank, Hon. Ssolo, Hon. Edakasi, Hon. Okiror, Hon. Alex, Hon. Achan, Hon. Maggie, Hon. Olanya, Hon. Ricky, Hon. Okwir, Hon. Katenya, Hon. Alayo, Hon. AconObua, honourable member for Aruu, Agriculture, Gweri, Workers, honourable member for Mbale, Hon. Okot, Hon. Goli, Hon. Sylvia. Speak to it. Procedure?

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity. Madam Speaker, I agree with you on the catastrophic disasters of floods. I witnessed them even when I passed through your constituency of Bukedea – I saw that the floods had ravaged crops and even entered people’s houses. Besides that, Bududa, which is synonymous with the other form of disaster – landslides – is equally hard-hit. In my constituency of Manjiya, for instance, and that of my neighbour, Lutseshe, so far, we have witnessed seven landslides. We are lucky that these particular ones have not claimed lives, but they have destroyed crops and livestock. Madam Speaker, I was listening keenly to the former minister of disaster preparedness and refugees. You know very well that you responded to questions of how disasters claimed lives in the city of Mbale. Now, that you are in that docket of works and transport, you made a pledge that you have not honoured – of working on the infrastructural developments – which were the cause of the floods. Up to now, that has not been addressed. We are afraid that any time, if because of the heavy downpour that is pounding, these rivers burst their banks, again, those same culverts will be overwhelmed and the repeat of what happened maybe even worse. I expected you to say something about it because you made a commitment here. You had made an undertaking to ensure that those culverts and the other technical terms you used – gabions - were going to be widened. Up to now, they have not been deepened and widened. I do not know what you are waiting for, honourable minister – (Interjections) – information? (Interruption)

13104 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT The total requirement for the requisite road equipment units for this purpose is $70 million, which we hope can be funded through debt financing using the same scheme under which we got the 1,115 units in 2017. My ministry is in the process of procuring road construction equipment for the new districts, as I have said, but we need another Shs 29 billion for the vibro rollers, tippers and water bowsers. These were not included in the tranche which you gave us last time. We shall continue engaging through both the Budget Committee, Committee on Physical Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to avail Shs 29 billion so that we can complete the purchase. Zonal equipment centres Madam Speaker, the zonal equipment centres are currently housed within the premises of the regional mechanical workshops. The ministry had planned to create nine zonal centres in Moroto, Mbale, Jinja, Gulu, Arua, Luweero, Hoima, Mbarara, and Kabale at an estimated cost of Shs 45 billion. We shall continue engaging the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on this endeavour. The zonal equipment centres operate shared road equipment such as bulldozers, excavators, backhoe loaders, self-loaders and low beds. While the shared equipment is insufficient to cater for the requirements of the entire country, its availability has been greatly reduced due to insufficient maintenance funding. That is a requirement for additional money. Mechanical Engineering Training and Advisory Centre (METRAC) Madam Speaker, since 2017 when the ministry acquired the new equipment, the ministry has implemented several regional training sessions for district operators. While this training format was not sustainable, it was the only option given the circumstances. In 20l8, the Government of Japan, through the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), gave a grant of $2.3 million to the Government of Uganda for the construction of the Mechanical Engineering Training and Advisory Centre in Luwero. Phase I of the project, comprising a gatehouse, classroom block, maintenance block, and administration block, have been completed and the project has been handed over. It is just a few kilometres from Luweero town. Here, we shall train and retrain operators so that we have - because the machine performance will be as good as the man behind the operation. If we have a bad operator – and, in most cases, what we have seen is that people have drivers, not operators. In this centre, we are going to train operators and we are working with the Ministry of Education and Sports so that they can also be tested under the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) and given certificates of equivalent so that they can be able to be employed outside. Madam Speaker, phase 2 of METRAC requires Shs 9.8 billion, which began this financial year. So far, the Government has availed Shs 1 billion for the construction of a few of the amenities. Mt Elgon Labour-Based Training Centre Madam Speaker, Mt Elgon Labour-based Training Centre (MELTC) is a national training centre under the Ministry of Works and Transport for applying labour-based technology (LBT) in the rehabilitation and maintenance of national, district, urban and community access roads. The training centre is located 20km from Mbale City, along the Mbale-Budadiri Road and adjacent to Uganda Technical College, Elgon. Madam Speaker, MELTC provides training and capacity building in developing, maintaining, and utilising critical road infrastructure assets in the District, Urban, and Community Access Road (DUCAR). Its contribution to the DUCAR network includes:

12895 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 18 APRIL 2024 honourable ministers need to know that we have traders all over Uganda. So, the people in Mubende, Gulu and Mbale also need to be educated. We have many traders who are not able to write or readbut these people who invest a lot of money in the suburbs of Uganda, let me call it that. They need to be guided on how to use this machine. It is not that they are not willing to complybut do not have the capability to operate these machines. This means that they have to employ someone literate to help them operate the machines and you never know, it is another expense and yet some of these people that they employ may end up cheating them. The other issue –

Thank you. Honourable members, in the public gallery this afternoon, we have students of Bugema University, Mbale. Please, stand up. You are most welcome. They are represented by Hon. Connie Galiwango and Hon. Seth Wambede. You are most welcome and thank you for coming. (Applause) Honourable members, hosting and supporting this sport comes with opportunities to this country, including promoting a positive image for the country. So, as Members of Parliament who love our people, love Uganda and speak about Uganda, we need to support sports because it is only sports that markets this country. However much you do not like Uganda, for now, speak about the sports and the sports will speak for Uganda. Uganda Rugby Union, I congratulate you for winning the bid and I congratulate Uganda. (Applause) Could we get a commitment from the minister - my little minister has really suffered? (Laughter)

12602 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORTS (i) An additional Shs 8 billion be provided to increase the medicines and sundries by the Uganda Cancer Institute. This will also cater for the new sites like the one in Gulu. (ii) Shs 10.87 billion be provided for functionalising the regional centres in Gulu and a satellite one in Mbarara, to bring cancer services closer to the people. Mbarara is already doing cancer services as an outpatient service. (iii) The Government of Uganda should explore a possibility of acquiring a loan or grant for the construction and operationalisation of the Arua and Mbale cancer regional referral centres. In the manifesto, it said four; Gulu has taken off, so we need money for these three. (vi) Shs 62 billion be provided for clearing the outstanding obligation on establishment of a nuclear medicine facility/PET centre. Madam Speaker, we do not offer PET scanning services in the country, and many people who can afford them have to go to Aga Khan or Kenyatta Hospital. This money can be paid back in 10 years because it will not be free. Most likely Shs 500,000 to Shs 1 million. Vote 116 - National Medical Stores (NMS) I would like to draw your attention to page 34. Table 14 shows the funding gap of NMS in billions of shillings. That is self-explanatory. The committee recommends that: (i) An additional Shs 262.19 billion be allocated to the National Medical Stores to enable the entity boost supplies of essential medicines and health supplies in a phased manner, beginning with Shs 87 billion this financial year. (ii) The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should front load operational funds to National Medical Stores to facilitate timely delivery of essential medicines and health supplies in advance to avoid delays. Madam Speaker, the paradox is that we have drugs in the warehouse of National Medical Stores in Kajjansi. The issue is money for operations and I think the House needs to make a pronouncement on that. (iii) The committee reiterates its earlier recommendation that an additional Shs 4 billion be provided to NMS for the procurement of kits of glucometers, BP machines and thermometers for the 3,000 health facilities across the country that belongs to the government. It is very common to go to Health Centres IIIs and IVs, and there is no BP machine. You cannot even measure your blood glucose. (iv) Shs 25 billion be provided for procurement of rapid diagnostic kits for malaria, HIV and other diseases. (v) The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Health should clear the Shs 52.2 billion domestic arrears for service fees for handling donated supplies, COVID-19 vaccines and related supplies. Therefore, costs for handling donated supplies should be factored in the funding negotiations and arguments. Madam Speaker, NMS also makes some money through warehousing and surcharge services. That is the amount of money the Government owes them. (vi) Funds should be provided to National Medical Stores for retrieval and destruction of expired COVID-19 vaccines and related supplies. (vii) Shs 20 billion be provided for procuring of PPE supplies for the country. (viii) Health facilities should enforce strict controls governing stock management practices. Health facilities should provide accountability for essential medicines. This will safeguard theft, irrational prescription and poor stock practices.

12603 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA FRIDAY, 12 APRIL 2024 Vote 151: Uganda Blood Transfusion Services The committee recommends that Shs 2.6 billion be provided to Uganda Blood Transfusion Services for purchase of eight centrifuge machines and Shs 600 million for assorted blood collection and IT equipment to equip the regional blood banks in Arua, Gulu, Fort Portal, Mbale, Masaka, and Mbarara. Three regional blood banks are more than 90 per cent complete. That is Soroti, Arua and Hoima. They were built with funds from the Uganda COVID-19 Response and Emergency Preparedness Project (UCREPP), meaning there will be a need for money for wage and operationalisation. The committee recommends that Shs 12.276 billion required by Uganda Blood Transfusion Services to recruit 164 staff be provided. This will raise the staffing levels to 41 per cent and solve the challenge of heavy reliance on voluntary services. Vote 418: Kawempe National Refinery Hospital Kawempe National Referral Hospital, the issues are self-explanatory, but the major challenge is: 1. Inadequate staffing levels This hospital delivers 60 to 100 mothers daily and 27 Caesarean sections with a staffing of 37.4 per cent. The committee recommends that Shs 6.1 billion be provided for the recruitment of additional staff to enable Kawempe National Refinery Hospital to reach the 68 per cent staffing level. 2. Overhaul and remodelling of the hospital plumbing system This is an issue the committee has noted in the hospitals of Kawempe, Kiruddu, Naguru and Entebbe. These hospitals are as old as 10 years but the plumbing has given way. We need to take an interest in value for money because plumbing giving way after 10 years is very unacceptable. Vote 417: Kiruddu National Referral Hospital 1) Inadequate wage for recruitment of health workers which is the same as Kawempe. 2) Inadequate funding for the burns and surgery unit. The committee recommends that Shs 2 billion be provided to mitigate the shortfall because patients under plastic surgery and burns require a lot of specialised attention and treatment. 3) Purchase of land The committee reiterates its recommendation that Shs 5 billion be provided to Kiruddu National Referral Hospital for the purchase of 5 acres of land to enable expansion services, namely wards for burns and plastic surgery, ophthalmology, general dialysis and ward expansion. To underscore that point, Naguru, Kiruddu and Kawempe were health centre IV on a one-acre piece of land. The Government built upwards of seven stories. There is a need for land for the expansion of these hospitals. Vote 401: Mulago National Referral Hospital 1) Staffing in Mulago National Referral Hospital can be underscored by the intensive care unit. The hospital was expanded and increased to 44 ICU beds, but 21 are working. In the adult ICU of the 27 beds, only 14 are working. The committee recommends that an additional Shs 529 million be provided to Mulago National Referral Hospital for priority recruitment of 10 ICU critical staff. That is the annual cost. 7) Incomplete renovation of Lower Mulago Hospital The committee recommends that Shs 15.5 billion be provided to Mulago National Referral Hospital to complete civil, electrical, plumbing and IT works to ensure full functionalising of the hospital.

12608 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORTS stalled because of Shs 590 million, Mbale, Fort Portal and so forth. The point I am trying to underscore is that between Katuna and Kampala we only have one ICU in Mbarara and it has four beds. If it is full, then we can make phone calls to the Creator because sometimes when you are in an ICU state -(Laughter) - you may not travel by road, but you may need to be airlifted. The police told us we are-

All of you want to talk about health? Then nobody should repeat what another person has said. If you know that somebody has said what you wanted to say, do not repeat it. We are not debating for constituencies; it is for this country. Let me first introduce my visitors. In the public gallery this morning we have students and teachers from Brentwood Nursery and Primary School, Kisaasi. You are most welcome. (Applause) The little angels are there. They are here to witness the proceedings, and you are very smart. Thank you so much for coming. In the VIP gallery this morning, we have members of Mbale Public University Establishment Committee and the LC V Chairpersons of Bugisu Subregion. You are all most welcome. (Applause) They are represented by all the Members from Bugisu; there they are. Hon. Opolot - they are represented by us; Hon. Opolot being my MP and Kachumbala being in Mbale. You are most welcome and thank you so much for coming.

Thank you very much. When you start talking about your parties, we want services. I used to be in FDC. I started building my hospital when I was in FDC and I have finished when I am in the NRM. Therefore, it is not about a party but let us work as Government and make sure that everybody gets health facilities in every district and region. What you said about Bukedi, it needs a regional referral hospital - (Applause) - The only unfortunate part with Bukedi is that it is very near Mbale Regional Referral Hospital and Tororo. Leaving that alone, they need a hospital.

Madam Speaker, on the money that was withdrawn, I remember the minister specifically committed that Mbale Regional Referral Hospital would be done and about Shs4.2 billion had been provided to complete the surgical complex. I remember you requested to come and commission it; it is on the Hansard . However, it is surprising that this money has been withdrawn and yet the status of the regional referral hospital - it is quite alarming. We have no oxygen plant, we do not have surgical complex, a lot is happening in Mbale. It is sad that over Shs 200 billion in the same financial year is being sent to Lubowa Hospital and compared to the Shs 79 billion required to complete all the regional referral hospitals; action needs to be taken.

And that is the only hospital that I have, which is a unit, not even a Health Centre II . (Laughter) On the issue of Moroto Regional Referral Hospital, in the entire Karamoja, we do not have a refrigerator in the mortuary. For example, if a person dies, you have to take the body to Mbale, Busitema for preservation. All nine districts in Karamoja, even Soroti does not have. So you have to travel across to access the-

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My brother, Hon. Okiror, thank you for that clarification. Madam Speaker, he did not pick my point. The point is that all of us should be involved in ending the challenge of teenage pregnancy in this country. Secondly, we have a challenge. We are talking about regional referral hospitals. Mbale Regional Referral Hospital has the largest catchment area – serving Bukedi, Kapchorwa and even parts of Busoga. Madam Speaker, I wish that Mbale Hospital, with some facilities near completion, could be supported so that they are completed. You go to a hospital and find five or six babies on a single bed. Madam Speaker, Tororo General Hospital is now a training centre. It is not properly accredited, but somehow, Busitema University medical students are using this facility. Therefore, I wish the Ministry of Health, aware of the challenge of the catchment area for Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, could upgrade Tororo General Hospital and have consultants there, just like it was done for Mityana Hospital. The senior consultants can train the doctors in that area and also provide the services.

12621 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA FRIDAY, 12 APRIL 2024 I have a few things to observe, regarding the management in the Health Sector. This follows an interaction with the constituents. One of the greatest headaches in the constituency is when you have a line of people seeking help from the MP with various health needs. I interrogated one of the enlightened constituents on what he thinks is the greatest problem with our referral hospitals, to be specific, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. He said that the hospital is mostly managed by intern doctors; there is no supervision by senior doctors. This, therefore, calls for a policy shift. (Interruption)

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving me more time. I was building a case. Right now, the policy is that hospitals are run by directors who are medical doctors. If there is a policy shift, these critical staff would concentrate on doing medical work so that the other people manage the hospitals because they are not many. An example is the Director of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. He is a great physician but he is preoccupied with the management of the hospital, yet he would be offering his critical skill as a physician. Lastly, the management of hospitals as far as case management is concerned, follow-up and supervision is wanting in this country – (Member timed out.)

Madam Speaker, the next point is where the report mentions the Government discharging a very good job in investing in hardware, infrastructural developments and the health care service delivery. However, what is appalling, is when we are having serious staffing gaps, especially critical human resource and yet a huge sum of money – I think my memory may not serve me well but it is about Shs 250 billion, which has been allocated to enhance the wage bill but up to now, such funds are still lying unutilised. Moreover, we need specialists like anaesthetists and other consultants because they are very few. That is a grave concern that this House should condemn in the strongest terms possible. Mbale Regional Referral Hospital is central and serves many regions, including Kenya but it is disturbing, especially if you see the deplorable state of where the works had reached on the surgical complex and the corruption that has even caused the funds that had been allocated to be withdrawn, or rather withheld, or both. Up to now, the oxygen plant, which was meant for that referral hospital was diverted to another region. Look at the challenges that regional referral hospitals are grappling with, especially water and sewerage. Of those districts that have been mentioned and are beneficiaries of the allocation to address those challenges of water and sewerage, Mbale is conspicuously missing. I do not begrudge Entebbe, Masaka or even Hoima but why on earth would you leave out Mbale Regional Referral Hospital? I would implore the committee to reconsider having Mbale included among the beneficiaries of this fund –(Interjection) - Information? No, hold on. (Laughter) This is to address the challenge of water and sewerage.

… to respond, particularly, to this concern because they have done an overhaul and for water and sewerage systems, there are districts that have been captured to benefit from that allocation but Mbale has been deliberately left out. Madam Minister, I will be happy to get that response.

12685 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA FRIDAY, 12 APRIL 2024 1. On allowances and other facilitation for part-time lecturers, the committee recommended that the allowances of part- time staff be declassified in the Chart of Accounts of allowances and be provided at different classifications to protect from possible future budget cuts. That LDC be provided with an additional Shs 3.5 billion on its non-wage recurrent budget, to cater for allowances of part-time staff. 2. Completion of construction of the LDC multi-storied building The committee recommended that: (i) The Development Committee of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development finalises approval of this project as it has the potential to generate income once completed. (ii) The Government provides Shs 70 billion to the LDC development budget for the completion of the multi-storeyed building across the medium-term starting with the Financial Year 2024/2025. (iii) Operationalisation of the Mbale Regional Campus. The committee noted that the operationalisation of this centre is overdue and requires to be considered. The committee recommended that: The Government provides Shs 2 billion during the Financial Year 2024/2025 to fully operationalise the Mbale Regional Campus. On page 32, Uganda Law Reform Commission Replacement of ageing fleet of vehicles The committee recommends that Shs 1 billion be provided to the Commission to acquire four station wagons to facilitate stakeholders’ consultation, sensitisation of laws across the country. Vote 102: Electoral Commission The committee recommends that additional Shs 756.988 billion be provided to enable the Commission to conduct activities that have statutory timelines before general elections take place. Outstanding Wage Bill The committee recommends that: i) The outstanding wage bill of Shs 11.16 billion be provided to the Electoral Commission. ii) Shs 1.66 billion for remuneration of staff in the 10 new cities and Terego District be provided during Financial Year 2024/2025. The conduct of by-elections The committee recommends that Shs 13 billion be provided to enable the Electoral Commission to organise and conduct by- elections as prescribed by law. Uganda Registration Services Bureau, page 35 (i) Establishment and implementation of the Directorate of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (URSB) The committee recommends an additional Shs 2.94 billion be provided to URSB to establish and implement the Directorate of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights, as guided by the Government. (ii) Data disaster recovery site The committee recommends that an additional Shs 3.5 billion be provided to enable URSB develop a data disaster recovery site. (iii) Rent arrears The committee recommends an additional Shs 3.2 billion be provided to enable URSB settle its rent arrears.

12686 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORTS Inspectorate of Government (IG) (i) Digitisation and digital transformation of the Inspectorate of Government. The committee recommends that an additional Shs 1.7 billion be provided to kick start the digital transformation of the institution. (ii) Insufficient wage allocation. The committee recommends that an additional Shs 0.27 billion be provided to restore the IG’s budget to the current operating level. (iii) Completion of the IG head office building project The committee recommends an additional Shs 27.718 billion be provided to the development budget of the IG to complete the construction of the head office by June 2025. (iv) Replacement of the old and damaged fleet of vehicles The committee recommends that an additional: (a) Shs 1.260 billion be provided to replace the six damaged vehicles during the bomb blast which occurred on 16 November 2021 (b) Shs 2.940 billion be provided to procure 14 double cabin vehicles. (v) Additional wage recruitment of critical staff The committee recommends an additional Shs 4,804,756,400 be provided to cater for recruitment of critical staff and additional operational costs. Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (i) This talks about completion of the first phase of the JLOS House. The committee recommends that Shs 30 billion be provided during Financial Year 2024/2025 to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to cater for the completion of the first phase of the JLOS House as this will go a long way to save the Government from spending Shs 30 billion on rent annually. (ii) Recruitment of state attorneys The committee recommends that Shs 11.407 billion be provided during the Financial Year 2024/2025 to cater for the recruitment of state attorneys to increase the capacity of the ministry in handling numerous cases before them. (iii) Payment of outstanding court awards and court award arrears The committee recommends that the Government prioritises payments of court awards and court arrears to reduce the principal amounts that attract interest by providing Shs 232.875 billion to cater for settlement of the outstanding areas. (iv) Cattle compensation to war-debt claimants The Government had agreed to compensate the war date claimants in Teso, Acholi and Lango subregions for loss of livestock and other properties during the insurgency in the north. The committee recommends that the entire outstanding bill of Shs 463.211 billion be settled across three financial years of 2024/2025, 2025/2026 and 2026/2027. (v) Representation of Government in the East African Court of Justice and community meetings The committee recommends that the ministry’s travel abroad budget line be unfrozen and a provision of Shs 1 billion to facilitate Government’s representation in the East African Court of Justice and East African Community meetings be made. (vi) Operationalisation of 13 regional offices The ministry currently operates regional offices in Gulu, Moroto, Arua, Mbale, Fort Portal, Soroti, and Mbarara against the Judiciary’s 23 high court circuits.

12723 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA FRIDAY, 12 APRIL 2024 16 billion, for renovation of the College of Health Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Shs 3.4 billion for the restoration of funding for the Infectious Disease Institute and Shs 2.4 billion for restoration of Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre. Then Shs 12.3 billion for reinstatement of the budget for scholarships, education materials, research outstanding, in- house retirement benefits arrears and contracts gratuity, and Shs 14 billion for increase in Government-sponsored students’ food and living-out allowances. Vote 304: Kyambogo University The committee recommends that Minister of Finance, planning and Economic Development commits additional Shs 6.39 billion for wages, Shs 0.5 billion for research and innovation, Shs 9 billion for renovation of student`s halls of residence, Shs 2 billion for removal of asbestos sheets from buildings, renovation of 20 accommodation facilities. You cannot believe that this still exists in our universities, Madam Speaker and some schools in Kampala Capital City Authority. The committee also recommends that the finance ministry provides Shs 9 billion for construction of a boundary/perimeter wall. Madam Speaker, there are threats already of land grabbing at that university and people have started building houses. The university always fights with those squatters day and night. Vote 309: Gulu University The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development commits a total additional Shs 5.6 billion for salary harmonisation, Shs 2 billion for the gazettement of the Gulu Central Reserve Forest and degazettement of Gulu University Land in Nwoya. Then, Shs 17 billion for construction of a business and development centre and teaching facility in a phased manner, Shs 3.36 billion for repurposing of Kotido Primary Teacher`s College (PTC) as a learning centre. Shs 2 billion for procurement of five new transport equipment, Shs 4.7 billion for construction of a multipurpose building and Shs 2 billion for preparation of architectural and engineering designs and production of bills of quantities for the proposed Jacob Oulanyah L’Okori Memorial Law Studies Block. Vote 306: Muni University The committee recommends that the Minister of Finance, Planning and Social Development commits additional Shs 2 billion for the construction of the University Administration Block, Shs 4.8 billion for salary shortfalls, Shs 5 billion for renovation and expansion of Madikola farm. Vote 308: Soroti University The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development commits Shs 25 billion for completion of the anatomy block, which has stalled for quite a long time. Commit Shs 8.8 billion for shortfalls in living out allowances for Government sponsored students, outreach services and clinical placement for students in the school of health sciences and Shs 7.2 billion to address the wage shortfalls. Vote 321: Uganda Management Institute (UMI) The committee observed that the institute struggles with a number of challenges and it recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Social Development commits a total of Shs 10 billion for construction of a new multipurpose building at Kampala branch, Shs 4 billion be provided to construct a new classroom block at Mbale branch, Shs 1.32 to address salary shortfalls, and Shs 2 billion for research and innovations. Vote 310: Lira University The committee recommends that the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development commits an additional Shs 11.5 billion to address the recruitment of critical staff.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Mbale University was a presidential pledge. We wrote to the minister earlier and our expectation was that it would be part of this, but we found out it was not included. This morning we went to the minister’s office with the same plea. As a subregion, I think it is the only subregion remaining. All other subregions have been granted public universities. As the people from Masabaland, it is bringing a lot of tension even for your Members.

Madam Speaker, I would like to seek clarification from my brother. Initially, there was a discussion we had with some elders from that side. Aware that the School of Nursing and Science of Busitema University is using the Mbale Regional Referral Hospital because in the entire Bukedi - where Busitema University is - there is no teaching hospital and so Busitema University decided to take over Mbale, to open up its branch for medical school. Initially, some elders had proposed that in addition to that proposal, that Bugisu now would benefit from the two-pronged approach. We needed to agree this financial year, which one moves and then which one follows. I wanted to ask him, because now we are in a budget process, don’t you think it would be better that the medical school of Busitema, which is housed in Mbale, be funded now, as we discuss the other university?

12483 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2024 Vote 121: Dairy Development Authority (a) Inspection, certification and quality assurance for market competitiveness Madam Speaker, the committee was informed that upon Uganda securing the Algerian market, estimated at $ 500 million annually for dairy products, follow-up inspectors visited various dairy installations, but many gaps were discovered. The Dairy Development Authority requires Shs 3.6 billion to conduct inspections, enforcement, and milking testing for safety and market access in a bid to fix those gaps. However, only Shs 1.914 billion has been provided. Relatedly, DDA also requires Shs 1 billion to support commercial dairy farmers for production and demonstration in each milk shed. The committee recommends that: (i) In a bid to fully secure the Algerian market, DDA should endeavour to close all the gaps. (ii) Shs 1.6 billion is required for regular enforcement and milk testing for safety and market access be provided. (iii) DDA takes deliberate steps to ensure that sufficient milk volumes are available so that even with the Algerian markets, enough is still available for domestic consumption. (iv) Shs 1 billion be provided to support commercial dairy farmers for production and demonstration in each milk shed. (b) Mbale Milk Factory Phase II This factory was already developed under Phase 1, but the work has stalled due to lack of funding. It is supposed to go on to phase two in the Financial Year 2024/2025. Phase 2 requires an additional Shs 3.44 billion. Furthermore, DDA has more milk collection centres that are dilapidated and in a sorry state inherited from dairy corporations, and they require an additional Shs 2.4 billion. The committee recommends that: (i) For the continuity of the Mbale milk factory for eastern Uganda, Shs 3.44 billion be availed in the current budget projection. (ii) Shs 12.4 billion required for rehabilitation of milk collection centres countrywide be provided. (iii) Milk-producing areas where there are no facilities to manage milk collection be planned for by DDA, in a bid to boost milk production. (c) Entebbe Diaries Training School Requires Shs 5 billion to rehabilitate and expand it to a regional dairy and Trading Incubation College of East Africa. The committee recommends that the Shs 5 billion be allocated to the authority for this activity. (d) Support to roll out of the school milk program. DDA in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports and SNV had already started this programme, and it worked very well in south western Uganda milk shed. This is intended to improve child nutrition, stabilise domestic milk prices, and widen the market. DDA requires Shs 4 billion to roll out this program countrywide, prioritising areas like Karamoja and other parts of the country where there is acute malnutrition. The committee recommends that Shs 4 billion be provided for this activity.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Allow me to thank the committee chairperson for their good report. I will start with the issue to do with SAGE. I do not know whether we are sentencing older persons. This is because, if you look at the budget that was given last year – or in the running year – vis- à-vis what is being provided, we feel that the finance ministry is living on planet Mars, not Earth. Mr Speaker, last weekend I was visited by a mzee who was moving on crutches, crying and saying: “Kindly, go and tell President Museveni that he promised us money for older persons, but I am going to die without getting this money.” The number of eligible people are growing because the life expectancy of Ugandans has improved. Now we, who are in charge of allocating resources, are cutting what should be due to them. I appeal to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to be sensitive and sympathetic to these older persons because this is where we are all headed. This programme of SEGOP, which is looking at people between 61 and 75 years, is a grant. Whereas they have been having Shs 5 billion, now, they have removed Shs 4 billion and there is a provision of Shs 1 billion only. What are we telling these older persons? Mr Speaker, when I heard my colleague talking about removing the Shs 5 billion, again, from children – my sister from Lyantonde is just being sensitive. Last year, the issue to do with the children was given Shs 20 million. The Ministry of Youth and children was given only Shs 20 million to remove children from the streets in the entire country, not Kampala alone. Now, we are proposing for them to get at least Shs 5 billion to be able to remove children from Mbale, Jinja, Mbarara, Gulu and everywhere.

(4) 45 Tour Guides registered, 4 inspected and licensed (5) 57 accommodation facilities registered, 48 inspected, 4 licensed (6) Graded 34 accommodation facilities in Kampala, Wakiso, Mbale, Fort Portal, Masaka and Mbarara. (7) Capacity building of 50 youth in bird guiding and nature interpretation undertaken (8) 212 wildlife import/export permit apptications processed Table 5: Budget allocation to MTWA and its Subventions FY 2O24l2S Source: MTWA Presentation on the MPS FY The overall budget allocation for MTWA and its subventions is proposed to reduce by UGX 43.825 billion from UGX 221.568 billion that was approved in FY 2023124 to UGX 174.743 billion that is for the FY 2024 125. (rev lr, .,{i Category Vote/ MDA Budget Categoty Approved FY 20.2'3124 Proposed 2024125 Approved 2O2gl24 vs Proposed 20/24125 MTIIIA Wage 3.797 3.611 -0.186 Recurrent 22.758 22.445 -0.313 Development 35.64 35.64 0 Grants to LGs 0 1.9 1.9 Domestic Arrears 0.099 0 -0.099 UIIIA Subventions r24.36 81.433 -42.927 IIWEC Subventions 9.498 9.498 0 Development t2.2 7 -5.2 UHTTI Subventions 7.73L 7.73L 0 UWRTI Subventions 5.485 5.485 0 TOTAL 22t.5,6A 174.743 -46.A25 + w 15 ,h& I t-

(4) A total of 450,000 visitors hosted at UWEC and taken through wildtife conservation education and awareness. General guided conservation education tours conducted for 360,000 learners and 9O,OOO other visitors at UWEC. (5) Seven (7) school Conservation Education programs conducted in tertiary institutions and schools. (6) UWEC brand as a Conservation Education Centre and preferred tourism destination boosted (7) An assessment conducted for the development requirements for the Botanical gardens. (UGX 0.3 billion) (8) The Mbale satellite Conservation Education Centre developed (UGX 6 billion) (9) Nonta< Revenue (ucx 6.52s bitlion) collected by uwEC. Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UGX ?.7}Lbillionf (1) Staff costs including Wage, NSSF, Gratuity for 1 1 1 UHTTI staff. (UGX 4.3 billion) (2) Training assessment conducted for 1,000 students at UHTTI . -tJ C,tua & $ 2L Vi- , -. *A t!, € + \

released and UGX 6.33 biltion (23.1o/ol spent. Absorption of the funds released was rated at 4O.7Oo/o. The low absorption of funds during the half year was attributed to delayed recruitment of staff and the postponement of the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE). urB Half Year Physical Performance during the Fy 20i23.124. UTB registered the following key achievements during the first half of the Fy 2023/24: - (1) Grading of 34 accommodation facilities in Kampala, Wakiso, Mbale, Fort Portal, Masaka and Mbarara. (21 Registered 158 tour and travel companies; and 23 inspected and 107 licensed; (3) Registered 57 accommodation facitities; 48 inspected and 4 licensed; (41 Trained 171 tourist guides in national service standards for site guides and owners; (5) Trained District Tourism Officers in the West Nile Region in enforcement of Tourism Laws and Regulations and minimum tourism standards in collaboration with GtZ lJganda. (6) Established skilling partnerships with CBI for enforcement of tourism sustainability practices across the value chain. (71 Showcased Destination Uganda's tourism offerings at 8 international platforms i.e. U Hub Launch Serbia, Uganda and the 25 $ \to Ct^r> \ Aa AE- I t

(4) Branded promotional materials produced and distributed to stakeholders (UGX 0.435 billion) (5) Cluster support provided through marketing promotions and advertisement at special National events i.e. World Tourism Day, World wildlife D"y, International Museum d"y, Mart5rrs D"y, etc.(UGX o.l4g billion) (6) International media houses engaged in production of positive media stories for improved destination image (ucx 1.2 biflion) (7) Destination Uganda represented at 4 expos in the African and European markets (UGX 0.932 biflion) (8) Uganda's position as a MICE destination strengthened through: Bids prepared in partnership with stakeholders; MICE advertising undertaken in international media; Incentive buyer inspection visits coordinated; Capacity building programmes undertaken for private sector associations and public bodies in business tourism promotion (UGx 0.758 billion) (9) Product Development and Investment Promotion undertaken: City tourism product profiled for Arua, Gulu and Mbale; Product signage established for Uganda Mart5rr's Trait and cultural sites across the country; Tourism Business Service Directories developed (UGX 0.631 i h & billion) L* CnYv'fl- 30

billlon to allocation. keep it within previous year To redistribute UWA surplus revenue worth UGX 15 billion out of UGX 84 billion realized in FY 2022/23 for the benefit of various Agencies within the Tourism Development Prograrnme 15.0 UWA - EIAs (Lion Breeding) No need at the moment since no funds have been allocated for lion breedi o.280 UWA- Conduct reconnaissance activities for lion breeding. No need at the moment since no funds have been allocated for lion breeding o.o47 UWEC- Mbale Regional Zoo Reduce allocation of UGX 7 billion to UGX s billion. 2.O MTWA - Mitigating Human Wildlife Conflict and constmction of ranger accommodation blocks transferred from MTWA to avoid clash in mandate with UWA. 1.133 Total 20.405 Proposed Committee Re-Nlocations The Committee observed that the Tourism Development Programme entities are grossly underfunded. The Committee was presented with several unfunded priorities. However, the foltowing are considered very critical and should be provided for within the financial year 2024/25 through reallocation as foltows; k- "fr'l' /4, I ,11 6tvv \J} f- 40 4o^ $'

(9) Concluded round one of the various trade protocols under AfCFTA and COMESA including RoO, Trade in goods, Trade in services, Investments. (10) Published and printed 650 Copies of the draft Competition Bill and submitted them to Parliament (11) Finalized the draft Consumer Protection Bill in engagements with the First Parliamentary Counsel. (12) Finalized proposals for introduction of Tobacco Cess and access of competition merger fees competition commission NTR from coMESA in Consultation with MoFpED and MoJCA. (13) A draft Trade Licensing Rates and Grades for the new Cities were developed in consultation with key stakeholders. (14) Finalization of the development of the Grain Trade policy Implementation strategr and the National MSMEs Implementation stratery (15) Mobilized 180 MSME in Mbale, Gulu, Arua, Hoima, Mbarara and Kampala to participate in the stakeholder consultations for the formulation of branding and packaging strategr. (161 522 MSMES Mobitized, vetted, registered and participated in the 22na EAC Exhibition in Uganda to show case their innovations and discuss business with their counterparts from other countries from 8th to 18th December 2022. (l7l 245 MSMEs trained on making Business Plans, Financial Literacy, Resource Mobilization, Business Negotiations and Record the following Districts. A{V! *a. ,C l; t M' ,i'['r

(2) Popularizing of PDM Marketing strategr and branding and packaging strategies.in the country includes Karamoja and west Nile. (3) Acquiring and scaring up of the use of international recognised bar GIS bar code for promotion of Ugandan products in the market and support L2O MSMEs to formalise their business in south western, Rwenzori, West Nile, and Sebei sub region. (4) Conduct awareness creation in Credit rating mechanisms in Mbale, Soroti, Lira and Gulu to 100 MSMEs in manufacturing sector. (5) Conduct awareness creation in Credit rating mechanisms in Mbale, Soroti, Lira and Gulu to 1oo MSMEs in manufacturing sector. (6) Facilitate, support, Sensitization 120 MSMEs, Youths, women, pLWHA and PWD to formalise their businesses. in West Nile, Rwemzori and Busoga Region. (71 Conduct 3 stakeholder (Academia, SMEs, Policy makers and tegislators) workshop on Circularity and Circular economy (Resource efficiency, cleaner production and industrial in symbiosis in central region. (8) Facilitating, the preparations, Mobilization, training, vetting of 250 MSMEs including women and youth, through and guiding them in packaging branding, and requirements to participate in the regional, international and domestic trade fairs and expos. (9) Training of 100 processors in Leather-and agro processors Mukono and Jinja, Greater Bushenyi, Mbarara, and formation of clusters in each district I tr- 1-. ft h 51 &

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_ (

6.16 Management Training and Advisory centre (MTACI The following are key outputs and activities that MTAC intends to carry out during the FY 2O2al25: (1) To complete construction of Ntungalno MTAC Centre. (21 To commence construction works at Mbale MTAC Centre' (3) To train 1,500 participants in Job creation Awareness and EntrepreneurshiP DeveloPment. Obsenrations of the Committee: The Committee observed that in addition to spending money at source which is contrary to Section 29 of the hrblic Finance Management Act, 2015, MTAC made substantial transactions on the revenue account which was suspicious, irregular and illegal. Further, the Committee was alive to the Second Budget Call Circular of 2022 authored by the PSST to all accounting officers reminding them of their obligations under the PFMA 2015 to desist from spending at source. MTAC decided to ignore such guidance. Section 45 of the pFM A 2O15 requires that an accounting officer shall control the regularity and proper use of money appropriated to the vote, be responsible for authorizingany commitment made by a vote, and control the resources received,, held or disposed of by or on account of a vote. ln-, , I I &) C{\\&- ,i'n-- ''.t *fi ' ;k ?q' 66 La

for; the 345km Karuma Lira-Soroti-Mbale-Tororo 400kv Transmission line and Ntinda substation to Namanve underground cable infrastructure project, residual compensation works for Karuma and Isimba HPPs, Itanda and Kalagala Special conservation area, and other projects in mining, energ/ and oil and gas. Development of these projects requires the right of way or project sites to be cleared from any encumbrances for continuity of works as per the law. Failure to secure this funding will lead to delays in implementing the above projects/initiatives, loans penalties, cost overruns of construction as well as increase in the compensation costs as some of these lines pass through developed and or fast- growing towns and cities. Therefore, Government should provide additional resources for land acquisition so that projects are implemented in a timely manner. Recommendation o The Committee recommends that Government provides UGX 18O billion to MEMD for land compensation. (f) Underfunding of Rural Electrification Projects The Committee was informed that although rural electrification is intended to increase electricity access across the entire country, the ongoing rural electrification programs require UGX 498 billion but only UGX 133 billion has been provided in the MTEF leaving a funding gap of UGX 365 billion. These funds are required to meet already committed contracts and as such must be paid. These include; Grid extension of 29lots under GOU-UGX 258.5lBN Counterpart financing obligations for donor projects UREAP, TBEA, ERTTTI, GETFIT-UGX72. O6BN Obligations that survived donor funding -ERTIII, TBEA - UGX 158.95bn Various lasf mile s UGX 8.97BN l. ii. 111. iv. cK;-- ,u_ & J 18

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to appreciate the committee. Madam Chairperson, on page 23, you recommended that Shs 1.742 billion be allocated for the verification exercise of the former workers of East Africa. I thought the committee was recommending that this money should be allocated for the payment of former workers of East Africa. Mr Speaker, I recall when I was sitting on this committee that verification was done. The committee travelled with staff from East Africa. I remember we went to Soroti and Mbale. We called all those people who were working with the East African Community. Verification was already done, but the committee is still recommending that Shs 1.74 billion be allocated for verification exercise. Let the chairperson clarify on this money. Secondly, Government is in the process of teaching Kiswahili in all schools in this country, but we are lacking teachers for Kiswahili. I pray to the minister in charge of East Africa, the Rt Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, that we should allocate money and train teachers to handle Kiswahili relations in all the schools across the board. Otherwise, thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Ministry of Education and Sports, under the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project (USEEP) program, identified Riwo Secondary School to be constructed in 2022. However, as a Government policy, they want a title. However, we have been following the title in the Mbale regional land office, but the only reason that they give is that they do not have a printer. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, when will these printers be procured for Mbale regional land office so that we can acquire the titles? Thank you.

Mr Speaker, if the Mbale office does not have a printer, those titles can be printed from Kampala and now that the Member of Parliament is here, he can go to the Uganda Land Commission and they print that title. However, I have taken note of the concern of the Member. We shall make sure that the printers are supplied to the regional office of the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development in Mbale.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have two small issues. The President, while in Kapchorwa on 9 October 2022 promised Mbale Region a university. However, up to now, we do not know whether Cabinet has taken any steps towards approving the setup of a university and whether they have approved some money towards its set up so that we can be in position to have the university. The second issue is about compensation in Bulambuli. During that very meeting, the President requested us to write to the office of the Attorney-General, but up to now, we have not got a response. What is the issue?

I request the Member to tell me who the representative was. This is because what I know is that we, together with you Members of Parliament, agreed that in order to rehabilitate the roads and maintain them, each district was given Shs 1 billion. Then the ministry, for Uganda National Roads Authority roads, or those trunk roads, was also given support. We gave emergency funding. Maybe they heard the emergency funding which we proposed to give the Ministry of Works and Transport, to work on the bridges that were washed away by floods in Mbale, Kigezi, Kasese, and other areas in the country. Remember the districts of Pakwach - I remember that place, and Hoima, Kafu River, and many others. Therefore, Mr Speaker, the Shs 200 billion we talked about in the Cabinet was for the Ministry of Works and Transport for the entire country, and not for Mbale.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Related to what we have been debating, on the 15 th of February, at the 11 th Sitting of the third meeting of the third session of this Parliament, with you in the Chair, my able Chairperson of the Committee on Education and Sports, presented a report to do with the management challenges of Mbale School of the Deaf. This same report was also overtaken by events. The report was presented, but it wasn’t debated or adopted by the House. Your guidance was that perhaps the minister would give us a status report so that if there are recommendations, they would be adopted by the House. However, that never came to pass. That same day, my chairperson of the Committee on Government Assurances and Implementation presented a report. It was about a presidential pledge to extend electricity to industrial parks directly from power generation plants. This report was also overtaken by events though the same was also presented, not debated and no recommendations taken. Mr Speaker, wouldn’t it be procedurally right that you guide the ministers responsible to also give us status reports so that at least, this House can adopt certain recommendations or if there is a need for discussions and debate, we do the same so that committees are guided? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank the chairperson and committee, for the report they have presented. Picking up from what the honourable member has said about the UBC land, I am also aware that the land in Mbale has been occupied by veterans and you know how difficult it is to evacuate veterans when they settle on some land. How I wish that is handled very fast.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the communication and I congratulate that Ugandan. Golf land in a number of districts and cities is being grabbed yet golf is one of the major sources of income in Uganda. As the shadow minister, because of these competitions and interest in games, there is an area we should pay attention to. The Kabaka of Buganda, Ssekabaka Mutesa II offered Ugandans a piece of land to practise scouting at Kaazi, worth 120 acres. Mr Speaker, as we talk now, this land has been grabbed and at an opportune time, I will come to your office with all the details so that I can bring a substantive petition to this Parliament to save land where all Ugandan children were going to practice scouting. Scouting and Girl-Guiding are some of the areas where we train children to be disciplined - the land is grabbed in connivance with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Planning, Ministry of Education and Sports and a number of stakeholders. However, we cannot accept the land that was leased by the Buganda Kingdom to the Uganda Scouts Association to be given out by someone in the Uganda Land Commission. There are big thieves of land in this country. The perennial thieves are taking land away from our children who were practicing Scouting and Girl- Guiding on a land worth 123 acres. As I conclude, even golf land – go to Mbale and a number of districts, people are grabbing most of this land to utilise it for construction. Golf needs land, Mr Speaker. Thank you.

Mr Speaker, I want Members to remember how our people used to line up in the banks. There was a time we had to rush to Mbale, when people had lined up for seven days, waiting for banks to help members of the community to access money in the banks and it became tedious. Then we agreed to look for a way of making sure that our people get money on their phones. Because Shs 1 million can be accessed on phone. That is how the Post Bank came up with that innovation. Honourable Members, the ministry of Local Government will come here with a statement so that we see how we are moving.

12110 PRIME MINISTER’S T IME Here at Nakasero, they take your MRI pictures and they are read and interpreted from India. Results come from there. So, what about from near here – by the time the pictures take an aeroplane to India and come back? (Laughter) You can task them to be quicker. I had picked Hon. Komakech, the honourable lady for Mbale and then Ssembabule. Honourable members, you are seated four people. I cannot say, “one, two, three” and you follow each other. I have to keep picking from all sides, one by one.

Thank you. Member from Mbale, followed by Ssembabule.

I request my sister from Mbale to give a comprehensive question so that I can get an answer from the concerned.

Mr Speaker, I think the issue is about the drugs that are being distributed right now and I believe folic acid will also be sent to Arute in the health centres so that our mothers can have normal babies. Mr Speaker, if they are there, we have CURE Children’s Hospital in Mbale that has been helping us to treat these children with such an anomaly. Thank you.

Honourable minister, you have heard what the woman MP has said on the issue of zebra crossing. There is also an issue of bad driving on some roads, where you need to have humps. We have a very bad spot on the road between Mbale and Bukedea, which needs to be worked on.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I would like to take this op - portunity to lay two reports on the Floor. The first one is a report of the Committee on Edu - cation and Sports on its field visit to appraise the management challenges of Mbale School for the Deaf. The second one is a report of the Committee on Education and Sports on the matter of phasing out comprehensive nursing certificates and diploma courses by the Ministry of Education and Sports. I beg to lay.

Mr Speaker, the big one was about a petition here from Mbale School for the Deaf where the committee members visited and made several recommendations. Some recommendations regarding Mbale School for the Deaf have been overtaken by events because the administration has changed. The other one was that there were some security officers that were guarding the equipment, and we heard that some of them have been

Mr Speaker, during the plenary sitting of 19 July 2022, Hon. Alex Ndeezi raised a matter of national importance regarding the mismanagement of Mbale School for the Deaf. The honourable member prayed that the Ministry of Education and Sports implements the recommendations of the ministry’s investigative team contained in its report titled, “Report on the disagreement by the management of Mbale School of the Deaf.” (Seen in the Hansard extract of 19 July 2022 and the said report marked as Annex 1 and Annex 2, respectively). Mr Speaker –

No, he is proceeding extremely right. (Applause) If you heard me very well – and committee chairperson, this is why you need to correct your record. Your record says, “Report of the Committee on Education and Sports on field visit to appraise management challenges of Mbale School for the Deaf.” The moment your report is that way, it is provided for under Rule 34 of our Rules of Procedure whereby under 34(2), you are supposed to give a summary and then I will appoint a date for debate. However, later on, you told me that you were processing a petition. Clerk, help us and capture it as a petition and not a field visit report. Honourable colleagues, in the public gallery this afternoon we have councillors from Zombo District. They will be going back, allow me to introduce them now. (Applause) They are represented in Parliament by our very own Commissioner, Hon. Esther Afoyochan and Hon. Gabriel Okumu. You can see they are seated together matching. (Laughter ) They have come to observe the proceedings of this House. Please, join me once again in welcoming them. Thank you. (Applause) Committee chairperson, let us continue. For issues that have been overtaken by events, you do not need to go to them. Go to the prayers and capture issues that you feel we should capture here.

11885 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2024 manufacturers and increase the competitiveness of locally manufactured products within the region and beyond. The National industrial policy 2020 also seeks to build a fully integrated, competitive, high value and productive industrial sector through increased: 1. value addition of the local materials and products with comparative advantage for social economic transformation; 2. export of manufactured products by facilitating industries to increase production and match market demands in terms of both quality and quantity; 3. employment in the industrial sector through establishment and promotion of industries that create large-scale employment opportunities, ensuring inclusive growth and sustainable development; and 4. adoption of environmentally sustainable technologies by manufacturing subsectors. Currently, the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) operates eight public industrial and business parks namely; Kampala, (Namanve), Luzira, Bweyogerere, Jinja, Soroti, Mbale, Kasese, and Mbarara Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Park. The authority also supports three operational private industrial parks namely; Liao Shen Kapeeka, MMP Industrial Park Buikwe and Tian Tang Mukono, thereby making it eleven industrial and business parks across the country. Accordingly, on 4 June 2021, His Excellency the President while addressing Parliament on the State-of-the-Nation promised to supply electricity to industrial parks directly from some of the Government dams in a bid to reduce the end-user cost of electricity for manufacturers and increase competitiveness of locally manufactured products. In particular, His Excellency the President stated, and I quote, “The cost of electricity is distorted by mistakes committed by some of the actors without my knowledge… We shall see how to get out of this mistake. One solution that I have already ordered for the industrial parks is to supply power directly from some of the Government dams to them. I will not be deflected from that…” It is on this basis, and in line with the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, 2021, that the committee scrutinised the level of implementation of the aforementioned assurance and now presents this report to the august House. Mr Speaker, I am not going to read everything. The content of the report is uploaded so Members can read. I want to go direct to the scope. This report focuses on the following key areas: 1. implementation of the presidential directive; and 2. the state of power supply to the industrial parks. Methodology Documents were reviewed and they are stipulated in the report. There were meetings with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development and there were field visits to selected industrial parks namely; 1. Mbale Industrial and Business Park; 2. Soroti Industrial and Business Park; and 3. Jinja Industrial and Business Park. Committee findings Implementation of the presidential directives In June 2021, His Excellency the President directed the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development that the cost of electricity manufactured had been reduced to $0.05 per unit and the industrial parks should get power directly from the Government operating hydro power stations of Karuma, Isimba, Nalubaale, Kira, without going through Umeme distribution network where it is technologically possible.

11888 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT The Uganda Police helicopter (Aircraft Fixed Wing 5X PEF/P180 Piaggio Avanti Evo) was bought in June 2019 at a price of $7.48 million. However, it is now being sold at just $4 million. His prayer is: can the Prime Minister update the House on this matter? Mr Speaker, my response is that the Uganda Police Force has a police airwing whose function is to support policing within the country. It currently runs four aircrafts; three helicopters and that one: the Aircraft Fixed Wing aircraft. The aircrafts were intended, primarily, to assist in the maintenance of law and order by conducting aerial patrols and surveillance, aerial search and rescue, rapid response, force transportation and, sometimes, medical and casualty evacuation. When not required by the police for the stipulated duties, they may be used as a charter service by the Government, on payment of the prescribed fees. Mr Speaker, the fixed wing aircraft, which is a nine-seater aircraft, was acquired in June 2019 at a cost of $7.48 million and, since then, it has only flown for less than 200 hours. This is mainly due to its operational limitations, which includes designs that limit it to only paved or tarmacked runways, as well as high maintenance and operational costs. The aircraft is serviceable and has all the necessary requirements to operate. Mr Speaker, due to the above-mentioned limitations, Uganda Police Force management has been considering options of how the aircraft could be effectively and efficiently utilised in advancing the police mandate and, where possible, be linked to working domestically in the aviation industry, with a possibility of leasing it to the national carrier among other options. Disposal of the said aircraft has never been an option taken by police management as a way of ‘ utilisation ’ of the side aircrafts. In any case, if any disposal was to be considered, the due process would be diligently followed by all key stakeholders regarding the disposal of such an asset and in that respect, value for money would certainly be a key consideration to take into account. The Hon. Eunice Otuko Apio, Member of Parliament of Oyam North raised a question on the exclusion of Oyam North in the distribution of water by National Water and Sewerage Corporation under the on-going projects in the districts of Gulu, Omoro and Oyam. Prayer: Can the Rt Hon. Prime Minister update the House on the matter? Response: The Integrated Water Management and Development Project is a follow-up project being jointly implemented by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) and the Ministry of Water and Environment. The scope of work under National Water and Sewerage Corporation entails the following: 1. Gulu Water Supply and Sanitation Project This is jointly funded by the World Bank and a German development agency called KFW, implemented in two packages, (package 1 and package 2). Package 2 is financed by the World Bank and it involves laying of 70.2 kilometre DN-500 500 ductile iron transmission pipeline from Karuma to Gulu. 2. Mbale Water Supply and Sanitation Project This project targets the population of Mbale and the neighbouring areas, including the towns of Butaleja, Busolwe, Kibuku, Kadama, Tirinyi, and Budaka. The project scope under National Water Sewage Corporation entails expansion of the production capacity of Bunghoko and Manafwa Water Treatment Plants from 4,000 cubic meters per day to 18,000 cubic meters PRIME MINISTER’S TIME [Ms Nabbanja]

11889 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2024 per day, and 6,000 cubic meters per day to 9,000 cubic meters per day, respectively. The project also entails laying of 85 kilometres of pipe network, construction of a 2,000 cubic meter capacity reservoir, and the rehabilitation and expansion of the sewage system. The scope of work under the neighbouring towns is being implemented under the Ministry of Water and Environment. 3. Adjumani Water Supply and Sanitation Project This project targets Adjumani Town Council, Pakele, Zaipi and Ciforo, among others and involves the construction of water intake structure of capacity 12,000 cubic meters per day, water supply plant of capacity of 4,000 cubic meters per day, laying of 51.8 kilometre of water distribution network and installation of the water storage capacity of 1,150 cubic metres and construction of sanitation facilities. iv. Source protection measures in Arua, Gulu, Mbale and Bushenyi areas Works under package two of the Gulu project are currently at 61 per cent and the project is expected to be completed by the end of October 2024. Contracts for Adjumani and Mbale were signed on 21 December 2023, and the contractor is currently mobilising to commence works; this is expected in March 2024. The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) and Gulu City are jointly implementing the integrated program to improve living conditions in Gulu through grant financing from KFW. This program is being implemented in two phases. The works under phase 1 were completed in 2020 and the system is operational now. The scope of works included the following: 1. Rehabilitation and expansion of Oyitino Dam, raw water intake and Gulu water treatment plant run raw water intake and good water treatment plant from 4,000 cubic metres per day to 10,000 cubic metres per day. This also included development of ground water capacity of 2,000 cubic metres per day; 2. The rehabilitation and expansion of the sewage system; 3. The construction of a faecal sludge treatment facility at Pece–Cubu; 4. The construction of 20 water-borne toilet facilities in public places; and 5. The construction of 30,000 cubic metres per day water intake in the River Nile at Karuma. The scope of work under phase 2 includes the following: 1. Construction of a Water Treatment plant of capacity 10,000 cubic metre per day at Karuma; 2. Construction of 5,000 cubic metre capacity reservoir at Customs Corner in Gulu City; 3. Installation of reservoirs in the six small towns along Gulu Highway, namely Karuma, Kamdini, Minakulu, Bobi, Koro- Abili and Palenga; and 4. The construction of a sludge storage facility at Pece-Cubu. Works under Phase 2 are at 43 per cent progress, and the project is expected to be completed by July, 2024. Ongoing projects scope includes only towns that are en-route to Gulu along the highway (Karuma, Kamdini, Minakulu, Bobi, Kolo- Abili, Palenga). Apparently Oyam North is not en-route and will only benefit from other National Water and Sewerage Cooperation (NWSC) budgetary arrangements that are gazetted by the Ministry of Water and Environment. The Hon. Gorreth Namugga, Member of Parliament, Mawogola South Ssembabule District, said: According to 3 rd National

11891 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2024 Question No.5 From Hon. Agnes Kirabo, Youth Representative, Central Region. That Mulago National Referral Hospital has started a kidney transplant. However, free services have been given to a few people. The rest of the patients have to pay over Shs 46 million, which is too expensive for an ordinary Ugandan. Prayer What is the Government’s plan to ensure this service is available for all? Response Mr Speaker, in December 2023, Mulago National Referral Hospital conducted Uganda’s first kidney transplant successfully, by a team of medical experts from Uganda with counterparts from Yashoda Hospital in India. Mr Speaker, the Government has allowed at least five patients with End-Stage Renal Failure who are on dialysis to have kidney transplants at Mulago National Referral Hospital, free of charge before the fee for the lifesaving procedure is determined for all patients to start paying. The costing of this procedure can then be deduced more accurately rather than estimating from a single or maiden renal transplant. Mr Speaker, Shs 46 million for a kidney transplant is a media-generated figure and not a Government position. The Government has not yet set the cost and our plan through, the Mulago team, is to determine the price after more transplants have been made to get the right picture of the cost implication. The cost of running specialised services is extremely expensive and such services have Ugandans over $18,000 on average, excluding costs of ticket and maintenance abroad. This cost does not include post-operative follow- up treatment which is also very expensive, especially in the first months. All investigations to prepare the patient for transplant were done in Uganda, except for Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) typing where samples were sent to South Africa through Lancet Laboratories. This was more cost effective to do for now until we scale up organ transplant services. Mr Speaker, the success story of Mulago National Referral Hospital in correcting this health condition, will save Ugandans from travelling to India and other developed countries for kidney transplant. The Government of Uganda is committed to saving the lives of Ugandans through such innovations and lessons learned from Mulago. Therefore, after thorough assessment of all that entails the entire process of kidney transplant and full recovery of a patient, a reasonable figure shall be derived and Ugandans shall be informed accordingly. Question No.6 From Hon. Dr. Abed Bwanika, Member of Parliament, Kimaanya- Kabonera Division, Masaka City. He says that on 28 April 2020, the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda approved the creation of 15 news cities and 10 became operational on 1 July 2020, including Jinja, Arua, Gulu, Lira, Soroti, Hoima, Fort portal, Mbarara, Masaka and Mbale. Section 188 of the Local Government Act, instructs that at the creation of a new local government unit, the minister shall assure the equitable sharing of property between the original and new governments. It is now three years since the operationalisation of the 10 cities without clear guidance on asset sharing. The Ministry of Local Government continues to handle ad hoc by engaging case by case, which has caused a lot of confusion and not desirable. This has negatively affected service delivery in the affected local governments. Some district leadership continue to insist on compensation out of the transfer of assets despite that these are public properties held in trust.

11892 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT Prayers: 1. When is the Minister of Local Government concluding on the guidelines for asset sharing and laying the same on the Table in the Parliament of Uganda? 2. How much provision has the Government provided to support establishment of new headquarters for districts that were affected by the creation of new cities? Mr Speaker, my response is that funding to finance the settlement of 10 districts of Masaka, Mbarara, Hoima, Arua, Gulu, Lira, Mbale, Fort portal, Soroti and Jinja that gave birth to cities was requested for by the Ministry of Local Government during the budgeting period for the current Financial Year 2023/2024. However, funds were not allocated and this remained as an unfunded priority. The matter has been presented to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for consideration in the next Financial year 2024/2025 Budget Call Circular. Prayer 2: When are the subcounties that host new district headquarters going to be gazetted as town councils as part of the Local Governments Act? The Ministry of Local Governments has compiled the necessary data from the eight district local governments which have already determined their new locations. We are still waiting for submission from two district local governments. Town councils will be gazetted once the Ministry of Local Governments has received all the information from the two remaining local governments. Prayer 3 That since there are lacunas in the Local Governments Act about the governance of new cities, when is government coming up with a Bill on governance of new cities? My response is that the proposed Amendment Bill for Local Governments Act, Cap 243 has been prepared and will soon be submitted to Cabinet for consideration and approval, and then be brought here for approval. Mr Speaker, I beg to submit. (Applause)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. My matter of national importance refers to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, on Monday, I was honoured to be a guest of honour receiving a donation that came from the United States (US) to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital. For the record, Soroti Regional Referral Hospital is the only regional hospital; the rest, Mbale, Lira, Gulu, and Mbarara, among others, that has never got a facelift. It has buildings from 1944, a lot of congestion, and a lot of limited infrastructure in terms of even medical equipment. However, the problem was land. I would like to inform the Rt Hon. Prime Minister and

Regarding that, I work under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and I always deliver electricity where she says there is inadequate electricity. She is saying now, but the MoU is between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. We work under the guidance of the Ministry of Health. For example, when the Minister of Health said we needed a dedicated line to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, we actually have it now. Therefore, it depends on the grading of the Ministry of Health.

Honourable member from Mbale?

Two weeks ago, a truck that had four people and three boda boda cyclists fell off the bridge of Nambale, that is on Mbale-Tororo Highway. Those people did not die, but they sustained injuries simply because that bridge has no rails. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has worked on it, but left the bridge bare. They put some stones to guard people, who pass on that road, but recently, because of the rains, those stones fell off, and that is why those people fell in. This is a very busy road. We know it serves many trucks that go to Sudan, so many road users on that road, including women and children. And it is posing a very high threat to the people of the district. I request our Prime Minister and the Minister to update us on when the guard rails will be put on that road to save the people of Mbale District.

- Hon. Nyanzi, I have been sitting here since 2 p.m. Kindly settle down; you are not from Mbale. These are issues of Mbale. I will give you your own chance. I do not like it when you start putting me under pressure, from making signs and most of you I give a chance, after speaking, you leave me here. Some just enter and start causing chaos and making signs to me but these ministers have been here since 2 p.m. So, when you start putting me under pressure for you to speak and go, and you leave me here- So please allow me – I know when to pick you.

Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. I would like to thank Hon. Rutahigwa for the presentation. We were together in the 10 th Parliament and we know the scope. We know that this House is privy to even the amount of money. I do not know what the minister means when he says that the Ministry of Finance is not releasing money because the loan that was taken by this House had two loads, Mbale-Lwakhakha and Rukungiri- Kanungu, and it was about Shs 400 billion.

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]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I take this opportunity, on behalf of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), to thank the Rt Hon. Speaker of Parliament, you Rt Hon. Deputy Speaker, and all Members of Parliament, Ministers and the Government for the overwhelming support you accorded during the send-off of Hon. Cecilia Atim Ogwal. The bi-partisan management of the send-off, right from the time the body was received from the airport, during the vigil, when the body moved into Teso, Mbale and to the final resting place, has demonstrated a high level of unity. We in the FDC, the party President, the Secretary-General and all members of the FDC are very grateful to Parliament and the Government. We have learned many things during the send- off of Hon. Atim Cecilia Ogwal. There are certain activities that the party would have loved, for example, taking the body to the party headquarters to view, but there is a gap in the administration of Parliament. I pray that we need to look at the Administration of Parliament Act with a view of amending it so that, if a member of NUP or NRM passes away, if the party wishes to take the body to the party headquarters for the members pay their last respect, that provision is there. Secondly, as a party, we pray that there will be consensus during the by-election in Dokolo; that the same spirit of unity and support that was extended will be extended to the candidate that will be identified by FDC and the family so that we have unity during this process. Finally, I thank you and my colleagues. I represent the Parliament of Uganda in an organisation that includes 11 African countries, where I represent the Office of the Speaker. In that organisation, (International Conference on the Great Lakes), we meet with Speakers. I extend appreciation to you and this Parliament, for the level of hospitality you accorded the Members of Parliament who came from Kenya, including the Deputy Speaker of Kenya. The Deputy Speaker of Kenya, the Members of the Parliament of Kenya and the entire delegation appreciate the time you accorded them to the level that you secured a helicopter that moved them from Alito Village to be able to catch their flight on time. As FDC, we are very grateful and the Members of the Parliament of Kenya are very grateful. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Happy New Year. My issue is about the electricity distribution in my area, Bukomansibi. I have brought it here many times and we went ahead to convene meetings at the Ministry. One meeting was led by the former Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Hon. Mathias Mpuuga about the places that have never got power since Independence and that includes where I come from Kassebwera Subcounty and my village, Mbale, Kinoni, Kyankoole and other places. Mr Speaker, no pole has ever passed there. We borrowed money in 2022 and Bukomansimbi was one of the beneficiaries, but up to now, we have never got any sign that we shall get electricity.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. The following have been designated to the Committee on Equal Opportunities: 1. Hon. Emmanuel Komol - Dodoth East County; 2. Hon. Mary Annet Nakato - Buyende; 3. Hon. Miriam Mukhaye - Mbale; 4. Hon. William Museveni - Buwekula South County; 5. Hon. Moses Walyomu Muwanika - Kagoma County; and 6. Hon. Margaret Rwabushaija Namubiru - Workers Representative.

Madam Speaker, I beg to designate the following to the Standing Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation: Hon. Eng. Alex Niyonsaba – Chairperson; and Hon. Florence Asiimwe Akiiki – Deputy Chairperson. The members are: 1. Hon. Luke Kyobe – Luuka Ciounty North; 2. Hon. Seth Wambede – Mbale North Division; 3. Hon. Esther Mbayo - Luuka; 4. Hon. Tony Awany – Nwoya County; 5. Hon. Ojok Andrew Olanya – Omoro County; 6. Hon. James Kubeketerya – Bunya County East; 7. Hon. Bosco Okiror – Usuk County; 8. Hon. Adome Francis Lorika – Moroto Municipality; 9. Hon. Okot Boniface Henry – Youth, Northern; 10. Hon. Werikhe Peter Christopher – Bubulo County West; 11. Hon. Joel Leku – Terego County West; 12. Hon. Okori-Moe Janet – Abim; 13. Hon. Ezama Siraji – Aringa County; 14. Hon. Feta Geoffrey – Ayivu Div. East; 15. Hon. Irene Muloni - Bulambuli; 16. Hon. Yona Musinguzi – Ntungamo Municipality; and 17. Hon. Ninkusiima John Paul – Ibanda County South. For the record, Hon. Kubeketerya and Hon. Irene Muloni were earlier on read as members on the Appointments Committee, which is allowed under the rules of this House. I beg to designate, Madam Speaker.

11320 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION [Mr Bahati] LAYING OF PAPERS Secondly, the Minister of Works and Transport is here. We visited Katonga Bridge with the Deputy Speaker and we were told that the road would be opened before the end of November. However, currently people are still suffering going all the way through Ssembabule. I do not know when the works minister, Gen. Katumba, will open that road because I saw it completed. Thirdly, the bus fares increase because when one takes people to Mbale or Mbarara, they come back with empty buses. So, we must also put something there to compensate them. When a bus takes people upcountry, it comes back with empty seats –

Yes, you ruled but I rise on a procedural matter. When you look at the road from Malaba, which is the main artery that brings in the revenue we are talking about in this House and the unprecedented congestion in Malaba - much as clearing moves fast, but as one moves to Malaba, about two kilometres to Malaba, they can take four hours to access the border because of traffic jam. Madam Speaker, as we approve this loan, would it not be procedurally right that Government looks at fast-tracking the expansion of the road going to Malaba but also do a bypass since Malaba is the main border? I mean a bypass to separate the northern corridor from the southern corridor traffic, that is creating a bypass through Kwapa to join the Mbale Road towards Mbale. This is because traffic to Northern Uganda and the oil exploration areas

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to seek your guidance. On Tuesday, you intimated that today we would have a debate on land. I noticed that most of the Members, especially from Kiryandongo, were talking about security issues, but I think the root cause is the land wrangles. This morning, I received information that in Mbale, people came and fought the people with disabilities who have land wrangles. I seek your guidance on when we shall have the debate on land. Thank you.

Yes, Madam Speaker. There is Mbale, Lweza, Jinja, Rukungiri, Naguru, Kabale, and Ruti land. We need a comprehensive report.

11169 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2023 Possibilities and opportunities have, therefore, been opened for everyone thanks to the Government’s big tent approach. In summary, the space that allows for the emergence of such diverse but special and expression can be anything but shrinking. Issues to do with the November 2020 riots and attendant loss of lives, injuries, destruction and related matters - Madam Speaker, this is yet one other additional response on this matter and all others incidental thereto. Contrary to what the Leader of the Opposition claims, an investigation was done immediately after the riots and a report to that effect was presented to the last Parliament by the then Minister of Internal Affairs. That, in addition to other subsequent numerous responses made about the subject matter, including in this Parliament, I needed to make that clarification from the onset to clear the air. That said, and by way of a recap, violent riots broke out and rocked various parts of the country in November 2020 before they were quelled by police and other security agencies. These riots covered Kampala and Wakiso, which were the epicenter of the riots, as well as Mukono, Masaka, Kyotera, Lwengo, Mpigi, Luwero, Wobulenzi, Mityana, Lugazi, Njeru, Jinja, Buwenge, Iganga, Namayingo, Namutumba, Luuka, Kamuli, Budaka, Busia, Mbale, Arua and Gulu, respectively. During these riots, extensive loss of property, (private and public) and damage to and loss of lives were registered. The destruction incidental to the riots, or directly arising from the various riotous acts, was immense. This included; deliberate acts of arson, or torching of buildings and vehicles, use of stones and other objects to hit innocent members of the public, motorists, security personnel and property, physical assault, manhandling and abuse of members of the public as well as law enforcement officers, staging of illegal roadblocks and demanding money with menaces from members of the public. There was also burning of tires to damage and block public roads and throwing petrol bombs into buildings and at security/law enforcement officers, among others. During this chaos, even ordinary sanctified places like court premises were not spared. Wobulenzi Court premises were set ablaze. Fifty six people lost their lives, including those by gunshot wounds and others whose deaths were through other causes incidental to the riots. The latter category includes those that lost their lives as a result of motor vehicle accidents, involving for example, vehicle registration number UAN 827N, whose driver lost control after being hit by a stone and knocked two people dead namely; Nalwada Kevin and Nsimbe Shafik. Forty six people out of the 56 victims were male adults and three were male juveniles. Forty eight of the victims were from Kampala metropolitan areas. This includes Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono. Two were from Jinja, two from Luwero, one from Rakai, one from Kinoni in Lwengo, one from Butambala and one from Mpigi, respectively. Madam Speaker, security operations are governed by the law to ensure and guide the participating forces on the employment of lethal force. This is ensured through a number of ways, including training, briefing before operations, and debriefing post-operations, as well as dissemination of rules of engagement, which have been distilled and reduced into pocketbooks for the tactical operators. The standard operating procedures on the use of force booklet is attached as Annex B to this statement. These are the aid memoirs to assist operators to make informed and rational judgment depending on the circumstances of each case and the prevailing situation, but mindful of the principles of necessity and proportionality in the use of force. These measures, Madam Speaker, were in place. The investigations done post the riots established the cause of death and injury without conclusive findings about the circumstances of each of the deaths and injuries; save for Auxiliary No.01700LDF Mustapha Ssali, who was charged and convicted for the killing of

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to engage the Prime Minister. I would like to raise two issues. First, earlier on, I raised the issue of the status of the Moroto Road regarding the trucks that were ferrying out materials and we had a discussion on the weighbridges. The Prime Minister promised that they would bring temporary bridges. I would like to use this opportunity, since the Minister of Works and Transport is here, if he can tell us when exactly they can do that because we have a big challenge. Secondly, I would also like to inquire about what we requested for; a mortuary. We told you that the whole of Karamoja subregion does not have a mortuary. Therefore, we move bodies all the way to Mbale. We always have to engage UPDF to assist us with the facility in Mbale, which has also become a bit costly and difficult. This is because sometimes we find their mortuary is already filled up, so we have to hang in there. That is why I want to inquire from the Prime Minister when she thinks she can also help us with that facility so that we are able to help our people. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I congratulate you as well for the bundle of joy. Blessings upon you and the family. I join my honourable colleagues in thanking the Committee on Public Service and Local Governments for a very good and comprehensive report. During my oversight visit in my constituency, Butaleja, we observed challenges of accessibility to the funds. Butaleja as district alone does not have any bank. All our voters travel to Mbale to access the money. I appreciate your recommendation about mobile money banking, but even those who can go to the banks –

Thank you, Rt Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. I also congratulate you for having brought for us twins who may be members of this House in the future, given your traits. In my constituency, one of the biggest challenges, which has been faced by the residents and which has made the RDC to arrest many people is on the issue of computers, which he has talked about. I think the guidelines concerning the provision of those gadgets was not very clear, and as a result, many people started soliciting for money, especially chairpersons of parishes and of the SACCOs in the villages to go and hire or buy those gadgets. I would urge the Government that instead of leaving that issue to banks, they should buy computers and give them to subcounties so that they can easily work and that is one of the reasons why money delayed to be disbursed in most parts of the country. Another thing is that most of the money was given to a few banks. For example, in Bulambuli and some parts of Mbale, money was given to DFCU Bank leaving out other banks and yet DFCU Bank did not have enough manpower to disburse the money in time. However, Post Bank did a very good job. Districts should be in position to distribute money equally to all the banks instead of keeping money in one bank and suffocating the system.

Centenary Bank in Mbale did not get the money?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Congratulations upon being a Nnalongo . Last year, on the 31 st of July, the floods from Mount Elgon, Bungokho North and Wanale caused a lot of destruction in Mbale City and across. I thank the Prime Minister for responding by coming to the ground and for all the interventions. Among the interventions, there was a pertinent promise of the provision of Shs 200 billion to construct resilient infrastructure in the face of those climate challenges. At the moment, what was destroyed then has deteriorated further. Now that the Prime Minister is in the House and the solutions are here, I believe the people of Mbale will be happy to get an update on how far the Government has gone to redeem the situation. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Yes. The letter by the President was apparently written on the 13 th of June. The letter directing the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is dated 23 rd . First of all, we have problems with the dates because they are contradictory. It looks like the minister wrote before she got the directive from the President but then she referred to the directive of the President. Apart from that, the purported letter from the President talks about four acres to that investor. However, the letter by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development goes ahead to allocate more of the Lweza land for people with disabilities to other companies, including a company that is supposed to build accommodation for the GROW Project. We are asking ourselves, since when did we start building accommodation for Government projects? It is not only the land in Lweza. There seems to be a group of people who are after pieces of land that belong to people with disabilities. We have the same problem in Mbale, Naguru, Jinja and here in Kampala. We would like to request you, Madam Speaker, to ask the Prime Minister and her ministers to give us clarity on where those people with disabilities who have lived on those pieces of land all their lives – some were there in the 1950s and 1960s. What is the plan? If the Government is giving out this land to investors, we need to know where our people are going. We would like a comprehensive report on all those pieces of land but most especially, the one of Lweza because we have letters that the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development has already directed the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development to start dividing that land. We got that information from the people with disabilities who live on that land. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I also welcome you back, but also on behalf of the Uganda Women’s Parliamentary Association, I congratulate you for this double joy of our little twins. I wish you and the babies good health. This country is blessed with very good doctors, some of the best doctors in the region. However, the doctors lack that enabling environment for them to perform the tasks that they need to perform. For example, in the Neurosurgery Department in Mulago, they are very few. I do not think they are currently even more than 10 qualified neurosurgeons who are at Mulago Hospital, but the space is not there. When you move to the regional referral hospitals - I know we were doing some work; you may ask what I did when we were in the Ministry of Health. However, with support from the Government, we have tried to expand and build some new structures, but still, there are not enough resources. The construction is very slow. When you reach Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, finding four or five babies on a single bed - it is terrible with mothers standing beside these babies. They just needed Shs 8 billion to complete the new structure, but the money is phased over different financial years. Soroti Regional Referral Hospital is one of those hospitals that have not received funding for expansion and yet, we have very good doctors. You remember the separation of the twins that was done by those doctors and we think the doctors cannot do their work? It is the environment. Honourable colleagues, we are in the budgeting process - let us prioritise healthcare because the majority of our people cannot fly out of this country. You and I may go, but they cannot. Let us have the facilities so that they are able to get-

Respect, Madam Speaker. The matter I want to speak about is health like my colleague from Isingiro talked about the health centre IVs. I come from a district of about 300,000 residents, not even one health centre IV. We grapple with getting these people to Mbale, which is 60 kilometres away. Rt.Hon. Prime Minister, we need a definite proper plan so that we know and I tell my people in Namisindwa District, not only my constituents of Bubulo East. Lastly, there is a sector we are not talking about, Madam Speaker; I should speak for them on matters of health and this is mental health. We have only one referral hospital. I can be a potential person any time from now –(Interjections)- yes, Hon. Nsereko, I am not yet until I am declared by Hon. Chris. I want to say mental people maybe fall under the docket of People with Disabilities (PWDs) and they have not spoken for them. We need regional mental hospitals, Madam Speaker. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am also a former Minister of State for Health and I just wanted to say that we need a comprehensive debate on health and healthcare in the country one day, because a lot needs to be done to ensure that we address these issues, which are being raised. I know the Minister of Health will come and give us detailed information, but there are efforts through the Ministry of Health to decentralise most of these services, including mental health, but I just wanted to provide information on cancer briefly. Cancer is on the rise and we need to invest more in public education. It is also true that the Cancer Institute in Mulago is congested, but the institute has established a home nearby where those who come from upcountry can have a rest as they get treatment, in an effort to decongest the Cancer Institute. Also, there are plans to build cancer institutes in the regional referral hospitals. I know for a fact that the Cancer Institute in Gulu has been completed. They are now doing a dry run for it to start functioning. Construction is also going on in Mbale Hospital for a fully-fledged Cancer Institute and also in the plans, I think, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has provided resources for a Cancer Institute in Mbarara and Arua Regional Referral Hospitals - (Member timed out.)

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

10818 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT (b) Storied Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Personalisation Centre: A three-storied personalisation building is to be constructed at the ministry headquarters. This is to ease office space accommodation and improve service delivery. That is not yet done. 3. Regional enrolment centres and missions abroad. (a) Regions with fully furnished and equipped enrolment centres in Mbale, Mbarara, and Gulu were done. The ones which are not done are Arua and Jinja. (b) Missions abroad with fully furnished and equipped enrolment centres in Washington D.C., London, Pretoria, Copenhagen, Ottawa, Abu-Dhabi, and Beijing, were done. (c) Images of polycarbonate and paper- based passports: Comparison between old passports (paper-based passports) and the new passports (polycarbonate passports). You can see from the diagram on the data page that this was done. (d) Security features: Laser tactile feature, MCD, holothread, Magic ID, MLI, Transparent Window, OVI. The status is the optically variable ink feature and all the details there. Mr Speaker, I beg to submit. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, honourable minister. This is an update and these are issues which the sectoral committee should follow up as we had said. Next item. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON THE ACTIONS TAKEN TO MITIGATE ACCIDENTS ON THE MPIGI-KANONI ROAD

Thank you, honourable chairperson. Next time, I will demand that you summarise the executive summary. (Laughter) However, it is a good brief. Thank you, committee. Honourable colleagues in the Public Gallery this afternoon, we have students and teachers of Nabumali High School, Mbale. They are represented by Hon. Richard Wanda and Hon. Miriam Mukhaye. They have come to observe the proceedings of this House. Please, join me in welcoming them. (Applause) Thank you. Honourable colleagues, my Order Paper is demanding a lot, so, I will pick Hon. Herbert Tayebwa, Hon. Ababiku, Hon. Edakasi, Hon. Mujungu, Hon. Paparu, Hon. Opio and Hon. Afidra. Let us be quick so that we can handle another item.

10652 STATEMENT BY THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION On the other hand, any step taken to expose and detail the scorecard leading to that ranking has always proved to discomfort the perpetrators and faced a lot of resistance from the upper echelons of the state. Nonetheless, we shall not relent from exposing the systemic human rights abuses and plead for the full intervention of Parliament in enlisting this problem and finding a durable solution. Mr Speaker, we should recall that we as legislators take oath of allegiance to the Constitution. We derive our authority from the relevant provisions and the spirit of the Constitution. It is to the provisions of the Constitution that we owe allegiance. To put this in context, the Constitution guarantees and mandates institutions of Government to respect, protect and promote human rights, Parliament ought to be the fort in the defense of the rights and freedoms of the people. On 17 October 2023, I listened to and read the statement by the Minister of Internal Affairs, relating to the arrival and illegal arrest of Hon. Kyagulanyi and hundreds of the NUP supporters, their prayer session and the dispatching of peaceful demonstrations in Mbale Constituency. I submit that the minister’s statement was superficial, shallow, tainted with material falsehoods and misconstruction of the law and an attempt to justify repression and a cramp down of political dissent in this country. Mr Speaker, I do not find the minister’s statement tenable, since it has fallen short of addressing the wanton abuse of human rights, the growing state of impunity, the general breakdown of the rule of law, and the shrinking civic space. For that, I invite this august House to consider that statement as rejected. Mr Speaker, the minister’s statement has further depicted the Government’s reluctance to address and remedy human rights violations. I must state here that the minister’s statement remains rejected, and I invite this honourable House to consider it as such. It should be recalled that as a result of the infamous November 2020 shootings, many people lost their lives whereas scores were maimed. Mr Speaker, Government committed to have the matter investigated and audited. However, all that has been achieved was the categorisation of the victims in clusters of 20 persons who were shot and killed by stray bullets, whereas 34 others were shot and killed for allegedly participating in riots. Mr Speaker, the state categorised these citizens as rioters and victims and that was all. The details of the report remain a top secret only to the state, despite the commitment by the President to make the investigation public. It will be exactly three years next month since the angel of death was parachuted onto our streets by the very people charged with the duty to protect us. Our memories are yet to lose the well-documented evil work of Police Patrol 999/17 on the streets of Kampala for two solid days and the legacy of its occupants. Ugandans demand to know whether the occupants of that police vehicle were aliens without a trace or their evil acts a living testimony to the jungle in which we are entrapped. Mr Senteza Frank, the bodyguard of Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu was intentionally knocked down by a military police vehicle H4DF 2382 at the Busega Roundabout. There was no follow-up with the family by any State agency, three years after his killing or at least an excuse of an investigation report confirming that the murder was premeditated. Mr Speaker, Rita Nabukenya was knocked dead off a walkway by a police vehicle registration number UP 4841. No report was made, no follow-up with the family; instead, the family was warned not to waste time trying to follow up. Were these Government vehicles auto-piloted that no driver or commander is available to face charges of premeditated murder of these innocent Ugandans? Is the House of Parliament

10715 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2023 2. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. 3. Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Vote 022. 4. Uganda Cancer Institute, Vote 114. 5. Makerere University Business School, Vote 138. 6. Auditor-General, Vote 131. 7. National Citizenship and Immigration Control, Vote 120. 8. Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Vote 20. 9. Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Vote 004. 10. Busitema University, Vote 111. 11. Uganda Management Institute, Vote 140. 12. Ministry of East African Community Affairs, Vote 021. 13. Uganda Heart Institute, Vote 115. 14. Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory, Vote 305. 15. Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, Vote 151. 16. Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Vote 170. 17. Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital, Vote 164. 18. Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, Vote 169. 19. Moroto Regional Referral Hospital, Vote 175. 20. Directorate of Ethics and Integrity, Vote 112. Missions Abroad: 1. Mission in Belgium, Vote 219. 2. Mission in Geneva, Vote 214. 3. Mission in England, Vote 202. 4. Mission in France, Vote 224. 5. Mission in Italy, Vote 220. 6. Mission in Japan, Vote 215. 7. Mission in China, Vote 212. 8. Mission in Abu Dhabi, Vote 230. 9. Consulate in Guangzhou, Vote 232. 10. Mission in Germany, Vote 225. 11. Mission in Canada, Vote 203. 12. Mission in India, Vote 204-“(Interjection) - I beg your pardon.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I apologise for that. I am the type who follows competence-based legislation; I can only debate on an issue that I am competent on; I just do not talk. The chaos here was that - anyway back to the issue, Sir, I thank my minister for the submission. The border of Lwakhakha is in my constituency and there is a beehive of activity - both exports and imports - but more or less 60 percent of this is agricultural products. All the wheat that comes to Uganda and feeds into the factories in Mbale owned by private people comes from Kenya. Under local economic development, we are doing so well that at one time, I invited my sister to visit the border, which is not international on our side, but is considered international on the Kenyan side. This was to help her get an understanding of the situation so that we may also internationalise the Ugandan side. However, the small traders are the ones bearing the brunt of this. All the products, especially maize, go through the processes; the phytosanitary certificate by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries in Uganda is acquired. The small traders who are below the threshold of US$2,000 meet all these requirements, but when they take it to our brothers in Kenya, it is a problem. I also wish to address my colleague’s concerns. I am from the border; it is harvest season in Kenya as well. It is a temporary situation. When the Kenyans talked of aflatoxins, in Busia, we found a way around and we smuggled the maize across unofficial borders. We did that by the way -

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Recommendation The committee recommends that the accounting officer should follow up on the matter and ensure that the vendor expedites the transfer of enforcement dues to UNBS within 30 days from the date of adoption of this report. 4. Inadequate surveillance at border posts Observation The committee observes that there is a risk that substandard goods are entering the Ugandan market through border points where the bureau staff are not present. Recommendation The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should urgently avail funds for the recruitment of more staff at the border points. 5. Lack of a budget to destroy substandard commodities Recommendation: The committee recommends that: i. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should allocate funds for the destruction of prohibited items; and ii. The accounting officer should initiate timely legal measures seeking the relevant court orders for destruction. 6. Management of land Untitled land in Mbale Observation The committee observes that there was laxity on the part of the entity, regarding efforts to secure the land in a timely manner, which renders the land susceptible to enforcement and land grabbing. Recommendation The committee recommends that the accounting officer expeditiously follows up on the process and ensures that the land title is secured within six months from the date of adoption of this report.

I am informed that the statement from the minister has been uploaded so you have it now. We can have a debate, based on very clear information. I will start with Hon. Itungo, Hon. Katalihwa, Hon. Muzaale, who knows these matters and Hon. Mutumba, our Imam . Hon. Byanyima, on such matters we always allow you to speak so you can take heart. I will choose the Member from Karamoja. Sorry, colleagues, sometimes your names escape my mind. If you have spoken, first take a seat. I will have Hon. Dr Bukenya, Hon. Dr Opio, the Member from Mbale, the Member from Maruzi, Hon. Mutembuli and then Hon. Pacuto.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to share with the House the problems we encountered a few days back when we were hit by heavy rains, thunderstorms and strong winds. A number of households were affected. Up to a tune of 18 households were ruined and torn down by the strong winds and heavy rains in the parishes of Kagaga, Kabale in Ngarama Subcounty and Burungamu Parish also in Ngarama Subcounty. Then a number of villages that were also affected were Kasharara, Kikoma, Kyabahesi and Bahigi, plus Keminazi, all in Mbale Subcounty. Some churches were also destroyed; Kagaga Catholic Church and the catechist’s house at the same place, Kagaga Pentecostal Church and then Burungamu Pentecostal Church. Also, a number of gardens were severely destroyed by the massive rains, rendering people in the –

Honourable Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, this issue has been a really difficult one for the people of Sebei and Bugisu. It has affected them so much. I was personally invited sometime back, when I told you that I survived imbalu. They had decided to do imbalu on me. (Laughter) I met the people on Mt Wanale and we moved around. When you go through the boundaries which Uganda Wildlife Authority is insisting on, you will find that even Mbale City is in the national park. But in Uganda, we have a situation where we do not want to live in reality; you want to hold on to something on paper, yet physically you can never. The reality is different on the ground, because I went there and if you are to go with the boundaries of 1964, even where Mbale is now is a national park. So you would have to send away the whole town to have the national park here. Is it feasible? So, why are you holding onto something that you know is not feasible? People gave you an alternative by advising you to go with the boundaries of 1993 and then protect the park where it is. When you rejected that, people started encroaching and when you go, they will demand a boundary of 2023 because you were told to go with boundaries of 1993 to ensure the community does not go beyond but you did not take the offer. Honourable minister, meet the area Members of Parliament – Sebei and Bugisu over this issue and on Wednesday next week, bring a comprehensive statement and we shall debate it. Do not just go and meet with Uganda Wildlife Authority only. Hold a meeting with the leaders and the people on the ground and get the real situation and come and give us reality.

Yes, Hon. Awany. I want to appreciate him. He worked with our elder, Hon. Lokeris and he is the one leading us on negotiations. In Tororo, I worked with Hon. Ekanya and my committee chairperson. We also had an issue with PAPs. Mr Speaker, I am a student of conflict management. I always involve people and end up solving the conflicts. However, there are those stubborn ones who will push me to go into compulsory acquisition – I am going to summarise. The issue of intermittent power or power outages has come up. Sometimes, there are different factors that cause power outages, but, like Hon. Kateshumbwa mentioned, some of the lines need refurbishing – and we have started. We have changed some old poles, for example, on the Soroti line from Opuyo up to Tororo. That line is now metallic. I am just remaining with Tororo-Mbale. It is a small stretch, which we are also going to upgrade. We are doing the upgrading to reduce intermittent power. On the tariff, what can I say? I am under instruction by the President to make sure that the tariff goes down, especially for industries. However, you know the factors that contribute to the high tariff. If you do not invest money, especially in generation, you will raise the tariff by 60 per cent. That is why we keep on saying that when we finally commission Karuma, the 600 megawatts will be sold at 4.7 kilowatt hours per unit. For Nalubaale and Kiira, where the Eskom concession ended and it is UEGL now managing it, 380 megawatts will be sold at 1.2. When you take the generation mix, those two sources will reduce the tariff. That is why we are yearning to commission Karuma. However, generation contributes 60 per cent. If you use borrowed money, power will be expensive. The other thing that we will reduce on the tariff is to improve the conductors that we use so that we reduce power losses. When you lose power, then, you pay for nothing and the tariff will remain high because we have to sustain the sector. Many of you are concerned about the tariffs. I am equally concerned and hope that one day, we shall see the tariff getting managed.

10379 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023 and close it because the issues raised are straightforward. Before that, in the public gallery this afternoon, we have the Guild Council from the Medical Laboratory Training School in North Division, Jinja City. They are represented by Hon. David Isabirye Aga and Hon. Manjeri Kyebakutika. They have come to observe proceedings of this House. Please join me in welcoming them. (Applause) Thank you for coming. So, I will start with Hon. Midius Natukunda, Hajjat Melissa Avako, Hon. Okeyoh, Hon. Stella Atyang, Hon. Tinkasiimire, Member for Mbale, Hon. Kabasharira, Hon. Namanya and Hon. Lagen. Let us speak for two minutes each.

Mr Speaker, mine is about the trailers or vehicles that are parked along the highways. On the 28 th of September, a vehicle carrying our students of Kaberamaido Midland High School rammed into a stationery trailer along the Mbale-Soroti Highway. Very many students were injured. Two died on the spot, 38 were badly injured, and about two or four had multiple fractures. Mr Speaker, we are suffering high burden of medical calls from the hospitals. My prayer is that the Ministry of Works and Transport or Uganda National Roads Authority take serious actions on such vehicles. Mr Speaker, Members have time and again raised this issue, but no action has been taken.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Following on what Hon. Fred Byamukama has said that he will get in touch with Hon. Biraaro, but the problem is the same in Mbale. For a year now, we have had meetings with the Prime Minister, and she promised Shs 220 billion for roads, but nothing has happened. Therefore, for the Minister to say that he will get in touch with only a person from one region yet other regions are suffering the same, is not a good thing.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I wanted to give Hon. Kabanda information concerning Ugandans such as Mabirizi. Much obliged, thank you so much and let us stand together. United we stand and win as Uganda. We have already qualified to participate and I know Uganda may even take the African Cup of Nations, insha-Allah. MR MAURICE KIBALYA (NRM, Bugabula County South, Kamuli: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I add my voice to whoever has congratulated those that participated in the bid to have Uganda host the AFCON 2027. There is no international gathering or conference that can pull crowds like when we host games. In 2027, I am very sure Uganda is going to host people that it has never hosted before. It is going to have a population that will disorganise the whole set up of Uganda. This is the time and we have three years to prepare for this. Mr Speaker, I have heard colleagues suggesting that the stadium should be in Fort Portal, Hoima or somewhere. This is not an event for Kampala, Fort Portal or Hoima alone. It is for Uganda as a whole. We need to see the Ministry of Education and Sports coming to do some renovation work at Bugembe Stadium so that when a participating country comes, they can go for training in Jinja and stay there for two days as they prepare to come and play at Namboole or Nakivubo stadia. We should not have all countries in Kampala alone as if Mbale or Jinja are not waiting. This is an opportunity for every region to benefit. Let it not be centralised in Kampala as if they have only come to visit Kampala. We want every region to benefit in whichever formula. We have seen countries jetting in five days, a week or eight days in advance. Take them to Mbale, Gulu and Mbarara so that they train from there. Those people will benefit from the different sectors -(Member timed out.)

Madam Speaker, I thank Hon. Ariko for raising that issue. First of all, the current outage that Hon. Ariko is pointing out is actually true. We have a challenge in north-eastern and eastern Uganda; there was vandalism that happened on the line which takes power to the eastern and north- eastern regions. Just after Kakira, four pylons were brought down and that caused what Hon. Ariko is talking about. We are putting up those pylons, temporarily, to enable power to flow. We were forced to bring power from Karuma, but the wooden line between Lira and Soroti- Opuyo could not accommodate stable power to enable manufacturing and all the processes in eastern and northern-eastern Uganda. We are only able to take 75 megawatts from Karuma through that transmission line and that power has to be shared by the whole region. 75 megawatts are not adequate to run all the industries in eastern Uganda. That explains the rationing of electricity. What is the ministry doing about it? There are a number of measures that the ministry has put in place: 1. To remedy the vandalised transmission lines. We are putting temporary structures to enable that line to continue taking power to eastern and north-eastern Uganda. 2. On the transmission of power from Karuma, one of our agencies, Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) is working on the interconnectors to improve the power flow and increase the power that can be transmitted from Karuma, which is now producing about 300 megawatts. If the line is improved, that would enable us to have a double-circuit which would enable us to provide power from Karuma to the eastern and north-eastern region. The areas which are affected are Tororo, Mbale, Soroti and Moroto and we are working to improve the power supply in those areas. The question on Umeme -

The Ministry of Health was among the votes. There is where they talked about the agreement with the UPDF Engineering Brigade to go ahead and do the construction and one of the projects that I believe is supposed to be taken up is the construction of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital’s ICU Unit because we do not have it there. The project is at about 85 percent. So, we expect the project to get done. However, we were told that the project has stalled and nothing is happening. When I interacted with the hospital administration they said no funds were appropriated for completion of that project. All the machines that are required for the ICU and the beds were procured. So, this is a waste of government money if we cannot provide about Shs 2 billion that is required to conclude that project. I think this is something that they need to take a keen interest in. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes. What Hon. Karim is saying is nearly true because we got the instructions to do about 16-18 units. We have completed a few and I think even in Mbale we are on course. Maybe by the end of next month, it should be done. We are working to make sure that it is done. What is also true is that the equipment was brought as the constructions were going on. I was personally in Kabale, there is one in Yumbe, Jinja is nearly done and all these other regional hospitals. The challenges of money notwithstanding, we have made the undertaking to make sure that we complete.

No problem. I would be glad to launch the Mbale one tomorrow. Hon. Onzima and then Sheema-

10227 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2023 our report highlights all those incidents and cases. We were short of recommending a total abolition to this loaning system because it would be adverse to the beneficiaries who are our workers. Instead, we recommended that the system be streamlined such that they do not deduct without authority. Two, in those cases where we are running manual files-you must have seen my facial expression. In the year 2023, our Government still runs manual files. We said, “You need to go digital.” I am sure Government will not find difficulty in adopting it. With regard to domestic arrears, we raised all the issues that have been mentioned by Hon. Masaba and all the other honourable members. We could not recommend 20 per cent. We said, “Clear all outstanding arears.” And, Madam Speaker, you guided that these constitute the first call. Why would we continue running an economy where we are impoverishing? If you read our report, we mentioned that this is causing businesses to collapse. With regard to the Ministry of Health and the UPDF, we made specific recommendations on that. We did not go to the extent of mentioning Mbale, Hon. Masaba, but we gave general policy recommendations. Hon. Nyakikongoro, with respect to unfunded priorities, that also to relates domestic arrears and I have been exhaustive on that. Non-Tax Revenue not declared, yes, there are instances that we came across and made specific observations. When people would come and say; “I did not know the procedure, but yes, we got-” This is a dichotomy from our findings; you may find a development partner that does not want to channel funding through the Consolidated Fund. Yet the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act require that all monies must go through the Fund. We said, yes, we cannot compel our development partners to use our channel but we compel our accounting officers to declare it to the Treasury once they receive it; for planning purposes and to avoid double spending. You may find that Government has funded the project but also somebody else is funding the same. Fortunately, or unfortunately, we did not come across specific entities that received double funding for the same project. Of course, I did not mention that there are entities we need to commend. In our report, there are those we commend for being compliant with the law and we mentioned them because we do not want to be seen to be always looking for faults. For external financing- payment with interest - Madam Speaker, you raised a legitimate question but the way we looked at it we said that it poses a risk for litigation and attendant costs. Those will include interests, damages and legal fees. With regard to Hon. Lucy Akello’s issue, one of our recommendation is - and the Speaker guided in the past that when we get this report adopted, the sectoral committees should pick it up and take interest because it informs the budgeting process on where to do and what. I think Parliament has already taken a stand. Finally, Hon. David Kabanda asked whether he heard me right. I am not sure. I do not know whether you actually heard me right, but for what we produced in the report, is that yes, Shs 20 billion was expended by the Office of the Prime Minister to promote the drinking of coffee by building coffee kiosks across the country. The committee has made specific findings on how far the partner went on in implementing this. We came up with the conclusions that: 1) They are not there; and 2) An observation that it was an unnecessary expenditure because we have coffee, tea, milk etcetera.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, personally, I have consumed coffee from Inspire Africa, one, in Mbale. It was there and they used to employ the youth. (Interjection) No, we were buying it. Two, at Twed Towers, where there is the Court of Appeal, there used to be Inspire Africa coffee shop. However, for the last one year, I do not know where they went –(Interjection)- they have closed; that is what I am told. So, looking at the figures that you have read for us, honestly, this was so –

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Mine is just a concern; how does one begin to drink coffee? I have also been to Inspire Africa, Mbale, but when I was there, it was more of a corporate setting whereby they were charging Shs 20,000 for a flask of coffee. They basically had different flavours and you would feel that there was something going on. However, the aspect of teaching people to drink coffee for Shs 9 billion is very unfortunate. When you look at Teso, for example, the report says they taught people in the Teso region, but it is absurd because we have never seen it and we cannot even account for it being in that area. Going forward, I think this is a very particular pick for Parliament. I think we need to look at who this person is. If you created it to enrich yourself with some wealth, you must vomit it. I beg to submit.

10238 STANDIN G C O M M I T T E E R E PORT During our interaction with the Ministry of Local Government, the committee was informed that the budget provision for ex- gratia and honoraria for local government leaders has fallen short over the last five years and that is from Financial Year 2018/2019 to FY 2022/2023 leading to an outstanding amount of Shs 9,074,258,232. These are the monies that should be paid and these leaders are struggling but they are not receiving that money. (ii) The committee also noted that in the current Financial Year 2023/2024, no provision or IPF was sent to the local governments on ex-gratia and honoraria, amounting to Uganda Shs 48.19 billion as required for the ex-gratia and on honoraria amounting to Shs 48.19 billion as required for the ex-gratia and honoraria. We have given a breakdown, you can look through page six where you will find we have 70,500 LCI and 10,585 LCII - they need this financial year Shs 9.7 billion for their payment and it is not catered for. You will look through and it gives you a total of Shs 48 billion we have provided the details in the table. The committee also looked at the arrears; we have given a breakdown on page seven and the breakdown we have provided covers only the cities and the districts that we visited, but when you look at the annex, you will find a detailed breakdown of how much money was not sent to which entity, giving the total of the Shs 9 billion I talked about. Madam Speaker, we made observations on page 8 that you will look through, and the observations, if I may just run through very quickly: (i) There were figures that were not correlating with the figures provided by the minutes of local government and what we found in the field. (ii) We also received a list of the arrears from the Ministry of Local Government that were submitted. The Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development received this list and committed that they would include this in the 3 per cent supplementary since they had not included it in the budget which is a big mistake. (iii) The Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development also acknowledged the omission of ex-gratia and honoraria in the budget for 2023- 2024. Recommendation (i) The Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and the affected local government entities should harmonise the arrears for ex-gratia and honoraria; and (ii) The Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to expedite the verification process of the ex-gratia arrears and honoraria to ensure that the requisite funds are provided for in the supplementary budget in line with Section 25 of the Public Finance Management Act. Terms of reference two and three, I will just give a summary. Here, our intention as a committee was to establish the availability of land in the different districts from where the cities were created and also to look at their level of preparedness as far as the relocation is concerned. We went to Soroti District where we found they prepared a council resolution; it is important to inform Members that Soroti had gone a step ahead and started construction after they received Shs 1 billion from the Ministry of Finance and this financial year they expected to receive an additional Shs 800 million. However, the other nine districts of Gulu, Arua, Masaka, Mbarara, Hoima, Jinja, Mbale, and Kabarole: all these are the cities which were created apart from Soroti. All the others have [Mr Mapenduzi] SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to add information about school fees. Last time we talked about only secondary schools, but there are tertiary institutions; I want to give an example of Mbale College of Health Sciences, where they admit students for clinical courses, and the admission is clearly indicating “admission on Government sponsorship.” The fees range from Shs 2.5 million to Shs 2.8 million, which must be paid before you report. Even to pick an admission letter, you must pay; the student I have here as an example, had to pay Shs 600,000 to pick the admission letter. Other requirements include brooms, Jik, soap, among others and you wonder the purpose of the money. These institutions all over the country especially in health and nursing schools, students are admitted on Government sponsorship, but they pay a lot of fees.

10026 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT I join my colleague from Mbale who said that the initiator of this has no issue. The Permanent Secretary was there. If someone initiates, does it mean that she or he is responsible for what happens later? The committee must come in place, but when you look at all the processes, they were all flawed. Finally, Madam Speaker, I implore Parliament to stand firm and send a clear signal. Tomorrow, we want to see some of these people, starting with the permanent secretary, arrested and detained in Luzira.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise on an issue of national importance concerning the ambulance in Kapchorwa General Hospital. This year in April, I rose on the issue of Kapchorwa General Hospital, which has not had an ambulance for the past 20 years. I told you that Kapchorwa General Hospital is currently used as a referral hospital because it is serves three districts of Sebei, Amudat and part of Bulambuli. We have a population of about 500,000 people. This is one of the biggest hospitals in the region, and we have no ambulance. Last night at around 10.00 p.m., we had an accident and so far, we have lost four people. However, it took two hours for us to find ways of transporting the victims to Mbale and right now, four of them have died. At the time when I raised this matter, the Government Chief Whip promised to bring an answer to this House on when we shall get the ambulance. This morning, I have seen very nice ambulances on social media that have been brought -

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like the chairperson to clarify on whether Kampiringisa is the only juvenile prison. How do we call those other ones? For example, we have one in Gulu and another in Mbale. The one of Gulu has more than 150 juveniles. Are they not juvenile prisons? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the committee chairperson for the presentation although I just noted a few things. There is a remand home in Mbale. When I visited it, I noticed it was in an appalling situation. We had to contribute for food. There was also an NGO, which brought some mattresses and blankets because what was there had worn out. When you look at these children, Madam Speaker, they are in tattered uniforms, and yet these are juveniles. Some of these girls are really growing, but their breasts are always out; it is quite appalling. I call upon the Government to look at these institutions and support the children in there. Much as they are in these centres, they need a decent life, like it has been put. If we neglect them, we will be throwing them out to the dogs. Madam Speaker, I have observed that while moving in traffic jam, many children are begging on the streets. I do not know, as a country, what solution we will have for these children. These children come to beg when their parents are at the sides watching. When they are given anything, they run to give it to their parents. Can something be done so that people travel safely? Because they really disorganise the people who are moving, and it is very bad looking at a child coming to beg. Sometime back, we said that anybody who gives any money would be arrested. I do not know what solution we have for this problem. 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.

9520 DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS ON THE STATE OF THE NATION c) Declining block tariff structures for large and extra-large industrial consumers; d) Investment in development of substation and electricity infrastructure in industrial parks like Luzira, Namanve, Kapeeka, Mukono, Iganga, Mbale, Entebbe, Mirama Hill among others; e) Investment in improvement of reliability and quality of supply; f) Change of the industrial tariff structure to provide for low retail tariff for industrial consumers that commit to increase demand; g) New connection through a hybrid financing framework is also under consideration; and h) Regional power trade. Therefore, the committee concludes that it is necessary to grant a one-year extension to Bujagali Energy Limited in order to protect the end users from high tariff while at the same time enabling Government to implement recommendations of the Parliament on the same. The committee recommends that Corporate Income Tax for Bujagali Energy Limited be waived for one year. I hereby submit.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is said that a wealthy nation is a healthy nation. I thank the committee chairperson and his members for their elaborate report. However, I want us to look at this issue of interns not being taken care of or absorbed into the health care system as a time bomb to this nation. I think this is a little careless on the part of Government. Today, you see very many mushrooming clinics and pharmacies. If we leave these people to go and start these health centres, they are going to destroy this country. People are going to die because these health workers are not fully trained to go out and have their own clinics. When you look at our health centres in the districts, some of them are empty. When you go to the referral hospitals, like Mbale, where we go – for those who come from the eastern region - you will even find cleaners in the corridors and they are the ones that you speak to because our doctors have their own clinics. We are encouraging people to go and do sciences, yet sciences are among courses that take the longest time to study and are also among the most expensive courses. Let us look at our parents from the rural areas who have spent and even sold their animals to make sure they pay for these students to go and study, yet at the end of the day, we cannot absorb them. I think the Government needs to become a little more serious. If you look at the very many pharmacies and the small health centres that are mushrooming every day - because these people will need to earn a living –(Member timed out.)

Mr Speaker, this Parliament appropriated Shs 22 billion for the Ministry of Health to pay arrears to medical interns and senior house officers in all sites of placement across this country. The interns and senior house officers, for example, in Kiruddu Hospital, Mulago and Mbarara, among others, have been paid their full arrears. However, the interns and senior house officers in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital have not been paid their arrears; the details are hereby attached. The second and third years whose payment was effected only received two months out of six for the period of January to June 2023. The first- year students received a three months’ payment [Mr Balimwezo] COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

9327 THE ELEVENTH P ARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY , 4 J ULY 2023 out of seven for the period of December 2022 to June 2023. The COSECSA fellows in the second and third year are partly paid while their first-year counterparts have not been paid. The medical personnel in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital are demoralised and hardly doing what is expected of them as they feel discriminated against. My prayers are that the Ministry of Health should expeditiously pay the arrears of the interns and senior house officers at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital with immediate effect since the money was appropriated by Parliament – (Member timed out.)

Mr Speaker, I expected the Member to start by thanking Government for having started the process of paying interns because it has been an issue in this country. I want to promise that even those interns at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital will be paid.

9339 THE ELEVENTH P ARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY , 4 J ULY 2023 years, as large part of the population joins the money economy. The industrialisation drives across the country have brought about positive results. There are eight Government-owned industrial parks, which are operational in Namanve, Luzira, Bweyogerere, Soroti, Mbale, Jinja, Mbarara and Kasese. The industrial parks in Karamoja and Koboko will soon commence. In addition, there are three industrial parks operating under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The total number of factories is now 4,008, employing 150,685 Ugandans, largely the youth, who form part of the biggest percentage of our population. This is a reflection of socio-economic transformation. The President emphasised the Parish Development Model that will accelerate socio- economic growth, where 39 per cent of the households in the non-money economy will be moved to the money economy. This approach will organise and deliver public and private sector interventions for wealth creation and employment generation. His Excellency the President launched a wealth and jobs creation initiative for those who found it difficult to access financing through banks called “ Emyooga .” This initiative has been successful in mobilising, especially the youths and women in the informal sector into productive self-employment by increasing their skills, acquiring equipment and accessing affordable capital. As at the end of December 2022, seed capital amounting to Shs 258 billion had been disbursed to 6,714 Emyooga SACCOs and Shs 1,000,000 to individual beneficiaries. His Excellency the President indicated that tourism has had a significant potential for the economy. The sector has registered key achievements. For example, it employs 1.5 million Ugandans along the entire tourism value chain and contributes 6.7 per cent of the GDP. In the year 2022, Uganda’s national parks hosted 367,869 visitors; leisure and holiday visitors stayed longer and the wildlife populations have increased. These numbers have grown and increased Uganda’s Government’s focus on infrastructure and marketing. The President stressed that social metamorphosis takes place when societies undergo modernisation. In modernised countries, a small percentage of people are involved in agriculture. A country must be supported to move to value addition and manufacturing. Thus, in order to build a knowledge-based economy using advanced scientific knowledge, the President called upon Members of Parliament support to Kiira Motors to get moving so that the production of automobiles becomes part of the economy. The President commented on the Anti- Homosexuality Bill and commended the Parliament of Uganda for passing it. He raised the substantive points that should be used to explain Uganda’s position. His Excellency the President outlined the economic priorities of the Government in the next financial year, which include peace and security of persons and property, effective implementation of PDM and Emyooga , acquisition of right-of-way for Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), investing in small-scale solar- powered irrigation to address climate change and food security, constructing transmission lines and power substations, maintenance of both tarmac and murram roads, development of industrial parks, support medical schools and scientific-based research, expediting the infrastructure of oil and gas, capitalising UDB and UDC and supporting ICT. In conclusion, let me take this opportunity to thank His Excellency the President, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for steering the NRM government to expand the economic base of the country and a strong foundation that has been built for rapid economic growth and socio-economic transformation. I beg to move.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to join my colleagues in appreciating the President for the State-of- the-Nation Address. The President has continuously talked about commercial agriculture and “ ekida kyonka .” However, look at the extension workers in our districts who are not functional. To manage this, we need to look at how functional extension workers are, to be able to arrest the challenge of food insecurity. When you look at the eastern region, for example, Bugisu or Sironko where I come from, we are the food basket to the eastern region, but we have a challenge of silos. We talked about aflatoxins here. The people who sell food across the borders pick it right from the gardens before it is even ready. Therefore, post-harvest handling management is not done in the right way. Look at the water-stressed areas; right now, we have floods. Why don’t we have valley dams so we can make irrigation possible and have deliberate means of not having drought or food insecurity? In areas like Karamoja, Government takes food there, but how sustainable is that? I have looked at the PDM - Mr Speaker, the people in Bugisu and Bukedi have been featured in the newspapers because of sleeping along the roads in Mbale – (Member timed out.)

Mr Speaker, this Parliament appropriated Shs 22 billion for the Ministry of Health to pay arrears to medical interns and senior house officers in all sites of placement across this country. The interns and senior house officers, for example, in Kiruddu Hospital, Mulago and Mbarara, among others, have been paid their full arrears. However, the interns and senior house officers in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital have not been paid their arrears; the details are hereby attached. The second and third years whose payment was effected only received two months out of six for the period of January to June 2023. The first- year students received a three months’ payment [Mr Balimwezo] COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

9327 THE ELEVENTH P ARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY , 4 J ULY 2023 out of seven for the period of December 2022 to June 2023. The COSECSA fellows in the second and third year are partly paid while their first-year counterparts have not been paid. The medical personnel in Mbale Regional Referral Hospital are demoralised and hardly doing what is expected of them as they feel discriminated against. My prayers are that the Ministry of Health should expeditiously pay the arrears of the interns and senior house officers at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital with immediate effect since the money was appropriated by Parliament – (Member timed out.)

Mr Speaker, I expected the Member to start by thanking Government for having started the process of paying interns because it has been an issue in this country. I want to promise that even those interns at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital will be paid.

9339 THE ELEVENTH P ARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY , 4 J ULY 2023 years, as large part of the population joins the money economy. The industrialisation drives across the country have brought about positive results. There are eight Government-owned industrial parks, which are operational in Namanve, Luzira, Bweyogerere, Soroti, Mbale, Jinja, Mbarara and Kasese. The industrial parks in Karamoja and Koboko will soon commence. In addition, there are three industrial parks operating under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The total number of factories is now 4,008, employing 150,685 Ugandans, largely the youth, who form part of the biggest percentage of our population. This is a reflection of socio-economic transformation. The President emphasised the Parish Development Model that will accelerate socio- economic growth, where 39 per cent of the households in the non-money economy will be moved to the money economy. This approach will organise and deliver public and private sector interventions for wealth creation and employment generation. His Excellency the President launched a wealth and jobs creation initiative for those who found it difficult to access financing through banks called “ Emyooga .” This initiative has been successful in mobilising, especially the youths and women in the informal sector into productive self-employment by increasing their skills, acquiring equipment and accessing affordable capital. As at the end of December 2022, seed capital amounting to Shs 258 billion had been disbursed to 6,714 Emyooga SACCOs and Shs 1,000,000 to individual beneficiaries. His Excellency the President indicated that tourism has had a significant potential for the economy. The sector has registered key achievements. For example, it employs 1.5 million Ugandans along the entire tourism value chain and contributes 6.7 per cent of the GDP. In the year 2022, Uganda’s national parks hosted 367,869 visitors; leisure and holiday visitors stayed longer and the wildlife populations have increased. These numbers have grown and increased Uganda’s Government’s focus on infrastructure and marketing. The President stressed that social metamorphosis takes place when societies undergo modernisation. In modernised countries, a small percentage of people are involved in agriculture. A country must be supported to move to value addition and manufacturing. Thus, in order to build a knowledge-based economy using advanced scientific knowledge, the President called upon Members of Parliament support to Kiira Motors to get moving so that the production of automobiles becomes part of the economy. The President commented on the Anti- Homosexuality Bill and commended the Parliament of Uganda for passing it. He raised the substantive points that should be used to explain Uganda’s position. His Excellency the President outlined the economic priorities of the Government in the next financial year, which include peace and security of persons and property, effective implementation of PDM and Emyooga , acquisition of right-of-way for Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), investing in small-scale solar- powered irrigation to address climate change and food security, constructing transmission lines and power substations, maintenance of both tarmac and murram roads, development of industrial parks, support medical schools and scientific-based research, expediting the infrastructure of oil and gas, capitalising UDB and UDC and supporting ICT. In conclusion, let me take this opportunity to thank His Excellency the President, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for steering the NRM government to expand the economic base of the country and a strong foundation that has been built for rapid economic growth and socio-economic transformation. I beg to move.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to join my colleagues in appreciating the President for the State-of- the-Nation Address. The President has continuously talked about commercial agriculture and “ ekida kyonka .” However, look at the extension workers in our districts who are not functional. To manage this, we need to look at how functional extension workers are, to be able to arrest the challenge of food insecurity. When you look at the eastern region, for example, Bugisu or Sironko where I come from, we are the food basket to the eastern region, but we have a challenge of silos. We talked about aflatoxins here. The people who sell food across the borders pick it right from the gardens before it is even ready. Therefore, post-harvest handling management is not done in the right way. Look at the water-stressed areas; right now, we have floods. Why don’t we have valley dams so we can make irrigation possible and have deliberate means of not having drought or food insecurity? In areas like Karamoja, Government takes food there, but how sustainable is that? I have looked at the PDM - Mr Speaker, the people in Bugisu and Bukedi have been featured in the newspapers because of sleeping along the roads in Mbale – (Member timed out.)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just wanted to add that as the minister brings the report on Tuesday, he needs to take note that a few months ago, the Rt Hon. Tayebwa asked the Minister of Education to come and report to this Parliament as to why schools for children and learners with disabilities failed across the board; PLE, O’ level and high school. However, to this day, we have not seen the report. Secondly, Hon. Alex Ndeezi raised an issue concerning the school for the Deaf in Mbale where deaf students have been pushed away and the school taken over by people who are not deaf. We are still waiting for that report from the Minister of Education; it is about four months down the road. Madam Speaker, I want to request that as the minister brings the report on Tuesday, he considers giving us some feedback regarding those schools. Perhaps that is why my members are in the gallery today. I want to thank you, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank the honourable colleague for raising those pertinent issues. The report as far as Mbale School of the Deaf is concerned is ready and I can give a copy to the Clerk for purposes of us presenting on Tuesday. Regarding the other issues, which she has raised, by Tuesday, we will make sure that those reports are ready for presentation here. I request that you give me time on the Order Paper to make the presentations. COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

9301 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 29 JUNE 2023 4. The mobile registration outreaches will be able to cater for the vulnerable, incapacitated, elderly and people with disabilities in many remote zones to bring services to all the people of Uganda. Madam Speaker, I hope that this adequately clarifies the matter to the honourable Member and the whole House. Question number four from Hon. Ronald Akugizibwe, Member of Parliament, Buruli County, Masindi District on the dismal performance in the Primary Leaving Examination of learners with special needs stating that out of 263 that had sat the exams, none had passed in Division 1, in contravention of Article 35 of the Constitution. Not enough attention had been accorded to the learners with special needs to ensure that they realised their full mental and physical potential. His prayer is, can the Prime Minister update the House on the academic performance of learners with special needs? Madam Speaker, my response is that the Government acknowledges the dismal performance exhibited by learners with special needs at the Primary Leaving Examination level. The challenges affecting the sub-sector relate to funding cuts, which continue to have an adverse effect on the delivery of education at all levels. Crucial activities including recruitment and supervision cannot be fully executed. Remember the cuts that came because of COVID-19. On a positive note, Madam Speaker, the Inclusive Education Policy has reached adverse stages. Once approved by Cabinet, we are optimistic that a number of challenges in the sub-sector will be addressed. Question number five is from Hon. Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo, Member of Parliament, Nakawa East. He raised a matter of concern on the prolonged learning hours which our pupils are subjected to, including having to report to and from school long before dawn and late after it is dark, which is both dangerous and outside the official school hours of 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. His prayer is, can the Rt Hon. Prime Minister update the House on how this matter has been addressed. My response, Madam Speaker, is that the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Education and Sports, issues the school timetable for all primary schools to follow. Accordingly, primary schools open at 8.30 a.m. and close at 5.00 p.m. It is therefore irregular for schools to offer lessons to learners before and after official working hours unless special permission is granted by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education. Government through the Directorate of Education Standards and Local Government Inspectorate who are mandated to ensure that standards are adhered to, will communicate to primary schools and also take disciplinary action against errant schools. Question number six is from Hon. Alex Ndeezi, Member of Parliament representing persons with disability. He says, “Rt Hon. Prime Minister, there is a need for an update on the status of the Mbale School of Deaf.” His prayer is, can the Rt Hon. Prime minister update the House on the status of management affairs at Mbale School of the Deaf? My response, Madam Speaker, is that Uganda runs three types of schools supporting learners with special education needs and these include the special schools for learners with specific disabilities, for example: 1. Ntinda School for the Deaf; 2. Integrated schools (units attached to the mainstream); 3. Inclusive schools (this has learners with disabilities and those without share facilities under the same teacher). Madam Speaker, Mbale School for the Deaf, which is experiencing a number of challenges, is among those designated schools. While the school was set up to provide access to quality secondary education for the deaf and other less

9302 RECONSIDERATION OF THE NATIONAL SPORTS BILL, 2023 privileged individuals for improved literacy levels, employment opportunities, poverty eradication and self-reliance, the challenge it is facing has challenged the delivery of this noble agenda. In a bid to find a lasting solution to the various persistent concerns, the Ministry of Education and Sports has undertaken several stakeholder engagements, the latest being a meeting held on 12 April 2023. The meeting was chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Sports and attended by; 1. The woman Member of Parliament, Mbale District 2. A Member of Parliament representing Persons with Disabilities 3. The Executive Director of Uganda National Association of the Disabled 4. The Executive Secretary of the National Council for People with Disabilities 5. Officials from Mbale District Local Government (Resident District Commissioner, the district chairman, the Chief Administrative Officer, the District Education Officer, the chairman Board of Governors, the District Inspector of Schools and the head teacher.) 6. The Commissioner for Disability and Elderly in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. Madam Speaker, arising out of the deliberations of the meeting, the following recommendations were adopted; i. The ministry should transfer the current head teacher and replace him with a suitable and experienced head teacher in both vocational and secondary education. ii. The ministry should consider a cross- transfer of deaf teachers who have overstayed in Mbale School for the Deaf to Wakiso School for the Deaf. iii. The ministry is to work on a phase-out plan for ordinary learners. In the interim, the school management should not admit ordinary learners. Parents and learners shall be guided and advised to join other nearby secondary schools. iv. The ministry should transfer the four UPDF engineering brigade personnel who were appointed by the Education Service Commission as instructors, to other technical institutions. v. The ministry should expedite the recruitment of more sign language interpreters to support the teaching and learning process at the institution. vi. The current board should be disbanded on grounds of lack of representation of people with disabilities. Special Needs Education Department should issue a circular to guide the special needs and inclusive schools on the constitution of their Board of Governors in order to have a representative of people with disabilities. vii. The school administration should always report to the Government Secondary Education Department. Considering the distinct special services offered at Mbale School for the Deaf, the two departments of Special Needs Education and Technical Vocational Education Training Operations and Management should provide supportive services to the school. viii. The ministry should review the current categorisation of the school and formulate an appropriate structure for the provision of both secondary education and vocational training whose enrollment is drastically increasing. ix. The district and the ministry officials should refrain from fueling and involving themselves in trivial school conflicts. Madam Speaker, this is the update on the concerns raised about the management of Mbale School of the Deaf. [Ms Nabbanja] STATEMENT ON BUSINESS FOR SUCCEEDING WEEK

9303 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 29 JUNE 2023 We remain confident that once these resolutions are fully implemented, Mbale School for the Deaf will be in position to continue its important mandate of imparting knowledge to our special needs children. I beg to submit.

Yes, and I am serious. Madam Speaker, lastly, I am talking about Mbale School of the Deaf. I want to sum up everything with one statement; the challenges you are facing. Whether you are taking these head teachers somewhere and bringing another one, you are taking problems and transferring problems to another school. However, the issue is inspection of schools. Without funding for the inspection of schools, we shall get more problems and see a lot of challenges. Even what he is talking about, on special needs, is the same, but he is complaining about money. This Parliament allocates money. So, if money is given to you, and you do not fund the inspection of schools, we shall have problems. I am very happy. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, thank you for all these responses that you have given. What I am giving is in good faith; it is not in bad faith. We are looking at the improvement of education. If it is about money, we should address this matter, as Parliament, the Committee on Budget and the Speaker will give us room to get this money. Otherwise, we will not solve problems of schools with teachers misbehaving by transferring them. You will be transferring problems to other schools. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

If the head teacher is bad, he is bad. Let him go. Why are we recycling problems? For example, you bring one from Mbale to Wakiso and while in Wakiso, he is going to make a mistake tomorrow. L these people go, you will recruit more people who have the same qualification.

First check the First Schedule. Let us resolve one issue at a time. The First Schedule has Kampala and districts of Uganda. Bundibugyo and Kasese are in Rwenzori; Busia, Butaleja, Pallisa and Tororo in Bukedi and Abim, Kaabong, Kotido and Moroto in Karamoja. Mbale, Sironko and Manafwa are in Bugisu, Bukwo and Kapchorwa in Sebei while Adjumani and Moyo are in Madi - Should I read all?

I am sorry that I could not be in the House on time. And I will try to be as brief as possible. Madam Speaker, kindly allow me to start with the issue of blood. Honourable members, you are aware that from time to time we continue to have challenges of blood availability because we need over 400,000 units of blood on an annual basis, but we are not yet able to collect that amount. The highest we have collected is 300,000. Madam Speaker, we still have blood in our blood banks. And I have statistics in regard to that that I will quickly read. We have: Nakasero - 2,400 units; Masaka – 535 units; Mbarara – 390 units; Hoima – 200 units; Jinja – 150 units; Mbale – 400 units; Gulu – 250 units; Mengo – 100 units; Lira – 300 units; Soroti – 300 units; Arua – 200 units; Nebbi – 50 units; Kabale – 270 units; Rukungiri – 172 units; Fort Portal – 317 units; and Kitovu – 350 units, giving us a total of 6,284 units available at this point in time. PRIME MINISTER’S TIME

9119 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 15 JUNE 2023 Madam Speaker, Shs 2.24 trillion has been allocated for food security, irrigation, climate change mitigation, value chain development, agricultural research and disease/pest control, among others. Supporting private sector growth Madam Speaker, the private sector has been directly supported through industrial parks’ development, promoting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and facilitating tourism. Industrial development and investment Madam Speaker, eight Government-owned industrial parks are currently operational at Namanve, Jinja, Bweyogerere, Mbale, Soroti, Mbarara and Kasese and Luzira. In addition, there are three industrial parks developed under a public-private partnership arrangement at Kapeeka, Mukono and Buikwe. The Uganda Investment Authority has acquired 12 square miles for industrial development, provided by various local governments in 18 zones across the country. Uganda’s global reputation as an investment destination has been boosted significantly in the recent past. Uganda has been named the No. 1 investment destination in East Africa by AIM Global 2023 at Dubai. In addition, our country has been ranked among the top 10 African countries for the best investment destinations in Africa by the African Development Bank. It is now also ranked the first in East Africa for capital market growth by Absa Bank. SME development Madam Speaker, SMEs in the manufacturing and export sectors will be supported with US$ 20 million under the Investment for Industrial Transformation and Employment Trust (INVITE Trust), which will provide grants and concessional credit to qualifying SMEs. These SMEs will access new and innovative financing products with long-term financing of up to 15 years. This intervention aims at increasing Ugandan manufactured export products, generating direct and indirect jobs for more than 200,000 workers and safeguarding existing jobs for 530,000 workers. Madam Speaker, an allocation of Shs 209.28 billion has been provided through the INVITE project next year. Tourism Uganda has increasingly been recognised as a tourism destination and is ranked by CNN as one of the top 10 tourist destinations in the World. We will, therefore, promote domestic and inbound tourism, including the use of digital platforms. Uganda will also be marketed as a global and regional centre for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE). Hospitality standards will be enforced through the licensing, grading and classification of tourism facilities. Shs 249 billion has been allocated for the promotion of tourism. Madam Speaker, all the private sector interventions I have detailed above have been allocated Shs 2.37 trillion. Building human capital Madam Speaker, Uganda has registered visible improvements in healthcare outcomes, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. On average, a Ugandan now lives longer – at 64 years, up from 53 years just as recently as 2015 – attains more years of schooling and enjoys a higher income per capita than ever before. Let me repeat this because it is interesting, especially to me who is working day and night to make sure that the youth and the sick are helped to recover: Uganda has registered visible improvements in healthcare outcomes, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. On average, a Ugandan now lives longer

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

8990 THE COMPETITION BILL, 2022 no blood there, they have to be transported to Mbale. What surprises me is that there is no blood in Government health facilities, but you find blood in small clinics. We would like to know why you cannot find blood in a general hospital, but there is blood in a private health unit? We need to deliberately deal with the issue of blood in this country, we need to sensitise Ugandans to donate blood, but at the same time, there should be a clear mechanism –(Member timed out.)

8910 THE EMPLOYMENT( AMENDMENT BILL) (NO.2) BILL, 2022 items, if you bring your child to the shop and a box falls down, it may kill the child. Why don’t we allow the employee to work say, from 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m., and then, she goes home and breastfeeds her child? The employee will work for less hours but it will save more than saying bring the children to the place of work. I will give another example. In Kampala here, same as Mbale, all children’s parks have shopping malls. If the Government has allowed shopping malls as place for people to relax, who tells you that a shop attendant will create a space where children can play? Mr Speaker, I think we should talk about - (Member timed out.)

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_)

I put the question that Shs 10,577,567,000 be provided for under Vote 409: Masaka Regional Referral Hospital as recurrent expenditure for Financial Year 2023/2024. (Question put and agreed to.) Vote 410: Mbale Regional Referral Hospital

I put the question that Shs 15,648,364,000 be provided for under Vote 410: Mbale Regional Referral Hospital as recurrent expenditure for Financial Year 2023/2024. (Question put and agreed to.) Vote 411: Soroti Regional Referral Hospital

Under the expenditure for Kiruddu Referral Hospital, you earlier directed that we get some money and reallocate to health. Kiruddu Referral Hospital lacks Shs 4 billion for decentralisation of dialysis services to Mbale, Kabale and Arua; so I think the recurrent expenditure may be affected. Once the services are decentralised, it means new recruitment will be needed for dialysis.

Honourable mem - bers, the point has been taken. Let us proceed with referral hospitals. 1. Vote 405: Gulu Hospital - Shs 120,000,000 2. Vote 406: Hoima Hospital - Shs 2,620,000,000 3. Vote 407: Jinja Hospital - Shs 3,642,471,000 4. Vote 408: Kabale Hospital - Shs 120,000,000 5. Vote 409: Masaka Hospital - Shs 120,000,000 6. Vote 410: Mbale Hospital - Shs 120,000,000 7. Vote 411: Soroti Hospital - Shs 4,120,000,000

Madam Speaker, mine is to thank the committee. Yesterday, they left the House - Madam Speaker, thank you, first of all, and thanks to the committee for the work they have done. Sometimes we over-complain, but we do not know what those people go through and so, I want to thank them. I have one concern. Next year, remember to include the road from Kumi to Ngora and Serere to Kagwara. Secondly, municipalities do not have security lights. There is darkness throughout. There are very many robberies taking place. There are many cases of rape; there are very many crimes being committed. We need to be supported. Come to Kampala, go to Kumi, Mbale, to Jinja and everywhere; these places are in darkness. We need to drive away the darkness from these urban centres. I thank you, Madam Speaker, and I believe Parliament has done a good job. Remember that something can be done in this House. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Between the 24 th and 28 th of April, we had a very serious problem in my constituency, where Uganda Wildlife Authority carried out an illegal eviction at the boundary of Mount Elgon National Park. They broke down houses, uprooted crops such as Irish potatoes, maize and even started beating people. I have almost 30 families without houses; they sleep in the open, and yet up to now, no one has come to their rescue. I managed to go to the head office in Mbale and talked to Mr Kiiza who heads Mount Elgon National Park and is not aware of what was going on. Madam Speaker, we have been talking about madness but what those people did; they really need to be checked because you can imagine trained officers breaking houses. These houses had been there for the last 30 years.

Madam Speaker, I want to be advised, especially following the ruling in Mbale. I intend to propose a tax on people who have more than 30 heads of cattle. I want to be advised when I can bring it.

Madam Speaker, I would like to give you one example. During our times – those years – if a civil servant was sick or took somebody who was sick, he would be given first priority, but nowadays that is not the case. I am looking at clause 12 and clause 10. Clause 10 is repealing the principal Act whereby, where there were initial capital allowances, they are now saying there will be no initial capital allowances. Madam Speaker, the reason for initial capital allowances was to accelerate capital allowances so that a person is told to leave Kampala, Mukono and Entebbe to go and invest in Mbale or Gulu – 50 kilometres outside Kampala. That was the reasoning. If the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has certified that more people have gone upcountry, then, you cannot come to clause 12 to deal with carry-forwards. What is a carry-forward in tax? I am going to demonstrate it simply. I have invested Shs 4 billion in Gulu. In the first year, they say, “you are entitled to 100 per cent”. That means the Shs 4 billion will be allowed as a deduction from my profit. Now, I make Shs 100 million as net profit. So, as far as my business is concerned, I have made a profit of Shs 100 million, but as far as taxes are concerned, you will knock off that Shs 4 billion from the Shs 100 million profit and at the end, I will end up with a taxable loss. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development is saying that since you have made a taxable loss, you should not enjoy it. You have made a law to allow me to enjoy it in the first place, so, it would take not less than 15 years before we exhaust the tax allowance. Madam Speaker, one of the reasons a taxable loss arises is the law on giving accelerated capital allowances. Since you have repealed that, then you do not need to stop this. The reason is simple; they are saying people are cheating, but we have equipped URA with tax auditors. Section 90 of the Income Tax Act talks about tax avoidance but under section 91, we have given URA a lot of powers to even reclassify some things, disallow items and deal with them at arm’s length. So, there is no way a competent tax collector who knows tax auditing would fail to know whether someone is cheating or genuinely making a taxable loss. Madam Speaker, let me inform Members of Parliament that a trading loss can happen but I can have a trading profit - which I have explained - but in the end, because of this tax regime, I end up with a taxable loss. So, URA and my brother, Hon. Musasizi, are saying that they should now tax that loss. This issue

There is a motion. You know very well you cannot make a proposal at Committee Stage. You are the ones who took this Parliament to court - the court ruling in Mbale – yes, motion?

Madam Chairperson, what my brother, Hon. Musasizi, is complaining about – a few minutes ago, we dealt with repealing section 27A, which is under clause 10. This deals with capital allowances, which are accelerated. When they asked him what exemptions he was talking about, he should have said, “We have repealed it because these were the ones leading to the assessable losses.” Madam Chairperson, clause 12 is talking about assessed losses, not trading losses. We have stated it – and I want to thank Hon. Kateshumbwa for raising it. The reason we were giving initial allowances was to allow industries to move outside Kampala to go and create employment in those areas. If I am employed in a company in Mbale, I will pay PAYE -

Araau,nt ltrA, a4q i.000.?17.4s8 850 Kafirwcnac D[tnct 2.196.0S8.134 851 Kanunru Dratnct 3.90s.908.89s 852 KaDchomra Dlltnct r_645.i?7.OSO a5i Kab.l€b$ona Dlstrlct 697.r85.206 as4 K&cnla Dr3tnct 3is.458.9r4 855 Kesanda Drctnct 1.9?9.913.13? 456 Ks!€!e Dtltnct s.?64.t24.??4 a5? 1.986.003.078 asa l(allrnca DGtrrct 3.?42.@?.410 859 Kazo Dlltnct 1.20? 409.1a3 860 l&bae.lc Dlstnct 1.337.Or 1.9O4 a6r K bo,' DBtnct 1.909.886.932 8,62 kbuku DBtnct L2A2.O?6.172 863 kkuubc D8trat I A6A.409 .27? 864 (,mhura DEtilat r.4ss.2qa al3 465 k-rverldonro lhatnct 1.882.,r42.r88 466 laioro Drst ct 3.r49.O15.530 e6? Lrtaswcnda DBtnct I .,+26.5 14.6,+9 858 (rtqum I .6?S .??4 .??A 859 lioboko Dlstrlct r.o87.382.539 A?O l(6lc Drsra.t L934.?o3.26? 8?r Kotrdo DBtrrct 612.516.A21 a?2 Kumr Dl!tnct | .545 .6?2 '99 a?1 l(wenla D6trrct LOA2.A2t .?60 8?1 Krrcca Orstnct t.?9?.295.25? 8?5 l(r.gnloren r Drstrrct t .422_216 037 a?6 Kvcr.lwa Dlatrlct 1.717.754.523 a?? l(vcnlolo DGtnct 2.5?? .O52 .969 a?8 Kyotcra Dratnct 3.5AO.363.a40 a?9 | .t44 .t.33 .?A2 aao 1.589.6r3.3r r 881 Luuka Olstrrct 1.564.424.313 aa2 Luwcro Drstnct 6.990.?24 .966 aa3 L$anto DBtnct 1.943.146.?6? 8A4 Lva.Dtond. Drstflct 1.6 to.l71.723 885 Madr-Okollo DEtnct 994.t54_32? 886 Mana.fr a Drstnct I .7eA_348,.2?6 aa? Ma.Echa Dlstrlct 1.373.358.O r5 aaa t.r8r.?94.684 8E9 Malmdr DBtnct 1.214.314.867 890 Mavu?c Drstnct 2.?9?.239_286 491 Mbale Dlst}ft/ 3.570.602.428 L- v,,,\ rbF

Thank you. Hon. Harold Muhindo? Let me finish with Kasese and Bundibugyo group. Hon. Acrobert Kiiza, for your information, even people from Mitooma District, it is Kilembe Mines Hospital that has been serving us, including people of Buhweju, especially on fractures. They are specialists and people from that region - now, I think people are going to Mbale and Kumi. That is a specialised hospital for the whole of the Western Region. Yes, Hon. Harold Muhindo?

Mr Speaker, the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs undertook a field visit to Eastern and Western Uganda, in the districts of Mbale and Mbarara to appraise the status of the region of forensic laboratories under the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory. The visit was conducted in accordance with Article 90 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and Rule 189 of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament, which empowers the committee to monitor the performance of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) under its jurisdiction. The Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratories (DGAL) is under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It provides a full range of general scientific, analytical, forensic, and advisory services that facilitate effective legal proceedings to dispense justice, safeguard public and environmental health and safety as well as promotion of trade. DGAL provides services to a wide range of clientele, including Government departments, responsible for the administration of justice and other agencies of Government, mainly the Police, courts of law, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, private sector and members of the public, especially the traders and local manufacturers. Historically, it was referred to as a Government Chemist and has been in existence since 1927. It has had varied administrative challenges in status and placement within the Government structures and bureaucracy. It became a directorate in 2009 at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. DGAL is a fully-fledged directorate with three departments namely; Criminalistics and Laboratory Services, Quality Chemical Verification, and Regional Laboratories. Each department has a diversity of laboratories namely; forensic biology for DNA analysis, toxicology arson/fire crimes, and tool marks, questions, documents, and cyber forensics, foods, and drugs. The Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs undertook to assess the general state of the laboratories including but not limited to; their human resource, the challenges faced by staff and management of the laboratories, and any recommendations as to how a more efficient and effective institution can be achieved.

Highly noted, Mr Speaker. The findings: The Status of DGAL Forensic Laboratories DGAL has acquired the land title for the headquarters at Wandegeya and the designs for the DNA data bank infrastructure building have been approved by KCCA. However, there were no releases on the development budget for quarter one of the Financial Year 2022/2023. This has greatly affected the commencement of works on the building. DGAL has four regional forensic laboratories situated in Mbale for the Elgon and the entire eastern region, Mbarara for Western Region, Gulu for the northern region and Moroto for the North Eastern and Karamoja sub regions. All these have their land titles, except Mbarara where efforts to get the land title is underway. The DGAL developed an organisation plan for regional forensic laboratories as a systematic guide to operationalise the laboratories and offer more accessible forensic, analytical and advisory services to stakeholders at regional level. Recruitment of forensic scientists to staff the regional forensic laboratory has been embarked on with the 10 Government analysts recruited at the end of the financial year. Clearance for recruitment for the Financial Year 2022/2023 has been sought from the Ministry of Public Service through the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, it should be noted that DGAL approved staff structures are 124 positions. As of July 2022, only 65 positions are filled, putting it at 52.4 per cent leaving 59 positions vacant. Day care facilities have been set up in Mbale Regional Laboratory to cater for breastfeeding and expectant mothers who are part of the staff and clientele. The renovations and furnishing of basic scientific equipment have been provided for the regional forensic laboratory. Parliament appropriated an additional Shs 8 billion to DGAL for the Financial Year 2022/2023 for the regional forensic laboratories to acquire modern scientific equipment to add forensic analysis in the regions. An additional Shs 6.4 billion is needed to fully equip and operationalise all the regional laboratories. [Mr Muwuma] SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT

Thank you, Mr Speaker. On Sunday, the 23 rd , a delegation of the Speaker was in Bungokho North in Mbale and they were handed a petition over a number of students who were studying in Khartoum. The petition was presented by a lecturer at IUIU. They requested Government to intervene. When I hear this statement about the evacuation of the students and other Ugandans, it is a demonstration of a Government that is concerned about its citizens. We appreciate that. We also appreciate the patriotism that has been exhibited – yes, it could have been a cheaper way for Ethiopian Airlines to bring in the people who are stranded, but when shall we also market the country that we care? The life of any Ugandan is costly and that is the price we are paying. So, I appreciate that. Thank you.

8338 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT It is not mandatory for every PDM beneficiary to open a bank account. Nonetheless, this option is recommended, especially for those in towns and those who can easily access the banks. It is a vital step to get our citizens into the culture of banking. It is disadvantageous in terms of cost and convenience for those who live far from the towns plus bank charges and remember one has to live a minimum amount on the account. This may reduce the amounts available for investment. The option of using cash is preferred for those who live in remote areas, far from the banks and where the mobile telephone network is poor or unavailable. In this case, we have requested the banks to provide mobile vans to serve their clients in the remote areas on specified days. However, the banks have complained, this is expensive and it requires adequate security both for the banks and the people. Imagine you put it on the radio that on Wednesday, the van will be here, come for Shs 1 million. We need to make sure that we provide adequate security both for the banks and the people. The use of mobile money service is the most preferred modality on the assumption that the PDM beneficiaries have mobile telephone sets with the numbers registered in their names and corresponding to their national identification card numbers. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and hence delays some beneficiaries in accessing their money. Mr Speaker, the secretariat is engaging the banks so as to agree on the most appropriate method applicable to each case. The objective is to avoid overcrowding at the banks, as we saw recently in Mbale, and to ease access to the funds by the beneficiaries while ensuring the safety of the money. Question 25. “The guidelines give seven pillars, which are mutually reinforcing but we only hear you talking about pillar 3 - the financial inclusion pillar, which is being implemented. Explain the contributions or plans for the rest of the pillars.” Mr Speaker, the seven pillars of PDM are all necessary. For now, the emphasis is on pillar 3 - financial inclusion - because we are aiming at giving money to households to invest in their preferred enterprises. We hope that this will increase the household incomes and hasten their transformation into the monetary economy. However, other activities of the other pillars are also being implemented through the work plans and budgets of their respective MDAs, specifically under Pillar 1. This is the pillar to increase production, productivity, value addition and marketing. It is chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. This is the reason for the Parish Revolving Fund. Farmers are expected to invest their money wisely with cost-benefit analysis or “ Ekibalo”, so as to make profit. The Ministry for Agriculture has already given guidance that the Extension Service Grant, which is sent to the districts should be used to support the farmers and enterprise groups under PDM with more extension service. Pillar 2 (Infrastructure and economic service) and Pillar 4 (Social service) are equally important because, for example under Pillar 2, we need community access roads to evacuate produce the markets. These pillars I have met, Mr Speaker I want to assure you that they have already developed their manuals. Of course, we thank Parliament for agreeing with Cabinet that in the next financial year, the districts get at least Shs 1 billion each for community roads to ease the implementation of this pillar. Pillar 5, the one of mind-set change and community sensitisation is ongoing. The one of data collection and parish information systems is also ongoing. The last pillar 7, which is under local government, is the one of governance and administration. This has been active. I noted that in the reports and the debate, we had the following issues raised: 1. Lack of adequate critical staff, especially the extension workers. Recruitment of critical staff remains a challenge [Mr Magyezi] MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

8238 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. MINISTERIAL POLICY STATEMENTS & BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR THE FY 2023/2024 Mbarara University of Science and Technology This university has a problem of a dilapidated medical school. The committee, therefore, recommends that Shs 50 billion be allocated for the construction of a multi-purpose block at the Faculty of Medicine to house all lecture rooms, laboratories, and offices, and another Shs 18 billion will be required in the Financial Year 2023/2024 to kick-start the process. Mr Speaker, I have already talked about the wage bill for the recruitment of staff and promotions. Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Mr Speaker, Under MUBS, we recommend that an allocation of Shs 12.4 billion be allocated to enable the university clear its domestic arrears. Kyambogo University The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development allocates Kyambogo University an additional Shs 34.2 billion in the Financial Year 2023/2024, to enable it address the process of asbestos-sheets roof removal - the university has buildings littered with asbestos sheets - and handle the dilapidated infrastructure. We further recommend that the university considers engaging the convocation to source funds for the initial fencing of the university to stop encroachers on its land. Busitema University Inadequate release to the Maritime Institute at Namasagali The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development allocates Shs 8.7 billion in order for it to start the implementation of the programme. There is also funding for the technology innovation and incubation centre and we are proposing Shs 1 billion to be allocated for at least the next three financial years. Funding toward completion and equipping the medical school This one is at Mbale Campus. We recommend that Shs 3.7 billion be allocated to fast-track and complete the rehabilitation of the medical school. Muni University Inadequate funding to the university We recommend that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development revises the recurrent non-wage of Muni University upwards to at least Shs 7.71 billion in the next financial year, and the MTEF period, in order to avoid a supplementary request each financial year, which sometimes is not given to the university. We further recommend for an additional Shs 8.2 billion for the completion of the construction of a multi-purpose hall to house the health science modern laboratory and administration annex building, and Shs 1.2 for Erepi Primary Teachers’ College. The university also needs more Shs 4.8 billion to recruit staff. Kabale University The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development should maintain the budget of Shs 9 billion, in the medium term, to enable the university to complete its on-going infrastructure development, and that it avails an additional Shs 22.6 billion for the procurement of a pre-specialised equipment and machinery. Soroti University The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should allocate an additional Shs 17 billion to enable it complete the Anatomy Block. Gulu University The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development

8239 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 20 APRIL 2023 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. reinstates the universities development budget of Shs 11 billion to take care of inadequate funding for other key development projects, and provide Shs 13.455 billion to help the university undertake the construction of a multipurpose building at the college in Moroto and the teaching hospital. Muni University The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development allocates the university Shs 12.6 billion to complete the main administration block and procure the necessary medical equipment for the teaching hospital. Uganda Management Institute On this, we recommend that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development avails UMI an additional Shs 1.5 billion for the construction of a new classroom block at Mbale and Mbarara study centres, and Shs 10 billion to kick-start the construction of a multi-purpose building block at the Kampala Campus. Mountains of the Moon University This is a new university that came on board at the beginning of last financial year. The committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance –

. 10 programs were accredrted, . 58 publlcations wcrc made rn recognized rcviewed journals: . l0 MOUs wcre signed berwecn Busitema University and the Confucius Institute of Makercrc Universrty then Wagagai mining company LTD, International Unrversity of East Africa, Fundr Bots, Partners Collaborahve Agreemcnt betwccn Jomo Kcnyatta Universtty of Agriculture and Technologr and Kenyatta University tn Nairobi, Cyber School Technologr Solutions, Cannabis Heatth Equity Movement CHEM Global Soluttons, USA, European Union Erasmus+, African Technolory Policy Studtes Network, Makercre Unrvcrsity Collcge of Health Sciences; . Gender, HIV clubs wcre supported drrring quarter FY 2022-23. 8.216 govcrnment students wcrc accommodated and fcd of whtch 64 were femalc and 1618 Males); o 150 Journal Databascs subscribcd ro;3O million e-book titles procured and subscribed to; . Subscription to MyLOF"T done; . Ask the Librarian/ Chat Refercnce opcrationahzed; . Library Website updated and expanded; r 856 research reports digitlzed and uploaded in the institutronal repository; o Quartcrly progress Budgct Pcrformanoe reports produced and One Asset register updated; . Payrnents were made towards Mbale Lecture Complcx and other expcnses. 3o6-Muni Unlvcrtity r 833 studcnts taught in all programs in the quarter (246 Femalc and 587 Male); o l1 weeks of lectures and asscssment conducted I semester cxaminatrons conducted (Semester II) l2 peer-rcviewed publications produced (Faculty of Agriculture-2, Faculty of Health Science -3. Faculty of Management Scicncc - 1. Faculty of Scicncc and Faculty of Techno Scrcnce - 1); . A two-day stakeholdcr workshop on Regenerative and Inclusive food systems was conducted (8th - 9th, November 20221 at the Unrvcrsity Campus; . 9 Academrc Programs accreditcd (Mastcr of Pubhc Health, Master of Scicnce in Bio-diversrty conservation, Mastcr of Science m Chemistry, Master of Scrcncc in Computer Scrcnce, Post Graduatc diploma in Human Resourcc Managcment, Mastcr of Science in Artificial Intelligence, Master , Master of Buslness Admin isration and Bachelor ,! x of Tourism & Hosprtality of Educatron-Secondarvl #aJ .-Ja -\-'' ,'f,$ 25

8 Contracts Committee mcetlngs conducted, 22 Bid Documents Evaluated for 6 different seLs of Procurcmcnt proccsses; Annual Procurement Plan for Flt 2022 /23 consohdated & submitted to stakeholders; Assortcd Contracts Awarded, Supervised, Monitored and site meetings held; 7 Monthly Procuremcnt reports preparcd and submitted; Fourth quartcr Budget Performance Reports for previous year and Qt budget performancc rcport for thc curcnt year prepared, submitted and approved, Project proposals dcvcloped & submittcd in IBP and is approved to prcfeasibility stagc, Higher Educal-ion Sector Budgct Working Group meeungs participated in, Developrncnt Commlttee Mccting attended, Multi Year Commitments mceting, tor FY 202312024 attende; Quarterly Audit reports prepared and submitted to AG/OAG; I Annual Work plan submlttcd to LAG and Verification of all dclivcrics for Ql and Q2 done; Construction of administration block is at 50o/o physrcal progress, intcrns doctors' residcncc at 8l% and diet kitchen work startcd at 15% by NEC constructors; Procurement of furniturc completed and delivered, medical equipment is at ?Oo/o and. the vehrcle of thc office of the DVC at solicitors general. o a 312 Ugrndr Maaagcacnt lartitutc . Received 8,314 apphcatrons, admitted 5,830, registcred 4,O8O particrpants (52 Femalef all branches - Culu, Mbale & Mbarara, Held 0 I (one) graduation ceremony; . Procured l0o7o stationery for examinations; o Coordrnated 7 senate mectings, carried out oricntation of new partlcipants for the 2022/2023 academic year at all branches; . Proccsscd error frec cxaminations for postgraduate Diplomas for first semestcr (evenrng and r*eekend programmes) for 2O22 /2023 academic year and sccond semester examinations for Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism (2021 / 20221; . UpdaLed thc quarterly pafoll regrster and processed salaries, gratuity, NSSF for 198 staff. lmplcmented 100% thc rnsurancc schcmc activrties. o Coordrnatcd 1000z6 of the compensation to Staff who got injurics in the pcrrod; . Paid wages to ovcr 20O tcmporal/ and part-time staff, coordinated I0O% capacity buildrng inrtiatives in the period, Renewcd contracta for I members of slaff 17 40 male) for all UMI branches - and Mbarara; .#e ,Hs:

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

The Committee was rnformed by the Universtty that, UBhr 6.455b4 ts needed for the multipurposc building constructron at Culu Unrversrgr Constituent College, Moroto and UShr 7bn for Construction of the teaching hosprtal. Rccomnendatlon ?rE Co,,nmlttcc sccomna nds th,,t TDPED alloca:ccr @rtlu Uah/r,rsltg aa addltTonal USh^E I3.455Da ln otdcr to ulndctaakc thc co st ltctio of murti- pttrposc buiElng at thc Coastltueat College 7n Mototo annd. frachlrllg Hosplta,l- Votc 31O Lln Unlverelty Inrdcquete dcvclopmcat fund for Lln Univcnity Thc Commitlee obscrves that the Unrversrty has a number of ongoing capital developments and rcquircs an additional USh. 9bn for completion of the Marn Administration block for all-inclusive office space, central lecture & conferencc facilities and Uehe 3.6bn for cquipping thc tcaching hospital and facultrcs of Education and Mcdicrne with essentral equipment & supplies for effective t raining and efficrent functioning. Rccotnmeadatloa Tlra commtt:tce rccommends th4;t IFPDD allocatcs ttla Unhtctsltg aa crt.ra UShs 72.6b^ Jor thc complctloa of tho matn adnlaistratlon blork and procanattunt of thc nacccary mcdlcal qulpmcat tot thc teachlag hospltal a rd. Jocultles. VotG 312 Ugende Manegcmcat Inltitutc-lrul Inedcqurtc Cepltd l)cvclopmcnt fuldr for lltll The Committee observes that UMI rcquircs an additional UShe 1.5bn for construction of a new classroom block at rts campuses of Mbale and Mbarara The Institute also needs UShr loba for construction of Multipurpose buildrng rn '. thc medium term. n lg tIZIl N 64

Multipurposc burlding constructron at Gulu Univcrsity Conrhtucnt 13.455 Tot Collcse and 'ttach inE Hospltal 31.?1 126 Bilt w lnadc uatc rnfraatructurc facrhtrcs Shortfalls rn allowancca totd o.576 l9.lt Dcvclo bu t.3 t.2 Construcl,ion of a new cl,assroom/office block at Mbale Branch Constructron of a ncw clalsroom/officc block at Mbarara Branch t0 Constructron of the ncw multlpurposc burldi at Kam la Branch Dcvclo t Dcvelo totd 12.5 Tte Committcc rccommcnda that MFPED re-mrtate3 Mts of the Moon lJnivcr$ty development budSet of UShs 5.41bn, addrtronal UShs 5.4bn as rctoolin bu and thc PrcaidcntEl plcdge for the construction of the faculty of health ecicnccs, rnnovatron and tcch 5.4 20 Ra-rn statc dcvclo ment bu Prcsidcntial Totd 26.+ trl;"dibt l-, --ll::?tri l eto,L 6.008 Thc Commlttcc recommcnds thar MFPED allocatca Gulu Unrve rsrty an addrtronal UShs 13.455bn rn ordcr to undertaka thc conatructron of multl- purposc burldrng at the Constituent C,ol rn Moroto and tcagb{rE!{qrprtal lrq, lanel oI 2'ln/o I'hc Commrttcc rccomDcnds thst MFPED sllo(atcs thc Unlvcrsrty an crt a UShs l2.6bn for thc codrptcLpn of thc marn admurrltmtton block and paocuremc.rt of ttre ncccarao, mcdrcal cqurpmcnt for thc tcachrnS hosprtal and facultlca. l,ivin8 Out Allowanccs for Govcrnmcnt studcnts

Multlpurpos€ bulldlng construction at Gulu Universlty Constituent Ho tal and Teac 13.455 Thc Commrttee recommends that MFPED allocates Gulu University an addrtronal UShs 13.455bn ln order to undertake the constructlon of multr- purpose burldmg at the Constltuent Col tal in Moroto and teachi Hos Totd 31.? 1 BiI w 6.008 uate infrastructure facrlitres 126 l,ow stalfinq level of 27o/a The Commrttee rccommends that MFpED allocates the Unlvcrslty an extra UShs l2.6bn for the completron of the mam admmrsratron block and procurement of the ncccssary mcdrcal cqurpmcnt for the teachrng hosprtal and facultres. Shortfalls in allowances o_576 Lrving Out Allowances for Government Students Totd 19.18 Develo ent bu t 13 Conatructron of a new cLassroom/office block at Mbale Branch Develo ent t 1.2 Construction of a new classroom/office block at Mbarara Branch Develo ent t 10 Constructlon of the new multipurpose bu Branch at t(am Totd 12.S Re-rn state tbu t 5.4 The Committee recommends that MFPED re-instates Mts of the Moon Unrverslty development budget of UShs 5.4lbn, addrtronal UShs 5 4bn as retoo bu and the Presrdentral 20 Presldenthl pledge for the construction of the faculty of health scrences, lnnovatlon and technolo Totel 26.4

8198 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. MINISTERIAL POLICY STATEMENTS & BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR THE FY 2023/2024 was overhauled. The committee reiterates its earlier recommendation that Shs 1 billion be provided for the total overhaul of the plumbing system. Inadequate budget for essential medicines and supplies The committee recommends that an additional Shs 1 billion be provided. Lack of budget for extension of medical gases The committee recommends that Shs 420 million be provided to Kawempe Regional Referral Hospital for maintenance of equipment and extension of oxygen to the wards. Vote 417: Kiruddu National Referral Hospital. Inadequate funding to the burns and surgery unit Mr Speaker, Kiruddu acts as the national referral centre for burns and surgery. The committee recommends that Shs 1 billion be availed to mitigate the shortfall for Financial Year 2023/2024. Insufficient budget for essential medicines The committee recommends an extra Shs 1 billion to be provided for essential medicines. Inadequate funds for decentralisation of dialysis services Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Parliament and the Committee on Budget that last year, Shs 2 billion was allocated for decentralisation of dialysis. I am happy to say that in Lira, the dialysis is functional; we are rolling out to Hoima. This financial year, the committee recommends that Shs 4 billion be provided to Kiruddu to decentralise dialysis to Arua, Kabale and Mbale. Vote 401: Mulago National Referral Hospital Inadequate funding for essential medicines and health supplies, non-communicable disease services and specialised services Under this, the committee recommends that an additional Shs 8 billion be provided for specialised units like maxillofacial, endocrine, neurology, gastroenterology and so forth, and another Shs 10 billion be provided towards the provision of essential medicines and health supplies, and non-communicable disease commodities. It is quite common to go to Mulago these days and you are asked to buy these. Inadequate staff accommodation The committee agrees that 50 units should be completed immediately to house critical care workers and the remaining two blocks of 50 units each, be completed in the subsequent financial years. The Committee recommends that an additional Shs 8.5 billion should be provided in the Financial Year 2023/2024 to complete at least one block of 50 units. Lack of funds for commencement of kidney transplant services On this, the committee recommends that Shs 1.5 billion should be provided to the national referral hospitals to start kidney transplant services in the Financial Year 2023/2024. Inadequate funds for maintenance The committee recommends that an additional Shs 7 billion be provided for maintenance. You saw the headline screaming in Monday’s Daily Monitor newspaper. Mr Speaker, I would like to draw your attention to page 47, bullet 6.4 on incomplete civil plumbing and sewerage ICT and electric works; ROKO did not complete the work for several reasons.

8199 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 19 APRIL 2023 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. The committee recommends that a total of Shs 25.5 billion be provided to Mulago National Referral Hospital, as a matter of urgency, to fully operationalise it. Vote 420: Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital Mr Speaker, I would like to draw your attention to page 48 on the lack of funds for the purchase of a LEEP machine. This machine helps in early treatment of cancer of the cervix, which is the number one cause of death amongst women. We have the colposcopy machines for detection but we need another Shs 180 million provided for the procurement of two LEEP machines in the Financial Year 2023/2024. Vote for 402: Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital On page 49, bullet 6.48 on the lack of funds for completion of the perimeter wall - the patients in Butabika Hospital are not ordinary patients. We were informed that some of them have strayed out of the perimeter wall and we have lost some in the swamp. So, we want Shs 2.5 billion to construct the perimeter wall. Regional Referral Hospitals Mr Speaker, these are on page 50. There was a cross-cutting issue of understaffing - that is 6.49. There was also a cross-cutting issue of incomplete infrastructure in various regional hospitals. The committee recommends that Shs 29.81 billion be provided and allocated as follows: Shs 3 billion to Gulu for the 54-staff housing, Shs 500 Million to Masaka for the ICU, Shs 12 billion Mbale for their surgical complex; Shs 1 billion to Jinja; Shs 4.5 billion to Arua, and Shs 4 billion to Fort Portal. These projects, Mr Speaker, have been built for the last seven years and we are losing a lot of money through variation in costs. Mr Speaker, as I conclude, the committee recommends that a total of Shs 3,034,158,769,598 be provided for that excludes KCCA, Uganda AIDS Commission and the PHC that we give to local governments. Mr Speaker, the budgetary allocations for the health sector votes for Financial Year 2023/2024 are presented in a tabular format. The first table shows recurrent expenditure and the total proposed budget by the committee is Shs 1,614,000,280,648. When we when we move to page 53, the development budget is also presented in a tabular form. The proposed budget by the committee is Shs 1,419,878,000,121. Mr Speaker and honourable members, please support this report. I thank you very much. (Applause)

8222 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. MINISTERIAL POLICY STATEMENTS & BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR THE FY 2023/2024 Vote 103: Inspectorate of Government Vote 119: Uganda Registration Services Bureau Judiciary Low disposal rate of cases at Supreme Court On the low disposal rate of cases at the Supreme Court, the committee recommends that the Judiciary develops strategies to improve the performance in the Supreme Court in order to stem accumulation of backlog. Construction of court buildings The committee recommends that the Judiciary be provided an additional Shs 19.96 billion to undertake the construction of court buildings in the above-mentioned areas – Court of Appeal buildings in Mbarara and Gulu as well as High Court premises in Moroto, Mpigi, Iganga, Mubende, Luwero and Kitgum. Transport equipment The committee recommends that the development budget of the Judiciary for Financial Year 2023/2024 be enhanced by Shs 8.19 billion to procure transport equipment to improve access to justice. Court sessions The committee recommends that the Judiciary be provided Shs 35 billion, during the Financial Year 2023/2024 and the next Financial Year 2024/2025 to enable it organise more court sessions. Gender compliance The Judiciary should priorities gender mainstreaming and its activities, and make provision for breastfeeding/children rooms in all premises. Law Development Centre (LDC) On allowances for part-time lectures, the committee recommends that the allowance of part-time staff be declassified in the charter of accounts as wages to protect it from possible future budget cuts. Secondly, the LDC be provided with an additional Shs 3.5 billion on its nonwage recurrent budget to cater for allowances of part-time staff. Completion of the construction of the LDC multi-storied building - Shs 77 billion The committee recommends that the Development Committee of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development finalises the approval of this project as it has the potential of generating income once completed. Two, Government provides Shs 77 billion to the LDC development budget for the completion of the multi-storied building, across the medium term, starting with the Financial Year 2023/2024. Legal aid services The committee recommends an additional Shs 1.5 billion to LDC to facilitate legal aid services. On Mbale Regional Campus, the committee recommends that Shs 6.7 billion be provided to LDC to set up a regional campus in Mbale in the Financial Year 2023/2024. Gender compliance The committee recommends that the LDC expedites the implementation of the gender policy at the workplace and also set up sign language services, and visual impairment aids for persons with disabilities Uganda Law Reform Commission On low budget absorption, the committee recommends that the commission should ensure that procurement modalities are completed so as to immediately commence printing as soon as the President ascents to the revised principle law. The commission should exploit recruitment on contract terms as they wait for rationalisation of agencies so as to fill the available human resource gap.

Mr Speaker, on the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre, the committee recommends that a proposed Shs 20 billion be provided to UWEC for the implementation of the projects as listed in the report. I request members to look through the uploaded report. The breakdown is as follows: a) Shs 1,000,000,000 for pier boat docking facility; b) Shs 4 billion for the construction of the wall fence; and c) Shs 15 billion for Mbale Wildlife Satellite Education Centre, which is a regional centre. Mr Speaker, on the Uganda Wildlife Research and Training Institute, the committee recommends that an allocation of Shs 2 billion that is needed to operationalise the new staff structure be provided for. Vote 117: Uganda Tourism Board Mr Speaker, the half-year financial performance for this entity is well presented in the table. Members can refer to it. The proposed budget allocation for Uganda Tourism Board is stated in the report and well tabulated. The proposed budget for Financial Year 2023/2024 is Shs 27.33 billion. Because of time, I am not going to run through the observations of the committee. I will, therefore, proceed to the recommendations. The committee, therefore, recommends that the Government should provide Shs 32 billion to enable UTB to brand and market the country. They plan to use that money to brand the Pearl of Africa and market our tourism sites. The committee also recommends that Shs 2 billion be provided for the procurement of a fleet of vehicles to facilitate the enforcement and compliance with tourism standards, which will be done through the registration, inspection and licensing of tourism service providers. This arose from the observations of the committee. The committee recommends that Shs 200 million be appropriated to Uganda Tourism Board to set up its own billboards. This was recommended after the committee realised that Uganda Tourism Board is renting billboards yet the costs of establishing its own billboards would solve the current challenge once and for all. 0772303743 The committee is of the view that every district in Uganda should have at least four billboards displaying what the country has to offer, in terms of tourism attraction sites, and no more funds should be allocated to UTB for the hire of billboards until the entity sets up its own. The committee also recommends that the Government of Uganda should intensify domestic and international media relations to depict a positive destination image in regard to health, safety and security in Uganda.

Mr Speaker, I want to appreciate Members for the debate they have had on this report. I just want to comment on a few areas of concern that were raised. On regional centres for UWEC, our report on page 24 clearly spells out how UWEC is moving to the different regions. In the report on page 24, you can see the list of regional proposed office establishments for UWEC. Mbale has been chosen as the first UWEC regional centre that the ministry has taken on to establish, before they move to other regional centres like Gulu and other areas that are elaborated in the report. I do not want to go into the detail, but that is on page 24 of the report. Then on the human-wildlife conflict, this is well elaborated on pages 19 to 20. Mr Speaker, that is why the Uganda Wildlife Authority is requesting Parliament to raise their ceiling so that they are able to meet the cost of the electric fence. This is well detailed on pages 21 to 22. However, also the committee observed that UWA is receiving money from the World Bank, towards that project. Mr Speaker, I think the main issue is to raise the ceiling for UWA for them to meet all that the honourable members have talked about because all these are well captured in the report of the committee. On the figures as were raised on page 10, I want to say that we have been able to harmonise. Indeed, when you add them up, they vary simply because the committee considered the superior document that was presented to this House in April - the one that came after the policy statement that was presented on 15 March. So, the figures that the honourable colleague is referring to are figures in the

8090 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. MINISTERIAL POLICY STATEMENTS & BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR THE FY 2023/2024 b) Irrigation infrastructure development The committee notes with concern that irrigation is one of the budget priorities in Financial Year 2023/2024 to mitigate climate change effects on food production, but has limited budget. However, MAAIF intends to acquire and provide irrigation technologies and equipment using solar and other energy sources for distribution, pumping, supply and operationalisation of the developed water infrastructure and facilities for all-year production for small (micro), medium and large-scale farmers. The committee recommends that the Shs 25 billion that is required to facilitate affordable irrigation systems be provided. Regional mechanisation centres The committee recommends that the Government provides the required Shs 20 billion for the completion and operationalisation of the regional mechanisation centres. The committee also recommends that MAAIF should fast-track the establishment of the regional mechanisation centres to promote equitable mechanisation of the country. Procurement of tractors, storage and value addition facilities In a bid to promote agricultural mechanisation and commercial farming, MAAIF plans to procure and deploy 400 tractors, implements and accessories. Additionally, it also plans to procure 1,000 walking tractors and implements to support farmers in production. MAAIF needs Shs 50 billion for this activity. The committee recommends that: i) Government provides Shs 20 billion required for tractors, Shs 15 billion for storage facilities and Shs 15 billion for value addition facilities at regional level. ii) MAAIF develops a proper distribution mechanism for all the equipment acquired to ensure equity. Vote 121: Dairy Development Authority Funds for rehabilitation of Mbale Milk Factory The committee observes that in Financial Year 2022/23, Shs 6 billion was appropriated by Parliament to facilitate the phase one renovation of Mbale Milk Factory, but this money has not been released. The milk factory will incentivise milk production and marketing in northern and eastern Uganda and contribute to at least 20 percent of the national milk production. The committee recommends that Shs 6 billion be provided to cater for renovation of the factory to provide market and facilitate milk production in the region The dairy value chain development project The committee notes that the authority does not have funds for physical plan, bills of quantities (BOQs) and an architectural plan that is required for approval of the Shs 68.5 billion Dairy Value Addition and Marketing Project that includes: a) Upgrade of Entebbe Dairy Training School into Dairy Training and Incubation College for East Africa; and b) Extend specialised dairy interventions to Karamoja and West Nile regions, through the creation of regional offices and support commercial dairy farming. The committee recommends that: i) Shs 0.314 billion be reallocated from travel inland, for physical plan, BOQs and the architectural plan required for the approval of the project. ii) Shs 12.4 billion be provided for the rehabilitation and equipping of the milk collection centres across the country to meet the demand for the Algerian market.

8093 THE E LEVENTH P ARLIAMENT OF U GANDA TUESDAY , 18 APRIL 2023 Disclaimer: The electronic version of the Official Report of the proceedings of Parliament (Hansard) is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament. iii) That Shs 2 billion be provided for purchase of hand tractors to open more land for cotton production, especially now that most of the cotton farmers have lost their oxen. Vote 160 - Uganda Coffee Development Authority The committee notes that the Uganda Coffee Development Authority closed the Financial Year 2021 with outstanding coffee seedlings arrears of Shs 15.97 billion. Cabinet took a decision to procure and distribute coffee seedlings to farmers before Season B 2022 - that is September to December - and ends as a one-off intervention. This resulted in additional Shs 26.3 billion. The total comes to Shs 42 billion but no budget has been provided for the settlement of these arrears. The committee recommends that Shs 42 billion be provided in the budget for the Financial Year 2023/2024 to settle all the outstanding areas. On the construction of coffee analytical laboratories, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority plans to contract a central coffee quality certification laboratory in Kampala to handle the bulk of exports by exporters based in Kampala, Wakiso and those other districts. Additional two regional laboratories will be constructed in Kasese and Mbale to support and serve exporters in the areas of Arabica coffee growing. This activity requires Shs 10.2 billion and the committee recommends that this money be provided. On coffee research, the committee observed that there are limited funds for coffee research to develop coffee varieties that are high yielding, disease and drought resistant. This activity requires Shs 4.5 billion. The committee recommends that this money be provided to UCDA for coffee research. Coffee value addition The Committee recommends that Government reallocates Shs 37 billion from Science, Technology and Innovation to UCDA to ensure efficiency and accountability for the utilisation of funds. The next pages, Mr Speaker, are about key unfunded and underfunded priorities for which I will not go into detail. You will study them by yourself. I now go to page 38 on the supply tables for the Financial Year 2023/2024. Based on the aforementioned observations and recommendations, the committee recommends that the House approves the budget of the Votes under its jurisdiction as follows: i) Vote 010: Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. The total allocation is Shs 583,533,130,878; ii) Vote 121: Dairy Development Authority - Shs 16,676,013,100; iii) Vote 125: National Agriculture Genetic Resource Centre and Data Bank; a total allocation of Shs 64,775,124,684; iv) Vote 142: National Agriculture Research Organisation, total allocation is Shs 181,487,209,273. v) Vote 152: NAADS Secretariat. The total allocation is Shs 41,611,610,000; vi) Vote 155: Uganda Cotton Development Organisation. The total allocation is of Shs 5,370,758,396; vii) Vote 160: Uganda Coffee Development Authority. The total allocation of Shs 44,756,429,653; viii) Votes 601-999: Local Governments. The total allocation is Shs 141,905,532,140, giving a total of Shs 1,080,115, 808,124. Mr Speaker and honourable members, I beg to submit.

registry and correspondences. Two Motor vehicles and office equipment delivered to support activities to develop and conserve tourism and heritage resources for enhancement of Uganda as a competitive and preferred tourist destination. Tourism Information Management System will be operationalized (TIMS) and 25 tourism data collection centers across the country will be equipped to implement TIMS. (2.6 bn). viii. Policy guidance, oversight and support supervision will be provided for the operations in the Tourism Agencies and the private sector: MTWA wage, pensions, gratuity, rent for office space, staff transport, maintenance of office and ICT, utilities. bf Uganda Wtldllfc Authority i. Upgrade protected areas ii. Construction and maintenance of staff accommodation iii. Relocation of rhinos. iv. Maintain the electric fence and construction of valley dams. v. Provide protection and guidance for 5 community wildlife areas and 13 wildlife sanctuaries. vi. Clear Invasive Species. cl Ugande l[tldlife Consenratlon Educatlon Centre i. Construction of a pier/boat docking facility at UWEC shore line. ii. Construction of a wall fence around UWEC. iii. Establish the Mbale Wildtife Satellite Education Centre. iv. Conduct species and ecosystem specific programs in schools and communities. Monitor performance of existing wildlife establishment of 50 new ones. vl Boost UWEC through branding and publicis vrl Develop a busin ess stratesr to increase visibility and sustai ble financing. Improve feeding v clubs and support care to the zoo animals. vttl and he a 18

4.4.4 Ugan& Wildlife Coasonratloa Educatlon Ccntre (IrWECl Esta.bllshment of Reglonal Satelllb Wlldllfe Consenatlo Educatlon Centre, constntctlon of d pler and a uall fence; The Committee was informed by UWEC that, the institution is soon getting a modem 5O seater boat through the Competitiveness & Enterprise Development Project-Additional Financing (CEDP-AF) to boost the Lake Victoria tourism circuit project. The Committee was further informed that notwithstanding the commencement of the procurement process of the boat, the same will require a pier for docking. The Committee was leamt that UWEC has secured 60 acres of NFA tand in the regional cities of Mbale, Gulu, Mbarara and Fort portal for the purpose of establishing a Regional Satellite Wildlife Conservation Education Centres. The first phase of this project will start in Mbale and the other centres will be established subsequently. Furthermore, the Committee was informed by UWEC that the construction of the wall fence was a pertinent asp€ct to avoid the human-wildlife conflict, which has proved to be one of the biggest challenges that the neighbouring communities to the protected areas are facing elsewhere. As thus, the Committee observes that the matters raised above are pertinent if the country is to nurture and grow domestic tourism; enhance and strengthen the securiSr of both the wildlife and humans in the neighbourhood; bring the UWEC education and conservation service closer to the people. The Commlttee therefore recoaaende that; Thc Propoaed UGX 2O btllion be provlded to UTIEC for the iaplcoentation of the proJcctr ar followc; UGX 1 billlon for the pier boat docldng faclltty UGX 4 btlllon for constructlon of thc wall fence UGX 15 billioa for the Mbdc Itr Sate a a O [!I N \r Educetio Ce ntre 24

Ua/undcrftradcd pdortty . Fundlag 8aP (ucx bnl Juctlflcatloa -Construction of a pier/boat docking facility at UWEC shore line. (UGX 2Bn) -Construction of a wall fence around UWEC (UGX 3.28n) -Establish Mbale Wildlife Satellite Education Centre (UGX 12Bn) - Paving the trail and road network (UGX 1.58n) tr 18.7 around will tighten and ensure security and safety for animals, visitors and the neighborhood. The wall fence will ensure retainability of an animal species in case of any animal escape. UWEC land would also be safe guarded from land grabbers. -UWEC is a key product within reach of the Airport and its modernization needs to be fast-tracked. -The proposed Mbale centre will enhance the wildlife conservation education and outreaches in the Eastern region. - The road network and trails are rough and very dusty and pose mechanical threats to the 4 Carts UWEC received from CEDP. The network also becomes impassible during the rainy season as it floods. There is need to add value for competitiveness of UWEC as a tourism destination. 3S

1O. I Propoccd Committcc Re.Allocatloas The committee observed that the Tourrsm Development program entities are grossly underfunded the committee was presented several unfunded priorities however, the following are considered very critical and should be provided for within the financral year 2023 /24 through reallocation as follows; Identllted Pr{orltlca ead of Rcalloc.tcd Funds slthln Touriam Developrnc at Progran Recurre nt Dev't UWEC- Construction of Wall fence - 3.2Bn, a Modern Pier - 2.0 and Regional Satellite Educational Center- in Mbale; Eastern region- 7Bn 12.2 UHTTI- Jinja to fully fund implementation of structure 1.5 UWTRI - Kasese to fully fund implementation of structure to conduct Wildlife related research 2 o22 Ministry of Wildlfe, Tourism and Antiquities Provide for Unfunded Priorities of Kafu tourist stop over development Consultations, land valuation and acquisition( 1.Bn) and Amuru Hotspring to conduct Appraisal, land valuation, 4 L- 1.8 39

7.1.5 Managencnt Tralnlng and Advlsory Centre (MTACI The Committee is concerned that MTAC has been operating without a governing council since 2O15. MTAC reported that appointment of the governing council awaits the conclusion of rationalisation of govemment agencies. The Committee observed that the delayed conclusion of the rationalisation process leaves governance gaps in the affected institLltions, Thc Comaittec recommenda that; (lf Governncnt rhould fast track the mergcr pollcy co as to resolve lsaucr of non.conrtltuted govcrning bodiea aad enrurc optlmd utllleatloa of Governncnt fundc. (ll)The Mtntrtry of Trade rhould lnteaslfy lts overelght/cupcnrieory role over MTAC ln the meaatfuae. MTAC - Uafunded Prioritlea ffiffiffir.nr 1 Free Job Creation Training interventions for all constituencies in Uganda. 20.E 2 Executive Director's means of transport and Students'bus 1.O 3 Staff Wages 1.5 4 Construction of MTAC Ntungamo 5.6 5 Construction of MTAC Mbale 8.5 Total 37.4 7 f.

I{o. Requlrcncnt Budget Justlflcatloa increasing demand for these training given the number of new exporters that emerge every year. There are also a number of emerging issues especially in the market. UEPB is seeking for an increase in the exporter training budget to meet this requirement, This in tum will enhance the efhciency of these exporters and thus lead to an increase in their exporter turnover. 6 Opening Regional Export Information and Support Centres o Arua o Gulu o Mbale o Entebbe o Mbarara o Hoima 4.15 UEPB was in FY2O2O/21 cleared to establish up to fifteen ( 15) satellite information and support centers by 2025. The purpose of these centers was to bring services closer to the people - especially the producers. The centres would amongst other business development services provide guidance and information to the producers on ?roducing for Export'; support export business in upcountry locations; directly link producers with exporters and foreign buyers; and coordinate export development activities in upcountry locations. Efforts to establish and operationalize the first six (6) centres in Arua, Gulu, Mbale, Entebbe, Hoima and Mbarara were delayed due to the impending restructuring of MDAs. This should be established during the next fY 2023/24. i o (l 't 64

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to provide information, and as you have rightly guided me, let me borrow what Hon. Solomon said. The clever guidance he provided is that this House has the resource in me in terms of information sharing. (Applause) This 11 th Parliament is privileged that when we are discussing sports, we have the correct information to guide us. Mr Speaker, the world sports economy is over $600 billion. Let me break it down. In the UK alone, sports contribute to their economy what URA in this country collects the entire year. Largely, Uganda and the whole of Africa are not partaking of this economy. We all know that sports has a cocktail of values and many of you have mentioned it. These include: boosting tourism, employment, forex earnings, marketing Uganda, building patriotism, health, widening the tax base, and mobilisation, among others. Whereas Government programmes have concentrated on agriculture and manufacturing, Uganda has a huge competitive advantage of manufacturing sports products that can compete on the world market. Sports talents are the raw materials of the manufacturing process that produces sports products consumed at a fee. We all see how many people or how many Ugandans support foreign sports but these products have been created from talents. Therefore, this is also a manufacturing process. Mr Speaker, Uganda is abundantly endowed with different sporting talents. Now, the Government of Uganda may provide four items, that is, the law, which we have been working on, and some of the issues Members are raising have been provided for in the law. Then, there is the funding, policies, and most importantly, infrastructure, which we are discussing today. We are all aware that the Government has provided infrastructure for other economic activities but not the sporting business. Mr Speaker, Uganda had a population of 16 million people in 1986. There were a number of stadiums across the country, and some of these stadiums were actually hosting international competitions - in Bugembe, Mbale, and Nakivubo where we even had matches at night, as early as 1986. Today, as we speak, we have 45 million people but we do not have any stadium that can host a Confederation of African Football (CAF) match. To break it down, other than the Mandela National Stadium which was a Chinese grant in the 1960s, but completed in 1997, there has never been any major sporting infrastructure construction or rehabilitation. Mr Speaker, it is the duty of the Government of Uganda to provide sporting infrastructure for the Ugandan youth. There are Members here who have supported the FUFA Drum-

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mine is a matter of national importance in regard to the new evaluation laws and the property rates being charged right now in Mbale City. I got a petition from the Mbale taxable property owners regarding the evaluation report, which was submitted to the Ministry of Local Government, for endorsement and enforcement in regard to collection of property tax in the city. Right now, the new rate that has been set - and people are not okay with it - is 8 per cent, which they believe is quite high. That is why they petitioned, given that Kampala, which is the capital city, is charging 6 per cent. So, increasing this rate from 2 to 8 per cent, they believe, is quite abnormal –

Mr Speaker, the honourable member is aware that I have been to Sebei and Mbale. We are doing all it takes with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and that of Local Government to make sure this is done; we are only doing due diligence so that we do not harm any side.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Last year, around July, Hon. Alex Ndeezi raised a matter concerning the School of the Deaf in Mbale. It was about a wrangle in the school between the hearing and the non-hearing students as well as the teachers. Mr Speaker, the wrangle has not been resolved to date. When Hon. Alex Ndeezi raised the issue here, the House was told that the Minister of Education and Sports was going to follow up the matter. Last week, I saw it under the “Business to follow” yet the report has not come to the Floor of Parliament. These students are about to kill each other. What is the Prime Minister telling us? Has the Minister of Education and Sports tabled the report on that investigation to the Prime Minister’s office? I beg to submit.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is true we are aware of the wrangle in the School of the Deaf in Mbale. At the ministry, the commissioner in charge of special needs education, with a team of technical people, are getting on the ground to ascertain the actual problem. I will bring the report to this august House – (Interjections)– when? The House begins on Tuesday -

7813 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 30 MARCH 2023 “Busy”. It is like scabies, but it is not. I have personally seen affected children infecting women - it affects even old people. Madam Speaker, my request is that the Ministry of Health takes this up so that we can save the lives of these children who are dying. Worse still, only the general hospitals, where blood can be transfused, are able to attend to these children. There is also blood shortage in the general hospital and when they are referred to Mbale, the children die on the way. This is the issue that I have brought to your attention, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, honourable minister. Madam Speaker, the country is having serious issues as a result of the disasters. In some cases, like it happened in Mbale, entire bridges and community roads are washed away. The same thing is happening in the west. We also had famine in Karamoja and Otuke. Madam Speaker, the ministry seems not to have money yet Section 26(1) of the Public Finance Management Act provides for the provision of a contingency fund, which is 3.5 per cent of the previous financial year’s budget. This money is commanded in the law, but it is not provided for during the budget process. If we are keen, the Minister of Disaster would not be requesting for money when these emergencies occur.

7828 MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Mbale and all those areas, I think the ministry should not be looking for money to cater for major relief items only. The Ministry of Works also suffers a lot. The other day, West Nile was cut off and the Ministry of Works was grappling for funds to have that road restored. Madam Speaker, in my constituency, there is a very big issue of land evictions. This minister should help us. As Members of Parliament, we do not have facilities to handle IDPs, but if you came to my constituency, it has become like an IDP camp. People are being evicted from land now and again, but we have nowhere to put them and this is a big problem. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to start with my sister who spoke about Amolatar. When we realised there was submerging of most of the facilities in her constituency, the Office of the Prime Minister managed to construct a new health centre III in Nagoya. That has been concluded and we are coming for commissioning. On the issue of cash transfer, I know my colleagues from Mbale and Bulambuli – we have resources that are able to handle one issue at a time. We cannot do everything at a go, so, we handled the health centre first. As for the school, we need to relocate it. Actually, any institution that is high risk and has students and pupils at the moment, has to be relocated. Otherwise, we are not going to be able to rescue them –(Interruption)

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.

Hon. Nathan Nandala- Mafabi, chairman of BCU Mbale, we counted all the Members on Zoom; the Zoom attendance will be extracted. I know Hon. Fox Odoi will need it; we will give you all - (Laughter) Honourable Members, in fulfilment of Rule 24 of the Rules of Procedure, on issues of quorum, we have 389 Members in the House: 334 are physically here and 55 are on Zoom . We will

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to lay on the Table the policy statement for the health sub-programme for Financial Year 2023/2024: Vote 014 – Ministry of Health Vote 114 - Uganda Cancer Institute Vote 115 – Uganda Heart Institute Vote 116 - National Medical Stores Vote 127 - Uganda Virus Research Institute Vote 134 - Health Service Commission Vote 151 - Uganda Blood Transfusion Service Vote 401 - Mulago National Referral Hospital Vote 402 - Butabika Hospital Vote 403 - Arua Regional Referral Hospital Vote 404 - Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital Vote 405 - Gulu Regional Referral Hospital Vote 406 - Hoima Regional Referral Hospital Vote 407 - Jinja Regional Referral Hospital Vote 408 - Kabale Regional Referral Hospital Vote 409 - Masaka Regional Referral Hospital Vote 410 - Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Vote 411 - Soroti Regional Referral Hospital Vote 412 - Lira Regional Referral Hospital Vote 413 - Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital Vote 414 - Mubende Regional Referral Hospital Vote 415 - Moroto Regional Referral Hospital Vote 416 - Naguru National Referral Hospital Vote 417 - Kiruddu Regional Referral Hospital Vote 418 - Kawempe Regional Referral Hospital Vote 419 - Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital Vote420 - Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital Vote 421 - Kayunga Referral Hospital Vote 422 - Yumbe Referral Hospital Vote 612 - Local Governments and the other annex attached. Madam Speaker, I beg to lay.

7223 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 1 MARCH 2023 Road reconstruction When the road condition deteriorates to a very poor state, exhibiting weak and deteriorated pavement layers with a non-functional drainage system, it requires full replacement. Reconstruction is undertaken to rebuild the road pavement and drainage system. In some instances, improvement of the subgrade strength and geometric realignment may be required – I gave examples of Matugga- Kapeeka Road and Mutukula-Kyotera-Masaka Road. The frequency of intervention depends on the state of road deterioration, which often triggers outcry from the road users for intervention. Road upgrading Road upgrading includes works that improve the level of service of the road to beyond that of its original standard. Activities like road widening, lane addition, geometric improvement, pavement works and related auxiliary works are executed – I gave the example of Rwenkunye-Apac Road. On-going national roads projects Periodic maintenance UNRA is currently carrying out periodic maintenance on two paved national roads covering a total of 93 kilometres with a funding commitment of about Shs 13 billion over the next two years. There are a number of tables there and in Table 1, you will find those roads. I request honourable Members to look at those tables as we refer to them. Rehabilitation projects There is ongoing rehabilitation of six paved national roads covering a total distance of 531 kilometres with a funding commitment of about Shs 682 billion over a period of the next three years. The roads are at different levels of implementation, as shown in table two. Further, a total of seven road rehabilitation projects covering a total distance of 324 kilometres were substantially completed in the Financial Year 2021/2022. These projects have outstanding payments such as retention funds in accordance with the contractual terms amounting to approximately Shs 55 billion. The projects which are done include: - Namunsi-Sironko-Muyembe-Kapchorwa road (65KMs), phase one and two; - Masaka Town roads (7.3 KMs); - Nakalama-Tirinyi-Mbale (93KMs) including Iganga, Busembatia and Namutumba Town roads; - Fort Portal-Hima (55KMs); - Kyenjojo-Fort Portal; and - Hima-Katunguru and Kasese Town roads and Hima service roads. Upgrading projects Currently, there are 20 ongoing road upgrading projects. These roads are being moved from gravel to tarmac. They are being upgraded to paved standards across the country covering a total of 1,083Kms with committed funding requirements of approximately Shs 1.8 trillion. The upgrading road projects are at the different levels of implementation and are indicated in table three. Further, a sum of approximately Shs 243 billion shall be required to close projects that were substantially handed over in the Financial Year 2021/2022. Bridge development projects Construction of bridges has continued across the National Road Network and progress is at different levels. The bridges are many and they are in table four. Currently, 14 bridges with a funding requirement of Shs 356 billion are under construction across the country.

7257 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 1 MARCH 2023 Therefore, the actions of the minister tantamount to abuse of office. The committee observes that the nature and category of investment was not clear and its subsequent benefits to the savers, and the NSSF could not be ascertained by the committee, thereby rendering the above decision a breach of the fiduciary duty imposed on the Board under Section 4(3) of the NSSF Act. (b) Land purchases by the Fund The committee notes that land is one of the avenues through which the NSSF can invest. The initial of investments in land, the processes and the cost show undue influence on the Fund. For instance, the committee notes that the Board has a detailed policy on land acquisition but in some cases, it has acted contrary to the policy. They invest as and when they receive unsolicited offers from vendors, commissions’ agents and any members of society who can approach the Board or any member of the Board, including Board members themselves. The committee was informed of the following transactions: (i) Proposed purchase of land in Mbale and Mbuya The committee was informed that one of the Board members, Hon. Sam Lyomoki, approached the Chief Investment Officer, Mr Gerald Kasaato with the view of influencing the Board to purchase the land located in Mbale and Mbuya belonging to the said Board member and his friend, respectively. According to the letter dated 14 March 2022, authored by the Chief Investment Officer and addressed to the Chairman, Board Special Task Committee, the Chief Investment Officer raised a complaint against Hon. Sam Lyomoki, stating that Hon. Lyomoki had asked him for a meeting on 26 January 2022 at COFTU Headquarters in Ntinda. He further stated that during the meeting, Hon. Lyomoki, blackmailed him by alleging that the Chief Investment Officer and the managing director were being paid commissions on projects. He requested that they should cooperate with him in selling the two pieces of land to the Fund. Otherwise, he would not recommend them for the renewal of their contracts to the Board. Hon. Lyomoki was the chairperson of the Staff and Corporate Affairs committee, which was in charge of vetting and nominating members. The committee finds that the conduct of Hon. Lyomoki in soliciting the purchase of his land and yet he is a sitting member of the Board, is conflict of interest and further gives credence to the allegation that the investment decisions of the Board are influenced by personal considerations at the expense of the overall objectives of the Fund. As articulated in Section 4(3) of the NSSF Act, the conduct of Hon. Lyomoki contravenes the Principles of Corporate Governance, especially the principle on accountability, which obligates the entities to account for and explain every action and decision taken, and take ownership of the risks involved as a means of building trust between the businesses and its stakeholders. Purchase of Nakigalala land Solicitation also manifested in the purchase of Nakigalala land by the Board wherein letters dated 26 February 2019 and 6 March 2019 addressed to the NSSF Managing Director , and Madhvani Group Limited, offered the Nakigalala land for acquisition by the NSSF as they deemed it suitable for development into a satellite city to decongest Kampala. Following this solicitation, the NSSF Managing Director presented a proposal to buy the land at Nakigalala as offered by Madhvani Group Limited, to the Management Investment Committee (MIC) at its meeting held on 17 April 2019, which decided to carry out a detailed due diligence. The NSSF Management Investment Committee again sat on 25 September 2019 and approved two private valuers to conduct a legal and

7263 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 1 MARCH 2023 billion without legal justification, denigrating the Board in public, threatening the Chief Investment Officer with a view of obtaining financial inclusion, influencing the Board to purchase land located in Mbale and Mbuya allegedly belonging to Hon. Lyomoki and his friend, respectively. He further underwent an investigation by a select committee of the Board. To cut the story short, on page 73 when we asked the gender minister, Hon. Betty Amongi Ongom, why she did not take action, the minister informed the committee that she had received several petitions against the misconduct of Hon. Lyomoki. She, however, insisted that whereas she had powers to remove a Board member under the NSSF Act as amended, she considered it prudent not to interfere with appointments made by her colleague, the finance minister, Hon. Matia Kasaija under the old NSSF Act, before the amendments. Observations of the committee The committee observed that in spite of the minister being aware of the conduct of Hon. Dr Sam Lyomoki from various letters written to her for action, the minister ignored, refused, or neglected to bring the member to book by exercising her discretion to remove Hon. Dr Sam Lyomoki from the office as she is empowered in section (3) of the NSSF Act. The committee is concerned about the reputation damage suffered by the Board arising from the conduct of Hon. Dr Sam Lyomoki and is of the considered opinion that the allegations should have been investigated and appropriate action taken against the member. Conflicts of interest Conflicts of interest are situations in which individuals have interests that significantly threaten their roles and responsibilities, or would do so for a typical person having their role. (Michael Davis and Andrew Stark, 2001). The committee noted various incidents where conflict of interest was manifested. During the interaction with the management of the NSSF, it was found that the Head of Business Department, Mr Geoffrey Waiswa Sajjabi, was supervising various workers of blood relations, namely; a) Sarah Sajjabi, a sister. b) Joel Muganza, a brother in-law. c) Amanda Aceng, a niece. d) Ian Lumonya, a nephew. The committee observed that whereas it is possible to have one’s relatives in the same organisation on merit, in this particular case, Paragraph 3.22 of the NSSF Human Resource Manual requires that where persons are employed in the same department, the head of department ensures that there is no direct reporting or supervisor to the subordinate relationship between the related employees. The manual further prohibits related employees from deployment within the chain of command, where one relative may influence the other relative’s work responsibilities, salaries, career progression, benefits or other terms and conditions of employment. Therefore, the committee finds the actions of Mr Geoffrey Waiswa Sajjabi, the head of business department in contravention of paragraph 3.22 of the NSSF Human Resource Policy Manual. The deployment of these officers in the business department, headed by a person they share close blood relations with is irregular and should be dealt with in accordance with the human resource policy manual. His conduct further contravenes Section 13 of the Anti-Corruption Act, which creates offences of nepotism that occurs where a person being a holder of an office does any act in contention with the office for the purpose of doing favours to any person on the basis of blood relations between that person and the other persons. In addition, the committee noted a case where Hon. Dr Sam Lyomoki, a Board member representing COFTU on the NSSF Board was at the same time requisitioning for funds from NSSF management for COFTU activities

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity granted. I appreciate the Chairperson of the Committee on Physical Infrastructure for the report which is well elaborated. I have also noted the enormous challenges that affected the performance of the physical infrastructure action onto our roads. Mr Speaker, to my dismay, the committee did not note the comparison between the action taken on a number of resolutions we passed here. Also, the matters of accountability are not yet well elaborated; we admit that. However, Mr Speaker, I remember in August last year, I raised a matter of urgent national importance over the same and over my road, the Mbale-Kayunga-Galilaya Road and the only affected area just on the portion of the road - four kilometres out of 89 kilometres that are affected was submerged by water from the tributary of River Nile and the swamp and you did direct the honourable minister – and unfortunately he is a potential minister. I may not bring a motion to censure to him – (Laughter) - but you directed him to go and visit the area and carry out a survey on how to help the people over there. Mr Speaker, we have lost four people on just the four-kilometre section of the road that was submerged by water. Now, if the able Government, as you call it, cannot work on the section of only four kilometres that was affected out of the 89 kilometres where people are suffering with dust and potholes, how are we going to convince Ugandans? Much as the finances have been affected, even the minister failed to go on the ground. What are we going to tell our people? Mr Speaker, this matter is beyond just lamenting, but I am resorting to shading tears over here; in this House. I beg that the minister today gives me a direct answer; a take-home answer to my people who have lost their dear ones - who have lost their daughters, who are failing to go and achieve any would-be services across because the water submerged the road. Can this Government really show us mercy and give us an answer to explain to the people who are suffering, much as the finances are low. I beg to submit.

6753 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA TUESDAY, 17 JANUARY 2023 Based on that, we will need to invoke Article 163(5) of the Constitution for us to have all these reports approved and adopted by this House, because we need a Treasury Memoranda to be presented to the House. We have a precedence that was set by Hon. Nandala Mafabi, on 7 May 2021, when he presented a motion in this House, asking for an omnibus adoption of reports. This was adopted because we had run out of time, yet, we needed to complete the accountability cycle. So, that is what we are going to do to those reports that will not have been considered by committees. Honourable members, schools will soon be opening. As we prepare our children to go back to school, I want to re-echo the issue of increase of school fees amidst the economic crisis that we are in. I call upon owners of schools, both private and Government-owned, to make sure they follow the Ministry of Education and Sports guidelines that were issued in the recent circular. However, the ministry should also follow up on how much fees is going to be charged to these children. Some people will not afford school fees for their children because of some greedy owners of schools. Therefore, we need to make sure school fees is affordable for everybody. On a sad note, we got news yesterday, 16 th Monday, that our High Commissioner to Kenya and Seychelles, Dr Hassan Galiwango, passed on. The deceased was previously serving as the Director of Finance and Administration at the NRM Secretariat. He was the husband to our own Hon. Connie Galiwango, the Member of Parliament for Mbale City. On behalf of Parliament and on my own behalf, I express my deepest condolences to Hon. Connie Galiwango, the people of Mbale, the people of Uganda, and the NRM fraternity, for the loss of Dr Hassan Galiwango. We will dearly miss him. He has been an icon in Mbale and the patron of Mbale Heroes. We have also lost a former Member of Parliament, Hon. Toolit Simon Akecha. He was a Member of Parliament for Omoro County; he was replaced by the late Jacob Oulanyah. We condole with the families of these gallant Ugandans who have passed on. May we rise to observe a moment of silence in their honour. (Members rose and observed a moment of silence.)

6742 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT General. The audit revealed that on the account of delayed deletion of staff from payroll, some accounting officers authorised payment for salaries to staff who are either retired, transferred their services, absconded or died. I will give you an example of Gulu city where there was a delayed deletion of 20 staff who had left services leading to payment of Shs 64,323,558. Mr Speaker, such anomalies lead to loss of funds, and we have provided recommendations to that effect. We would also like to report on non-deduction of PAYE from political leaders. We have indicated details of our findings as a committee, where political leaders were not subjected to deductions of PAYE. We have also provided recommendations and to be specific. The committee recommends that accounting officers recover all the monies that were not deducted from these political leaders or the accounting officers will have to be held liable and they will have to make good the losses. Mr Speaker, we would also like to report on payment of salaries, pension and gratuity of IPPS. We noted for example, in Bulambuli District, where nine pensioners were paid a total of Shs 170 million off IPPS. The committee observed that payment of salary pension and gratuity off IPPS contravenes paragraph 4.5 of the Establishment Notice No.2 of 2019 and could lead to abuse and manipulation for private gains. As a result, we recommend the following: The accounting officers should ensure to reconcile their respective entity staff lists together with the Ministry of Public Service IPPS, in order to avoid payment of salaries and pension and gratuity off IPPS. The accounting officers should desist from the practice and can only take such actions with the approval of the line ministries. Mr Speaker, under 3.3, we have off-budget receipts. We have provided those details and I request Members to look through. The committee has also provided observations, and I will take you straight to recommendations. The recommendations as follows: The accounting officers should adhere to paragraph 29 of the Budget Execution Circular for the said financial year. The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development should mainstream the disbursement of funds through the normal planning and budgeting cycles to avoid off- budget receipts. Mr Speaker, we would like to report on the operationalisation of the new cities. The audit report noted that during the Financial Year 2019/2020, Government made a pronouncement upgrading 10 municipal councils to city status, effective 1 st July 2020. These include: Arua, Mbarara, Gulu, Jinja, Fort Portal, Mbale, Masaka, Soroti and Hoima. The audit report noted the following: The Government did not provide funding in the budgets of the newly created entities to enable them to operate as cities. They continue to operate using the budget of the municipal councils. The cities lacked establishment structures against which the recruitment of the required human resources could be undertaken. There was no guidance on the allocation and sharing of assets. This has become a contentious matter between the councils of the newly created cities and the district entities from where the cities were created. Mr Speaker, we would like to report on the capitation grant for printing. This is a matter that has been concluded and we will request Members to read through, but we have also provided recommendations that, for all the money sent to districts, there should be clear

6697 Thursday, 22 December 2022 people of Teso, and for the country at large, when we woke up to the sudden news of the passing on of Hon. Okabe, who was a Member of Parliament of Serere County. He was also a bishop. He passed on in a fatal accident, with his wife Christine Okabe, in Budaka, early morning that day. Today, we are gathered in this House, in a special sitting, with grief and sorrow to send off a distinguished colleague. I can assure you, the new Members of Parliament, that you may not have known Hon. Okabe because he was a quiet, peaceful person. He was not cantankerous like some people can mean to be. (Laughter) The Hon. Okabe that we are talking about and who is going to lie in front of you, was a bishop and a God-fearing legislator. In most cases, we do not get so many legislators who are God fearing. Now we had somebody who was a bishop. Instead, we get people who knock heads in these kinds of places. The person we are talking about was God-fearing. He had so many churches; he was a very peaceful legislator who never wanted conflicts. That is the Patrick Okabe that we have lost. Patrick Okabe is leaving a legacy. He has so many churches in Soroti, Busole, Mbale, Pallisa, even in Kampala here. That is the peacemaker that we are talking about; a voice of reason and a remarkable leader that we have lost. In just two weeks, we have had two bodies in this House. I think we need to pray to God that IN THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA Official Report of the Proceedings of Parliament SECOND SESSION - 16TH SITTING - SECOND MEETING Parliament met at 11.59 a.m. in Parliament House, Kampala. PRAYERS (The Speaker, Ms Anita Among, in the Chair.) The House was called to order. COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

Madam Speaker, under Rule 56 of our Rules of Procedure, I move a motion for a resolution of Parliament to pay tribute to the late Hon. Bishop Patrick Okabe for his dedicated service to the Republic of Uganda. “WHEREAS the Parliament of Uganda received with deep sorrow, the sad news of the death of Hon. Bishop Patrick Okabe, Member of Parliament for Serere County, who died together with his dear wife, Mrs Christine Okabe, in a motor accident along Mbale- Tirinyi road on Monday, 19 December, this year; AWARE that Hon. Patrick Okabe has had a distinguished career serving in various capacities, both spiritual and political, in Uganda, including as Member of Parliament for Serere County in the 10 th and 11 th Parliaments where he served as a member of the Committee on Public Accounts (Central Government) in the 11 th Parliament, a member of the Committee on Public Service and Local Government in the 11 th Parliament, Chairperson, Teso Parliamentary Group in the 10 th Parliament, a bishop at Impact Ministries in Mbale City and the proprietor of Rhema High School in Soroti and a Christian based radio station in Mbale city; APPRECIATING that Hon. Bishop Patrick Okabe was a diligent leader who served his country with devotion and integrity and strongly advocated for women economic empowerment, human rights and the fight against malaria in Uganda; FURTHER APPRECIATING that as a devoted Christian faithful, Hon. Bishop Okabe greatly contributed to the promotion and observance of Christian values of love, peace, faithfulness, ethics, integrity, generosity, hope and respect, as a means of transforming the lives of Ugandans; NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that: 1. Parliament collectively conveys its deep condolences to the bereaved family, relatives, friends and the people of Uganda for the loss of a distinguished citizen in this country. 2. Parliament takes cognisance of the immense contribution that Hon. Bishop Okabe has rendered to Parliament and the people of Uganda.” Madam Speaker, I beg to move.

6710 TRIBUTE TO THE LATE HON. PATRICK OKABE He would not fight for space like some of us used to; he would leave you to pass and then come after. What beats my understanding is that he was a peculiar leader who could balance the church, politics and family. Where do we find those kinds of people? Hon. Okabe had God-given qualities. He was able to lead all the churches. He has a church in my constituency and he has been coming there annually to pray with the people, at some functions. Honourable members, given our responsibility, balancing all those institutions is very difficult. Sometimes you give up at some point, but he did not. It is said in the Bible that, that is where we are all going. It will be said here or back at home. There will be kind words, sincere and true, but it cannot take away the emptiness Hon. Okabe has caused in his church, house and family. Even the people he has been serving in Serere and those who knew him, the emptiness will never be filled. Nobody can fill that. I cannot stop crying. How can someone die just like that? The wife dies at the same time, then you expect people to reconcile this in the shortest time. It is very painful. Hon. Okabe should not have died just like that. I liked him as a person. Just imagine how many people are crying for him. My people in Nakapiripirit, where he has been praying, are really crying. Imagine if those people are crying for him, what about the Christians in Serere and Mbale? May his soul rest in peace.

May I, first of all, thank you, Madam Speaker, for your effective response right from when the news broke of the demise of our friend, Hon. Okabe and his wife. The people of Pingire are in mourning; the people of Serere are in mourning and the people of Mbale are in mourning. Indeed, the whole country is mourning this illustrious son of Uganda who approached life - as we all know and has already been said - with humility. Hon. Okabe’s approach to politics was one of transforming the ordinary person. As indeed already said, he supported multitudes of SACCOs in Serere County, and to be specific, he supported 160 SACCOs, of which, he launched 85 of them. In the coming year, 2023, he was actually planning to complete launching the rest with Shs 1,000,000 to each SACCO with a savings box. He also supported the girls’ brigade in his constituency with –(Member timed out.)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the people of Kigulu South where our brother had established a church in Nakalama subcounty under Impact Ministries, we convey our condolences. My people are mourning and as we talk, they are already in Mbale waiting for the remains. Madam Speaker, the simplicity of the late Hon. Okabe was manifested when we were paying tribute and later burying the late Papa Emorimor in Serere. I saw a campaign poster for the late reading, “servant leader” on a number of buildings. When we went for the burial, this man left seats for Members of Parliament who had gone to bury. He kept carrying chairs to ensure that Members are – (Member timed out.) Madam Speaker, I want to thank God for the gift of life that he gave to him and for the wonderful service he extended to this country. We will miss him. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity. Allow me, on behalf of the people of Buliisa and Bunyoro subregion and on my own behalf, to convey condolences to you, Madam Speaker, to the President of this country, the Parliament of Uganda, Papa Emorimor, the people of Teso subregion, to the family, to all of us, colleagues and above all, to the Christians worldwide. Our colleague and friend, Hon. Okabe, with whom we were in the 10 th Parliament on the Committee for Gender, Labour and Social Development was such a great person and full of passion. Together with his wife, they invited us to their home, as a committee, and we dined with them. We saw the love that was between the two of them and a love for humanity. Allow me say this, Madam Speaker. In his own words, this year in October, the bishop said, “We may not, even in our own time, see the Mbale we want to see, but our children and grandchildren will see it and live in this place.” That was the prophecy that the bishop made. May you leave in peace and may you be able to receive the crown from the Almighty God.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. For the sake of the people in the gallery who may not know me, I am Mugole Stephen, Member of Parliament Kabweri, in Bugwere, where the late’s life rested. This is a revelation. In 2012, two bishops got a revelation, one of them was Bishop Okabe, and the other was the late Bishop Chrisestome Weyabire , the first cultural leader of Bugwere. These two Bishops were all based in Mbale. They got the revelation that one was to cause cultural sanity and the other, political sanity. They had many issues with their wives because their wives refused whoever wanted to go; but they were determined. Bishop Okabe chose to go into politics, not as a politician, but to cause sanity in the political arena. Just like the late Weyabire - I am surprised that all of them have gone so soon. The late Weyabire went during the COVID-19 pandemic and under an unprecedented way. I would like to conclude – (Member timed out.)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the people of Bugisu, I want to send my condolences to the family, to you, Madam Speaker, and to the entire country. Madam Speaker, as the people of Bugisu, we are at a great loss. We have been partly or partially the biggest beneficiaries of Bishop Okabe’s life through his ministry, foundation, and he has done a lot for the people of Bugisu. It is a sad day for us as the Bagisu. I believe I was one of the first people to arrive at the scene when I got the call because the bishop was my neighbour; our homes are about 400 metres apart. So, I was one of the first people to arrive at the scene, and I then followed up to the mortuary. Then the wife also passed on while we were still at the mortuary and so, her body was also brought. I would like, in a special way, to thank you very much, Madam Speaker, for what you did because while I was at the mortuary and did not know what was to happen next, I saw some gentlemen from A-Plus Funeral Services coming. They were rushing saying, “The Speaker has been calling us.” (Applause) They said: “The Rt Hon. Speaker has called us and she wants us to get done with the preparation and transfer the body to the City Mortuary in [Kampala].” So, I thank you very much, Madam Speaker. (Applause) The number of people that turned up in those two hours was amazing. I could not believe that hundreds of people could gather within such a short time. Very many people turned up and this showed the love that the people of Bugisu, together with the people of Uganda, had for the late Bishop Okabe. I left Mbale today morning at six o’clock and we actually have two vigils. One at his home in half London and another at his church. So, there are two places where people are converging, but the number of people that is coming is very huge and all this signifies the love these people had for Bishop Okabe. I know that there is really nothing much I can do, but as a believer, all I can do is to pray for the bishop. I pray that the good Lord blesses the works of the bishop and gives him the best out of it, and for Mama’s soul to be forgiven. May their souls rest in eternal peace. (Applause)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was with Hon. Okabe in my second term of Parliament. It is so sad that he has gone at such a time. However, knowing that he has been a man of God and was caught up by chariots just like Elijah did, is comforting. Hon. Okabe has been a peacemaker. As Parliament, we are really crying. He was that person who would come in whenever we went bullying each other by sending those ‘friendly fires’. He would come in like a father and ceases the fires. We are going to miss you, honourable, and the people of Sironko that you employed at Impact Ministries in Mbale are mourning your departure. May God receive you as he received Elijah. Rest in peace! Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the people of Butaleja and on my own behalf, I wish to convey condolences to the family of our fallen colleague, Hon. Patrick Okabe. I had the opportunity to work with him in the Public Accounts Committee (Central) and he was a man of his word and this was manifested through his actions. We are going to miss him greatly because his success was attributed to development. He was the face behind Faith FM in Mbale and he happened to employ some people from Butaleja. He worked a great deal in the community by providing community services to farmers. One time he offered a tractor to a farmer’s group in my constituency. Madam Speaker, the spot at which he died is the very spot where my coordinator also lost his life this year. He was on a boda boda and a truck rammed into him. I support the contribution by my colleagues here that the Ministry of Works and Transport should take interest in that road. The design was not properly done and it is a bit slippery. Hon. Patrick and his dear wife will be greatly missed. May the Lord continue to comfort the family and may your souls rest in eternal peace.

The body has to leave for Mbale now because there is a team waiting for the body in Mbale.

Thank you. Could you, Madam Speaker, give me additional minutes because I have to give direction to the burial place? Madam Speaker, Serere, Teso, Parliament and the country are mourning. It is a great loss, which will be very difficult to forget. On the 15 th of December was the last time I was with Hon. Okabe in this Parliament. We were in the lobby. Hon. Okabe told me, “My brother, I have got a facility somewhere and deposited my land title in Mbale.” I asked myself why he trusted me with that information. I just said, “I have noted.” On Monday morning at about 7.15 a.m. Hon. Naigaga Mariam calls me and says, “Sorry for the loss of your brother.” And I was in Arusha. I was shocked. I reflected and said, “Is this the reason my colleague was giving me this information?” I bring that information to honourable colleagues and members of the family such that when all this is done, we are able to see how to handle that situation. Madam Speaker, some accidents – on the 16 th , we planned to go to Serere. Hon. Opolot went to Mpingire and I went to Kasilo. When we arrived at Mukula, my driver asked us to branch to a service station. As we drove in, the driver just rushed to the service bay. I asked why and he said to me, “This car is not stable. I don’t understand why.” When he checked the car, three bolts were off. We were only on one. I want to ask colleagues to take note of their transportation. I do not know who could have tampered with the car. We do not know what would have happened to us if it were not for branching to a petrol station. Therefore, as we travel, let us be cautious of our surroundings. You never know what can happen. Madam Speaker, we bring condolences to the family as the people of Kasilo, which is the immediate neighbour, because I pass through his constituency to Kasilo. I have known Hon. Okabe – we grew up in the Pentecostal church - I knew him in the early 1990s when he was at the Bible College where Rev. Emiau was the head. He was with my brother, who is also a bishop in the Pentecostal church. We have grown up in that. I want to thank the Pentecostal church for giving us that foundation. All the good attributes you see here have all come from the church, like you have heard from colleagues. We want to thank the Pentecostal Assemblies of God for that upbringing. Madam Speaker, our brother died in that accident, but there is something that is not coming out. I expected the Minister of Works and Transport or the Minister of Internal Affairs to have given us a full report about the accident. I am told by the family, because Hon. Okabe had also told me, that he would be flying out like he has always done. Every end of year, he goes to Mbale and organises a party for the children and the orphans. Thereafter, he leaves to join his family either in the US or Australia. This time, he was headed to be with the girls in the US and then connect to Australia to be with the sons. He was prepared, that is why he was moving with his wife. There was property in that car, including cash. No one is talking about it. As one travels, they carry some dollars and things. I am told it was something more than Shs 70 million. What happened? Why is the police not giving us a report about that? Also, like Madam Speaker said, that this driver went head on to him; was it foul play? The family is asking for an investigation. The police and Government must tell us what happened because the driver took off. Where is he? This is a non-Ugandan because

6729 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA FRIDAY, 23 DECEMBER 2022 Committee on Local Government, of which he was a member. We have really given the motion time. We have other members of the community of Mbale and then later on those of Serere, who are waiting for this very body and still the country has to mourn. I am rising under Rule 59 of our Rules of Procedure to request this House that the House closes debate on the motion for a resolution of Parliament to pay tribute to the late Hon. Patrick Okabe, and later on the body is received by other communities. I beg to move.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The body will leave Kampala today and will spend the night in Mbale. Then, tomorrow, there will be prayers at Impact Ministries in Mbale up to 11.00 a.m., when the body will leave. Depending on availability of time, it will either leave directly for Serere or it will leave via Soroti where the Iteso Cultural Union wants to have one hour with the body. Then, it goes to Serere, where there will be a council sitting to pay tribute to our fallen comrade. On Saturday, service will begin at 10.00 a.m. with viewing of the body and later on in the afternoon, the interment of the remains of our brother. That will be on Saturday, 24 December 2022 in Serere. Like Hon. Elijah Okupa has guided you - I do not know why Hon. Elijah did not talk about the road from Mukongoro because I use that all the time. It is also a shortcut. After Oladot, which is the swamp via Pallisa - you cross Oladot Swamp then the next town is Mukongoro. Right from Mukongoro, you drive to the left and that road will take you straight to Ngora and then to Serere. Actually, it is the most direct access to Ocaapa from Kampala. Therefore, we welcome you all to Serere on Saturday. The programme begins at 10.00 a.m. and hopefully by 4.00 p.m., we will be done. Thank you very much. The East African Community Anthem. The National Anthem. Exit of the body of the late Hon. Patrick Okabe.

Mr Speaker, I heard the Prime Minister in her response say that the President gave a directive that they should utilise part of South Busoga Central Forest Reserve, which they gave to the community. However, the law says that any change of use of land or forests has to be degazetted. I do not remember - and I have been around for some time - whether Government brought that instrument to degazette that area. On top of that, there are districts and cities, which submitted areas to degazette - Mbale, Mbarara, Pakwach (in West Nile), Kalangala - to compensate. I want the Prime Minister to tell us the progress so far.

6672 SECTORAL COMMITTEE REPORT people in Mbale who have tried to access UDB but they have to travel all the way to Kampala and keep going back, which is a cost. So, I believe this is something you need to work on. You need to work on what Hon. Omara talked about - the things that are required. I have about two people; I move with them and they had literally everything. They asked for statements, audited books of accounts, they asked for security. They had almost everything but up to now – it has been a year - and they have never got that money. I think you need to go back and see. That is one of the issues I have noticed about UDB. The second one concerns the EFRIS system. I think you were not very accurate when you talked of the EFRIS system only needing one machine because I operate a business and at every point, if you have a supermarket and you have about five to 10 tellers, every teller needs to have their own machine. It is not that you need one machine to work on the entire business. This is something I believe you can go back and review how it can be centralised. Mr Speaker, lastly, still on the EFRIS system, most of our people are computer-illiterate. I believe the recommendation of the report to give our people about one year to learn how to operate this is good. Remember it works on data – real time - and it needs electricity and all that, so there are very many challenges our people are facing. I believe it is right if we give our people ample time to get to learn. During this time, URA can roll out these outreaches to teach many of our people because right now, we have about two million taxpayers but the same taxpayers are the ones being squeezed every day. URA can look at widening more and moving out more – if we could double the taxpayers to maybe four million, then it would be much better for us, as a country, other than squeezing the very few who have been taxed. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving us this opportunity because I am one of those who took the Government to Court from the time I set foot in this Parliament, under Misc. Cause No. 163 of 2002 at Mbale, Okupa Elijah & 2,020 others v. the Attorney-General and three others. Mr Speaker, allow me, from the onset, to thank the current Attorney-General. At least, we see light at the end of the tunnel. From the time he set foot in that office, I had a meeting with him and he said: “No, let us have a start.” I applaud him for that. (Applause) Whatever mistake could have happened was not because of him. It could have been because of the previous leadership in that office. So, I thank the Attorney-General for taking the initiative. I also thank you, Mr Speaker, for saying that we should have a positive attitude towards this. As I told you, we went to Court in 2002 and we received the judgement in 2018, after 16 years. Among the orders of Court, dated 7 May 2018, was compensation to the families of those that lost their adult persons and there were figures given to it. There were also compensations for every cow, every goat and every pig. There was an interest rate of 25 per annum from the date of filing the suit until the payment in full – which was 17 years. It is detailed and we were wondering why the office of the Attorney-General only picked the cows. The ruling was very specific and clear. That is why I applaud Hon. Sseggona when he asked: why have we picked the cows only? There are a number of compensations that were supposed to be made because this compensation was not only for the cattle rustling, but also the killings that took place during the war -

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise on a matter of urgent national importance. This is a matter of life and death. On the 13 th of this month, we lost one of the chairpersons, LCI of Kabembe West, Budima Parish, Butagaya Subcounty, Kagama County, Jinja District. This chairperson was in critical condition that needed ICU services and so, he was referred to Jinja Referral Hospital. However, on reaching the referral hospital, the ICU was not functional. When we consulted the nearby hospital in Mbale, it was the same problem. Mr Speaker, adding to that, these people were told to buy drugs in the nearby pharmacies. At the end of the day, we lost the chairperson. Jinja is one of those districts with Ebola cases, and having no functional ICU is very dangerous. Not only that -

Thank you, Rt Hon. Prime Minister. Hon. Walyomu takes his time before he brings such issues; he rarely comes up just like that. Please, pick interest. He said it was the same in Mbale. You need to pick interest in this.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I just want to add to what the honourable member has just said; that the same issue happened in Sebei region. We heard in the news last year around October, that Government had come up with a policy to phase out PTCs. Sebei had only one PTC and that is Kapchorwa Primary Teachers College. It is a shock to the entire region that even after phasing out, the five core PTCs, which remain in the eastern region include one in Mbale, Tororo, Bukedi Subregion and two in Teso; there is only one in Moroto. From Kapchorwa, Kween, Bukwo to reach a nearest core PTC is about 250 kilometres. Mr Speaker, my prayers are that Government upgrades Kapchorwa PTC into a core PTC. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, that is my fear. However, if we can invest in awareness throughout this country as a mandate of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development – now that we have entered the budgeting process, we need to give enough appropriation for awareness. The justice centers are far from the clients. Even when people encounter this violence in homes, for people to start trekking - I want to give an example of Karamoja. In Napak, if people are going to find the justice center in Mbale and someone has to carry witnesses every time and the court procedure is so long - I think let us talk about getting the justice centers nearer to the people. Madam Speaker, I thank everybody here. Honourable members, I congratulate you upon the 16 days of activism; we are just beginning. I would like to implore all Members to find some kind of celebration in the constituencies and take the message down so that everyone is made aware of this.

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

6233 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT O F U GANDA TUESDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2022 2. To analyse the type of accidents and the total admissions; 3. To conduct an in-depth analysis of the total estimated costs of road traffic accidents and to review challenges in the road safety sector in the country; and 4. To develop a policy brief and recommendation in terms of laws, training, monitoring, and specific budget allocations that policymakers can consider in addition to increasing funding. The hospitals whose data we analysed were Arua, Entebbe, Fort Portal, Gulu, Hoima, Jinja, Kabale, Masaka, Mbale, Soroti, Lira, Mbarara, Mubende, Yumbe, Moroto and Naguru regional referral hospitals, and Mulago National Referral Hospital. When coming up with a cost of treatment, we interfaced with the consultants of Mulago and asked them what it costs to treat a patient who is severely injured, moderately injured or with mild injuries. We came up with the guided figures. We also looked at documents: the Annual Health Sector Performance Report, the police accident reports, reports from regional referral hospitals and so forth. Madam Speaker, let me go to some of the results on page 13. In 2018, the total number of accidents were 12,805. Of these 3,194 were fatal. In 2019, the total number of accidents are 12,858. Of these 3,407 were fatal. In 2020, 12,249 accidents occurred; 3,269 were fatal. In 2021, we had a spike, 17,443 accidents occurred and 3,757 were fatal. Madam Speaker, if I break it down to the magnitude of the injuries, and people killed: in 2018, 3,689 people died from accidents. Those seriously injured were 9,541, and those slightly injured were 1,881. In 2019, those who died were 3,880 and those seriously Injured were 9,635. Those slightly injured were 1,175. In 2020, those who were killed were 3,663, those seriously injured were 8,370, and those slightly injured were 979. Finally, in 2021, those who died were 4,159, the seriously injured were 12,589 and those slightly injured were 1,287. Madam Speaker, I would like to draw your attention to table nine. That is comparison of fatalities by road user groups. From that table - I wish the IT man could flush it - motorcyclists accounted for the biggest number of fatalities in all the four years, followed by passengers on motorcycles, followed by pedestrians. There is clear evidence to show that motorcycles, commonly known as boda boda s, are the biggest cause of injuries but most importantly, deaths from road traffic accidents. Page 15: causes of the crashes. We had reckless or careless driving, over speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and cars in dangerous mechanical conditions; the causes are up there. I would like to draw your attention to page 21: total admissions. Table 12 on page 21 shows the highest number of cases of admissions due to motorcycles, commonly known as boda boda s. If we break it down by sex, males were certainly more affected and these were males above five years, compared to females. I think it is quite clear on the table. I would like to draw your attention to table 22: again, the problem is boda boda s. Madam Speaker, on the issue of the costs that we pay, that is page 34 - Mr IT, can you please move to page 34? - We broke it down into the costs based on critical level four, critical level three and critical level one. The overall daily cost that we spend on treating accidents is Shs 877 million monthly. It comes to Shs 26 billion and annually, it comes to Shs 315 billion. That is what the sector needs to be able to treat victims of accidents. As Chairperson of the Committee on Health, I know very well that we do not appropriate this amount of money for accidents and

6211 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2022 teacher and staff recruited by the Government to run the school. The second one is: aware that Government policy does not support boarding seed secondary schools, is there any special way Nekemia Memorial Seed Secondary School in Buuvu, Kalangala District can be opened as a boarding seed secondary school, since it is meant to serve primary schools in Kachanga, Luramba, Kotobo and Bufumira, which are all in different islands. Madam Speaker, my response is, the Education Service Commission has finalised the recruitment of 4,805 teaching and support staff for seed secondary schools. Among these are 126 head teachers and 156 deputy head teachers. The ministry has already issued appointment letters awaiting posting instructions and deployment to the various seed secondary schools, including Nekemiah. It is true that the current scope of seed secondary schools do not have boarding facilities. This is in line with the USE School Policy. However, the ministry and Government have noted the need to have exceptions for districts located in Karamoja and the islands, where operation of day schools is very challenging. Assessment is on-going by the ministry engineers to ascertain that the cost needed to provide the above facilities are budgeted for in the medium term. Question No.7 came from Hon. Naome Kabasharira, Member of Parliament, Rushenyi County in Ntungamo District. Madam Speaker, the Member says that there is a constant outcry by truck drivers plying the Kampala-Masaka- Mbarara route over the mismanagement of the Lukaya and Mbarara weighbridges and alleged misconduct of the officers in charge. Truck drivers complain of harassment and extortion by some officers in those respective weighbridge stations. This unprofessional conduct of business by the officers manning those stations may cause financial loss to the Government as the money extorted from the drivers does not reach public coffers. Her prayers are that: 1. The relevant agencies streamline the operations of the weigh bridges across the country. 2. An investigation should be conducted on the two weighbridges to establish the extent of the problem and the errant officers be prosecuted. Madam Speaker, Mbarara and Lukaya fixed weighbridges are located along the Masaka- Mbarara Road and are used to regulate the overloading of trucks for purposes of protecting the road infrastructure from premature damage. The two weighbridges are managed by the Ministry of Works and Transport through the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). The Government is in advanced stages of installing the first phase of a high speed weigh- in motion system at Mbarara, Magamaga and Luweero. The high speed weigh-in motion systems for other weighbridges including Lukaya will be installed in the subsequent phases. These systems will allow compliant transporters to move on the road without having to stop on the weighbridge. Data centralisation has been done for Mbarara, Lukaya, Luweero, Magamaga, Mubende and Mbale weighbridges. This increases visibility of weighing operations at each weigh station for monitoring purposes. Madam Speaker, I would like to inform this House that the matter reported by the honourable member in Rushenyi is being followed and those officers will be brought to book. Question number eight: Hon. Naboth Namanya, Member of Parliament of Rubabo in Rukungiri District says that Kahengye Water Project commenced in 2015 with a projection to provide a lasting solution to water shortages in the constituencies of Rubabo, Rujumbura, Rukungiri Municipality and the neighbouring areas of Mitooma District.

Rt Hon. Prime Minister, I am happy with the statement. We were actually appreciating that we are happy with the re- organisation of the markets. You got it wrong. We said we are happy with the re-organisation that is happening in Kampala. However, we want this to go even outside Kampala and we re-organise other parts as well. (Applause) We want you to go to Soroti, Kakumiro, Bududa, Mbale; go to all those areas because Madam Prime Minister, truth be told, what you are doing is a good job; let it not stop in metropolitan Kampala. We need a law in place. This House made a law that we need in place. When we made the law, but we do not know what happened to it because it has never been returned. We do not know. That is what we want to know from Government.

6167 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2022 destroyed and the population is suffering. Here you are. In fact, if I were not strong enough, I would have had a heart attack a long time ago. (Laughter) Madam Speaker, when I see the suffering of people, I break down easily like I wept in Bududa when I saw people being pulled from the mud - dead bodies. And I told the President that “I will resign if I do not get supported to get these people away from that hazard.” (Applause) It is a real challenge. I would like to appreciate Hon. Nambeshe - we are now friends because we used to fight each other. You have understood our problem because the purpose for something called a ministry is supposed to be effective and efficient. Ours is not effective and efficient because of bureaucracy and we do not have authority over whatever is in the Contingency Fund. So, I support all that colleagues have brought up. I wrote to His Excellency, the President, requesting that we get a separate Vote, at least, if we are not going to stand alone as a ministry. The reason we should plan in advance and we had started planning. For example, during my tenure there of nine years now and nearly seven months - in that ministry, I am going to be 10 years next year in March. We had initiative; we started working closely with the hydro-meteorological systems, which predicts weather conditions, the rainfall, so that in advance, we can plan. We created a department called National Emergency Coordination Centre (NECC), which has been able to give warning, six months at least in advance to know when disaster is going to happen, but all those are on paper. To the Ministry of Finance, that one is not an issue; disaster comes and we are not ready; those are the problems we have. That is why I asked His Excellency, the President to give us a separate Vote. Secondly, I needed to recruit scientists to plan better. Disaster is a physical haemorrhage on our set-ups because of the climatic conditions, which have changed, the rising temperatures and many other things. The Ministry of Water and Environment does very well - it can always derive the data and the hydro-meteorological department, with which we are working on predictions are doing very well. We are sharing the data in predicting when those problems are likely to be. However, we need scientists to plan to use the data from the Ministry of Water and Environment, data on floods. We have to apply it for us to develop resilience to all these disasters happening. And these are challenges we have. So, in this plan, which my colleague read here, we intend to decentralise our operation; we do not want to operate as a Kampala-based unit. For example, for eastern region, we must have a centre in Mbale, whereby we will have food stores, all equipment, everything ready to respond when disaster occurs in eastern Uganda. In Western Uganda, hailstorms have started and then, the floods in Kasese will require us to be present there and not operate from Kampala. In the north, where sometimes, we are hit by drought, we are working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to give us fast-yielding seeds, but even if they get them for us, what plan on the ground do we have to make sure that those seeds are planted on time to beat drought so that there is food? All these are plans to be done there. Kampala can be a coordinating centre, not an operational centre the way we are now. So, these are the reasons I requested His Excellency, the President, to allow us to work in a planned and scientific manner. However, I think, maybe, some advisors might have given a different view.

The Rt Hon. Deputy Speaker, honourable members present today, distinguished guests, habari zenu, waheshimiwa wazuri. (Applause) Jina langu ni Phiona Rwandarugali. I am a daughter from the borders of this country. I come from Kisoro and I have roots in Mbale and Karamoja. It is a pleasure for me to stand before you -

Mr Speaker, I am a Ugandan from East Africa. In 1980, we had a very interesting story; that one General asked our grandparents for a vote and they said, “No.” He got only one vote. Forty years later, he has been regarded as one of the greatest leaders of this nation; and that is the President. ( Applause) I come to this House because I want to go and represent you as a common man. I come here as one of the people to fight for the common man; that common man - the businessman – who wants to know how to penetrate the Kenyan market; the businessman who wants to know how to get a business in Arusha, Tanzania. We have very many of our brothers and sisters from across the countries, and all of them are here doing business freely and nobody touches them. I happen to run several businesses across the country. However, I want to ask any of you just to try and open up a kiosk to sell milk in Nairobi. You will see how hard it is. This is what we are saying. Uganda needs to be respected. Uganda being landlocked, its citizens should not be bullied. I want to go to Arusha and tell our brothers and sisters that we also belong to this market. Uganda is not a dumping place. I have grown up seeing products from Kenya entering our market. I can assure you that if you go to Nairobi, you will find your Mukwano products as the last in the supermarket. It is shielded behind there. Why are we disrespected, yet we are the Pearl of Africa? I ask you, on behalf of the people who are struggling in your constituencies, to find markets and jobs for them, so that they are able to feed their families and also prosper to vote for me. I know I am not the best. I am not the superstar, but I ask for the sake of our common man. For the sake of our people, please, vote for me. I am the neutral candidate. I do not have anybody. I am not favoured by anybody. I come here by the grace of God. I want to assure you that I will not embarrass this House and our country, Uganda. Members, as we sit here - I come from a place where sugarcane is suffocated, yet, we are neighbours to Kenya. Kenyan trucks are all over Busoga region and Mbale taking our bananas. How many of our traders are in Kenya taking there anything or anything out of there? I want to go and market East Africa. Honourable members, I ask for your vote not to go and speak too much English. I want to go to Tanzania to represent my country, to speak Basic English that a Muyinda somewhere can understand. When you talk of the Custom Union, do I understand it? When you talk of all this good English and documents the lawyers have drafted, how does it benefit me as a farmer? I am one of the people who are trying to implement the East African Youth Development Fund. This is what we are saying; we need to go to all universities across the seven countries and ask them to contribute so that we help our youth. This is the only way to market the Community. If you asked anybody from your constituency, what does an EALA MP do? Who does the EALA MP represent? They will tell you “ mugenda kulya sente” because they do not understand what we do. Therefore, we will need to push this East African business down to the people.

5981 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022 One good thing about me is that I am an environmentalist who has worked hard to make sure that we protect and conserve our ecosystem. I have worked with very many people, including our own Members of Parliament. I know Teso subregion - we have been in Mbale to mobilise and established recycling technologies that are meant to clean our cities and make us better. ( Interjections ) I said as an example of clean cities because I come from Fort Portal Town, the hub of hospitality, generosity and good people. As you know, other people got it wrong but allow me to allude to this adage that says; “ Omutoro tayangwa ” because they are always good people, committed to service and ready to work with the people. Members of Parliament, I request for your vote because I am capable and ready to defend this country in the East African region. I would like to bring the East African Community closer to your voters and people. I am ready, with zeal and determination, that whatever has been happening in the past. Today, we have a new vision, a new clear image of Uganda in East Africa. East Africa is now composed of seven States but they look at it like it is one of those small States. Uganda is a big country, and we must harvest big in the East African Community. I am going with passion, energy, and industriousness ready to put it at the helm. When we reach Arusha, we shall start negotiating for facts and issues; like the East African Bank; it should be here. How can you compare Uganda with others and then, deny the chance for Uganda to have the East African Bank? How can they undermine us when we have our people there? We are going to have it. All of you repeat after me; “we are going to have it.” ( Applause) I would like to assure you that I am very dedicated to the business tribunal. Do you know why our people are still being lynched and castrated in South Sudan? You do not know. ( Interjections ) It is because we lack people to follow-up issues of this kind. We want EALA to bring up those situations through dialogue, and through the good offices in these countries, to make sure they understand that East Africa is a free border zone, where a Ugandan can cross to Juba and make money and come back home and be happy. I am very determined on that; the business tribunal will help us to make sure that we realise all the four protocols. I can assure you, honourable Members of Parliament that when you send me to Arusha - none of our Protocols is working well. The Customs Union and the Common Market are all redundant. How can we speak of a Political Federation, and a Monetary Union when we do not have those two things; the Customs Union, and the Common Market must first open the borders? If you have your business enterprises and firms down there, you should be able to go across the borders and take all your products into the region. Congo is on board; why should you miss that chance? We shall go to Goma, Kinshasa, everywhere and do business. Thank you. Dear honourable members, we have to promote tourism -(Member timed out.)

5902 MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION We have been constantly reporting inadequacies in terms of our facilities, especially the mortuary. Mr Speaker, in the whole of Karamoja region, there is no functional mortuary. When someone dies in Moroto or Kotido, they have to transport the body to Mbale for treatment, and then back to Karamoja for burial. The Ministry of Health should address this issue because it is very urgent. Otherwise, this has been going on for quite some time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The concern I have on the report is about the supply of drugs. Mbale Regional Referral Hospital serves about three regions, that is, Sebei, Elgon, Bugisu and Bukedi. However, in the report, from Shs 1.5 billion allocated for the supply of drugs, they only supplied drugs worth Shs 197 million. Mr Speaker, those of us who come from the east know that Mbale Regional Referral Hospital is overstretched. The volume of the people going there is too high. Patients sleep on the verandas and there is too much demand for drugs. Like one of the Members – (Member timed out.)

Thank you, very Mr Speaker. I have seen two critical issues on pages 60 and 104, where our health facilities have no land titles. These include; Arua Hospital, Mbale, Kitovu and Fort portal blood banks. I request you, Mr Speaker, to task the Ministry of Health to go across the country and bring a report on the status of all health facilities, so that we get to know whether we have land titles or not. As patients, we are in fear; land owners may throw us out the hospital.

Hon. Mwesigwa, the MP for Hoima East Division, wanted to know why the country has delayed validation and the approval of staff structures for the newly-created cities and its effect on service delivery. Mr Speaker, in January 2022, Cabinet under, Minute 21 (CT 2022) approved the 10 cities in Uganda and the structures for the 10 cities to implement. The following actions have been taken: 1. The structures were customised to enable the cities come up with individual human resource structures that address their uniqueness; 2. The customised city structures have been adopted by the respective city councils and implementation guidelines for the said structures have been prepared and disseminated to the city authorities; 3. The job descriptions and person specifications were prepared to enable the City Service Commissions place the existing staff and recruit the right people in the right jobs; Mr Speaker, validation of the existing staff, formally belonging to the respective municipalities and annexed areas from the mother districts, was also done and successfully concluded in all the 10 cities of Hoima, Masaka, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Soroti, Jinja, Mbale, Lira, Gulu and Arua.

5942 PRIME MINISTER’S TIME With the increasing burden of cancer in the country, the Government of Uganda has embarked on the development of regional cancer centres. This is in line with the National Development Plan III and the National Health Policy, Health Sector Development Plan and the Uganda Cancer Institute Strategic Plan 2022/2026. According to the Uganda Cancer Institute Strategic Plan, four regional cancer centres in the western, eastern, northern, and north- western regions are to be set up, equipped and operationalised by the end of the Financial Year 2025/2026. This is the update on the progress of the regional cancer centres across the country. Northern Uganda Regional Cancer Institute Gulu The project for the regional cancer centre in Gulu was approved by Parliament in 2020, as a Turkey project. The construction work is nearing completion. Equipment has been shipped and is on site awaiting installation. The site handover is expected by the end of the year 2022, and the official commissioning will be in the year 2023. The Eastern Uganda Regional Cancer Centre Mbale The feasibility studies for the realisation of this project have been completed and the concept was submitted to the development committee of the finance ministry. In the meantime, the Uganda Cancer Institute commenced work on start-up structures in order to have a skeleton service, while awaiting a comprehensive project that will accommodate all the cancer services. Western Uganda Regional Cancer Centre Mbarara The final report of the feasibility studies for Western Uganda Regional Cancer Centre in Mbarara has been completed and submitted together with a concept to the development committee of the finance ministry, for approval and financing. In the meantime, Mr Speaker, there is a very active cancer care service, which is second only to the services in Kampala, with over 3,000 patients attended to, in the last financial year. This has been achieved using the available infrastructure, equipment and human resource. North-Western Uganda Regional Cancer Centre Arua Mr Speaker, the feasibility studies for North- Western Uganda Cancer Centre in Arua, have been developed and submitted to the development committee of the finance ministry, awaiting approval and financing. In the meantime, breast cancer prevention and early detection services commenced in Arua using the available infrastructure equipment and human resources. Hon. Acayo asked a question: Whereas the general civilian population continues to obey and respect the traffic laws while walking or driving on the road, there are a number of vehicles and motorists of security personnel vehicles with civilian number plates, but with military jackets put on the driver’s car seats to disguise as vehicles of military officers. There are also civilians and some security elements that have sirens and flashlights similar to those of VIP vehicles. They always abuse traffic rules, force to have the right of way and even disobey the police traffic officers on the roads. Her prayer is: Rt Hon. Prime Minister, what mechanism does Government have in place to stop this abuse of the road and disruption of traffic flow that inconveniences the movement of people, especially at peak hours?” My response is that Section 123 of the Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998, (Amendment) Act, 2020, the Traffic and Road safety (Rules of the Road) Regulations, 2004, specifically, regulation 5 specifies who has a right of way.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, when the floods hit Mbale, they ended up in Budaka. You are aware that a lot was destroyed. I did what it could take and even the district disaster committee wrote to the ministry. However, up to now, whereas Mbale was given some relief, Budaka has never got anything. What do you intend to do for the people of Budaka, who also faced the wrath of the floods?

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, like my friends from Mbale and Kasese, Bundibugyo was also hit and even up to now, it is being hit by floods. Rt Hon. Prime Minister, you are aware that on the 3 rd of September, Bundibugyo lost three people. However, to our dismay, when Kasese was being considered for the Presidential handshake of Shs 5 million, Bundibugyo was left out. What plans do you have for those people who lost their dear ones? Thank you very much.

Respect, Mr Speaker. (Laughter) Thank you. I rise on a matter of national importance, concerning the cracks – I should not be named “the landslides person”, but I have about three National Water and Sewerage Corporation collection centres in my constituency and in the district, and that is Sono Treatment Plant, Laaso and another one at Lilima. These collection tanks feed four districts with water, knowing very well the adage that water is life. The four districts are Namisindwa, Tororo, Manafwa and Mbale. I rise because of the cracks around these collection tanks, especially that of Sono Treatment Plant. The multibillion uptake tank is completely cracked as a result of the landslides. Therefore, my prayer is to the ministry to move these tanks about two kilometres away because they have cracks. That will be pitting the population – the hundreds of thousands of people – in the four districts from taking this water. My prayer is to the ministry, specifically in charge of water and environment, to assist the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, which is a very good institution doing its work, but may not have enough money, to move these tanks away from where they currently are. Thank you.

Mr Speaker, mine is a point of procedure. On 17 July this year, I raised a matter of national importance in relation to the mismanagement of one of the strategic institutions for special needs education in this country, that is, Mbale Secondary School for the Deaf. The Speaker guided and directed that the minister provides a response within six days. It is now two months and three days, no response has been provided by the minister responsible for education and sports. Mr Speaker, I place before you the following prayers: 1. That a declaration that by not respecting your directive, the minister is found to be in contempt of Parliament; and 2. That is a declaration and demand that the minister provides a response now or within two days. That is all.

Mr Speaker, I am required by the rules, before reading the report, to present to the House the minutes of the Public Accounts Committee (Central Government), all filed and which form the basis of this report. I beg to lay them on the Table. I also beg to lay a copy of the executive summary that I am going to read, for purposes of your record. Mr Speaker, Article 163(4) of the Constitution of Uganda mandates the Auditor-General to submit to Parliament an annual report on the accounts audited by him for the financial year immediately preceding. The Constitution further, under Article 163(5), requires Parliament to debate and consider the report, and take appropriate action within six months after the submission by the Auditor-General. The report of the Auditor-General for the Financial Year 2020/2021 was presented on the Floor, on 3 February 2022 and referred to the committee for consideration. In accordance with Rule 174 of the Rules of Procedure, the Committee on Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) considered the Auditor- General’s report for the Financial Year 2020/2021 on the health sector to satisfy itself, among others, that: a. The monies appropriated by Parliament and disbursed were legally available for, and applicable for the services or purpose to which they were being appropriated or charged; b. The expenditure conforms to the authority, which governs it; c. Re-appropriation has been made, in accordance with the provisions of the rules of a competent authority; and d. The intended value of the extended monies was attained. Scope The report covers audit queries contained in the report of the Auditor-General for the period ended 30 June 2021, in respect of the health sector, in particular focusing on the Ministry of Health, the national referral hospitals of Mulago, Kiruddu, Butabika, China-Uganda Friendship Naguru, Kawempe and all regional referral hospitals. In addition, the report covers findings on other specialised-related institutions of votes and programmes such as the Uganda Heart Institute, the Uganda Cancer Institute, the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services and the Uganda Virus Research Institute. Others include the Uganda National Health Research Organisation, the Joint Clinical Research Centre and the Uganda Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health Services Improvement Project. Methodology The committee held meetings with accounting officers and staff of all national referral hospitals, regional referral hospitals, the Ministry of Health and other specialised votes under the sector, including the Uganda Heart Institute, the Uganda Cancer Institute, the Uganda Virus Research Institute, the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, the Joint Clinical Research Centre and the Uganda National Health Research Organisation. The committee further carried out field visits to selected regional and district hospitals of Arua, Mbale, Mubende, Fort Portal, Nebbi and Tororo respectively, to appreciate the conditions in which they operate, the extent of implementation of the development budget and the general levels of service delivery to Ugandans. In the visits, the committee observed the physical condition of the infrastructure and equipment. Members also interacted with hospital staff as well as other stakeholders,

5817 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA THURSDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2022 This model has an option of either contributing food in kind or cash for food rations. We all know that feeding is important for the health of our children and how poor learning, absenteeism and school dropout are partly caused by hunger in schools. Mr Speaker, Government started a pilot project to engage parents to start contributing towards feeding their children while at school, targeting at least one million children within Kampala Metropolitan Area – covering Entebbe, Kira, Makindye, Mukono and Nansana municipalities – and later to have it extended to the districts of Jinja, Mbale, Soroti, Lira, Gulu, Hoima, Kabale, Arua, Kabarole and Masaka, if well implemented. Government has secured a partnership between the Ministry of Education Sports and SNV Uganda, a Netherlands Development Organisation, which will help in subsidising the parents. As such, the parents will contribute between Shs 10,000 and Shs 20,000 each term to ensure their children are fed on milk at school. Mr Speaker, milk was chosen because it provides bone-building nutrients, specifically, calcium, vitamin D and magnesium, which are of high nutrition for both good health and development. Government has entered into partnership with processors who will design specific milk and yoghurt products for school children and distribute about 250mls (per quarter pint) of milk to each child per day for five days. Mr Speaker, the targeted level of school is pre- primary, primary and secondary school. We, therefore, urge honourable members and parents to embrace this programme for the better health of our children in schools and to improve their learning. Hon. Ronald Akugizibwe, Member of Parliament, Buruuli County, Masindi District. He said: “Census is a critical planning tool, which helps governments to plan for the future in terms of schools, hospitals, roads, urban infrastructure and more. For Vision 2020 to be achieved there is need to plan based on reliable statistics.” His prayer is that I update this august House on when Government intends to carry out a housing and population census. Mr Speaker, on Monday, 12 September 2022, Cabinet approved a plan to carry out a housing and population census, scheduled for 24 to 25 August 2023. The process is estimated to cost Shs 330 billion, which Government will mobilise in two financial years; that is, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. The census will enable Government to establish the number of houses, the people and budget accordingly, in terms of service delivery to various regions. The census will be done digitally and data uploaded directly to the central server in Kampala. Mr Speaker, this year, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, through the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, shall be procuring information technology (IT) devices, which will be used in the exercise. After the census, the smart gadgets will be used to carry out other studies such as agricultural census and administrative statistics, among others. Question No.5 came from Hon. Phiona Nyamutoro, the National Female Youth MP. She said: “There are about 13 million people in urban centres in the country. Over 50 per cent of Ugandans, by the year 2050, will be in cities, yet housing is still a challenge in urban centres. Last week, His Excellency the President launched a multi-billion housing project in Lubowa, under the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).” She asked: “What is the status of Solana- Lubowa Housing Project and its benefit to the people of Uganda?” My response, Mr Speaker, is that on Thursday, 8 September 2022, His Excellency the President commissioned the first phase of the Shs 1.4 trillion Solana-Lubowa Housing Project.

Mr Speaker, I appreciate the concerns of Hon. Aleper. It is true, the Muyembe-Nakapiripirit Road is under construction. Yes, I expect people to want quick fixes, but when you are doing a road of that nature – and terrain, especially around Ngenge area – you have to take a lot of time to ensure that you stabilise the road. Therefore, the contractor is still doing the drainage first. That is why he has constructed most of the box culverts and he is left with about two box culverts only. He has laid the hard core to stabilise the ground. I call for patience so that we don’t rush him to do a shoddy job. I want him to do a job which will last for years because that road, apart from human traffic, is the road which brings marble and raw materials for the industries in Tororo and Mbale. Therefore, we are very careful not to rush the contractor to do a poor job. Thank you.

Madam Chairperson, I request to move a slight amendment, to the amendment introduced by the chairperson, as regards to the timeframe to the commencement of this benefit. Madam Chairperson, the record of Parliament under discussion, when the Members of Parliament discussed with the President in Mbale and it was during -

Madam Chairperson, I have a slight amendment – and I want to refresh the mind of the Members. When we introduced this pension, the Parliamentary Commission met the President in Mbale and the idea of the President was that we needed to cover all MPs since 1962. I was one of the people who moved a constitutional amendment, which Hon. Moses Ali rejected. Since we lost that opportunity, for the sake of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, it is paramount that we put the commencement period of this benefit to 1962. We have many former Speakers who are destitute. You have former Speakers and Deputy Speakers whose children cannot afford anything and they contributed to the building of this country. It will not have a serious financial implication because they are very few people. They have dignity and are respected worldwide. They have made this Parliament what it is and we need to leave a legacy. Madam Chairperson, I beg to move.

Madam Speaker, I would like to commit that the matter brought forward by our senior colleague - that is for the former Members of Parliament - they are not only disturbing you, they also come to my office. I commit that I will inform the Head of State who promised us, so that this matter is put to rest. (Applause) Madam Speaker, allow me to inform fellow Ugandans that we woke up once again to terrible news about the landslides in Kakiika Village, Kagoro Parish, Rukoki Subcounty, Kasese District; where it is reported that so far, over 16 people have been confirmed dead, seven people are seriously injured and are in hospital, while three are reported still missing. Initial reports indicate that over 30 households, consisting of about 150 people, have been displaced. This is a tragedy. I bring condolences from the President of the Republic of Uganda to the families that have lost their dear ones. On learning about the sad occurrence, the President has directed Government to provide Shs 5 million to each family that has lost a loved one, to help in the burial arrangements. Madam Speaker, as soon as I received the information this morning, through our colleague the honourable Member of Parliament for Busongora South - the newest, Hon. Thembo, the Office of the Prime Minister activated our Emergency Response Unit headed by Brig Gen. Kinalwa, who is already on the ground. The District Disaster Management Committee in Kasese is carrying out search and rescue operations together with other partners and other security agencies. Affected households have been advised to move to Kagere Church of Uganda in Kasese Municipality. My office has, this afternoon, dispatched food and non-food relief items to the affected families. On the ground, the Office of the Prime Minister is coordinating partners such as the Uganda Red Cross, the World Health Organisation, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Uganda Police Force, and Save the Children, to avail emergency support. Madam Speaker, in view of all of this, H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda has called on the nation to protect the environment so that nature can also protect us. What we are witnessing across the country, for example in Kasese, Mbale and elsewhere is as a result of destruction of the environment. We appeal to the general public to heed the information that is provided about weather forecasts by government agencies and also to move to safer places. Honourable colleagues, we will continue monitoring the situation as per the weather forecast and keep issuing updates to the country. Madam Speaker and Members, I thank you. (Applause)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the committee for the report. I would like to comment on equal access to health in two areas. The first is with our children who are suffering from hydrocephalus and spina bifida. These are children who have big heads, as we locally know it. Accessing treatment is very difficult for these children. Many of our Government hospitals do not handle these cases. Parents of these children also find it very challenging to access treatment for their children. They are always referred to private hospitals like Cure in Mbale or Jinja. Therefore, I appeal to Government that for us to have equal access to health, these children should be considered. Secondly, as the Chairperson for the Committee on HIV/ AIDS, during our assessment, we discovered that there is an increase in infections in the population. However, because [Mr Timuzigu] STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT

Madam Speaker, I told the House that the health centre that is in existence is for a non-governmental organisation despite the fact that the Government supports them with PHC funds. This one is going to be purely for the Government. You know our policy here is to have a health centre per subcounty. This subcounty had that one that was for an NGO. This time round, we are constructing a new one for the Government. Government will be the one to manage it. My brother also talked about the ambulance. Parliament passed a policy here, Madam Speaker, during the COVID-19 time. Remember it was that time when we were putting ambulances on standby to collect members of the community who would be identified with any signs of COVID-19. It was during that time when we decided here – I was a minister then – that we regionalise ambulance services and make sure that those ambulances are functional and can save lives. The other day I saw an accident towards Jinja, when I was going to Mbale. That was between Lugazi and Jinja. We saw ambulances come very quickly and they picked up the man who had got into an accident. They took him to Lugazi and referred the others, who had gotten injured, to Mulago. So, we could give them more of these ambulances and they are positioned either by road sides other than dumping an ambulance at a health facility. When the health centre does not even have fuel, it would still be useless because a health centre III has very limited funds. However, these ambulances that are managed by regional hospitals and regional centers are usually perfect. Madam Speaker, on vandalism, I had given an answer and you had already ruled. I will not talk about that.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the honourable member for raising the matter about the nature of the road between Tororo and Mbale and we condole with the families that have lost their dear ones. I will relay information to the Minister of Works and Transport to come and brief this House on the plans to rehabilitate that section of the road - (Interruption)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to thank the hon. Chris Baryomunsi for giving way. As he informs or instructs the minister, since he is the chief whip, I have received information that there is a presidential directive barring the construction of humps on highways. Secondly, before the hon. Ssemujju agrees with him, is that Karamoja and Mbale, surely, if you are getting the raw materials from Karamoja, what stops you from putting the factory in Karamoja? This is how we have failed to equitably develop the country. If people are dying, and you are not going to put humps on the roads to reduce speed, how else do you want the minister to help? However, the information is that there is a standing instruction not to put - (Interjection)- that bars the construction of humps on highways; just in case you missed the Cabinet on that day.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise on a matter of national importance. We have got a section of the road from Tororo to Mbale, which has become a death point; the section between Busiu and Bumageni Barracks. We raised this matter at one time and the minister visited. A report was made and the UNRA was instructed - as a short-term measure - to build speed-limiting humps such that we do not lose lives but up to now, nothing has happened. Just to illustrate the magnitude of this matter, on 20 January this year, a fuel tanker crashed and got burnt, killing four people on the scene and two other people were crashed by other rescuing vehicles. In August 2021, a speeding truck hit and killed six people. Madam Speaker, in the same period, another cement-carrying truck from Tororo, killed five people from one family. Just to cut it short, in 2017, a cement-carrying vehicle killed 22 people in minibuses. Therefore, I bring this matter to this House, with this prayer; that the Minister of Transport hastily rescues my people by constructing humps on that road. Secondly, the road is being redesigned. It is my prayer that they include a flyover on the road that comes from Butaleja to Nabumali, as that is the biggest spot of the accidents. I thank you, Madam Speaker.

2396 2397 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 2022 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT The committee discovered that in Gulu City, the local leaders/ politicians, such as councillors that were meant to supervise and provide oversight, took over and abused the process by registering their relatives and themselves as beneficiaries. In situations where the local councils rendered support through identification and registration of beneficiaries, these lists were put aside during data entry and replaced with other beneficiaries. When the committee interrogated further, it was discovered that over 10 councillors, the speaker and former LC III chairperson of Layibi Division, for example, registered and benefited from the fund. Arua City and Kitgum Municipality had almost similar cases of abuse of the process by administrators. In Mbale, some city council staff were registered and benefited. The Lord Mayor Kampala Capital City Authority revealed to the committee that in Kampala, the DISOs abused the process by registering beneficiaries along party lines. The committee further noted that in some cases, the compilation of the list was left to chairpersons of associations of the different trade categories, in total disregard of the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, instructing that the compilation be carried out using existing administrative records. In Tororo Municipality, for example, the chairpersons of different trade categories took advantage of this loophole by registering beneficiaries along political party and social relation lines. There were also allegations of extortion by the chairperson of the boda boda association in Tororo Municipality, who was alleged to have been asking beneficiaries to part with Shs 15,000 to be registered. Relatedly, in Fort Portal City, some town agents were also accused of asking for between Shs 30,000 and Shs 40,000 before one was registered or their national ID would be retained until the money would be cleared. Recommendations 1. The committee recommends that the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development holds accountable all Town Clerks who negated on their roles and responsibilities during this exercise by delegating their functions without proper supervision, as this amounted to neglect of duty. Additionally, all officers responsible for the abuse of this exercise by registering themselves in disregard of the vulnerable, be reprimanded. 2. The committee further recommends that the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social development should ensure that administrative records like tax registers in all cities, municipalities as well as other administrative units are updated by registering all formal and informal businesses. This would ease identification and verification of beneficiaries of such an exercise in the future. Term of reference No.2: Ascertain the criteria used to select and identify the beneficiaries According to the National Social Protection Policy, 2005, vulnerability is defined as “limited ability to manage risks or cope with shocks that may lead to undignified lives”. While appearing before the committee, the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development submitted that the Cabinet defined the vulnerable in the context of the lockdown to mean “those who were engaged in employment at the time of COVID-19 lockdown and depended on daily earnings, which were disrupted”. The committee notes that there was no standard selection formula used in selecting beneficiaries in the targeted areas. In most of the cities and municipalities, the principle of “first come, first served” was applied. As a result, many categories of would-be beneficiaries were left out and for those who benefited, resources were not equitably distributed amongst the categories. For example, more people 3. We met with the town clerks, city/ municipal mayors, RCC/RDCs and other stakeholders in the following locations: a) Soroti City, Mbale City, Arua City, Gulu City, Lira City, Fort Portal City, Hoima City, Mbarara City and Masaka City. b) Tororo Municipality, Masindi Municipality, Ntungamo Municipality, Kumi Municipality and Kitgum Municipality. i) The committee also carried out on- spot visits and verification at a number of boda boda stages, taxi parks, street vendors and special hire operators to try and ascertain the terms of reference. ii) We analysed documents submitted by the Rt Hon. Prime Minister, the town clerks of municipalities/cities, KCCA Lord Mayor and other stakeholders that the committee interacted with. iii) The committee also carried out random telephone calls, which were made to the selected beneficiaries from the list provided by the Rt Hon. Prime Minister. Whereas, the committee was desirous of visiting all cities and municipalities that received the COVID-19 relief fund, it could only afford to visit the selected few due to time and budgetary constraints. Observations Madam Speaker, the committee was informed that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development approved the COVID-19 emergency fund, amounting to Shs 53.5 billion to cover all 501,107 targeted beneficiaries. Out of these numbers, a total of Shs 2.854 billion was spent on administrative costs and Shs 50.6 billion was transferred to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development account in Post Bank to facilitate direct transfers to the chosen beneficiaries. During the meeting with the committee, Post Bank informed the meeting that the bank had since received 488,272 total transaction instructions from the Ministry of Gender and successfully processed 487,307. Payments had since closed, according to the Ministry of Gender, with a balance of about Shs 1.43 billion lying on its account. Term of reference 1: Establish who compiled the lists of beneficiaries in the different locations. The committee observed that COVID-19 and its resultant effects, as occasioned by the lockdown, needed to be treated as a disaster and, therefore, it was wrong for the Government not to involve the Ministry of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Management in its response, given its rich expertise in personnel and structures down to the local Governments. Although the town clerks were supposed to be in charge of compilation of the list of beneficiaries as stipulated in the guidelines, the committee noted that this was done mostly through delegation. In Soroti, Arua, Hoima, Mbarara and Fort Portal cities, for example, the town clerks were newly posted and therefore, delegated their deputies to undertake the exercise. This was, however, done with little, if any, supervision. The committee observed that the delegation of this responsibility without sufficient supervision, made the exercise susceptible to abuse, as the data collected by those delegated was greatly manipulated. Many would-be beneficiaries were left out, especially private school teachers and restaurant workers, as the committee found out in almost all locations visited. In Fort Portal City, the deputy town clerk monopolised the whole exercise. In Arua, most of the data entry clerks that carried out the exercise were volunteers/interns who took advantage and registered themselves and other persons in the different categories.

2398 2399 THE ELEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA WEDNESDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 2022 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT As noted earlier, in most locations visited by the committee, this exercise was marred by irregularities. Officials who were assigned the responsibility to carry out the exercise negated on their duties. There was also poor co-ordination between the offices responsible and the grassroot structures as such as GISOs, DISOs, RCCs/RDCs, LCI and town agents in the supervision and verification of the beneficiaries, which led to abuse of the process. Whereas in Masaka and Lira cities, the RCCs actively participated in the exercise, in Ntungamo Municipality and Mbarara City, the elected leaders were not involved at all. In Mbale City, the Office of RCC was denied the opportunity to verify the beneficiaries in the Office of the Town Clerk. As such, about 1,500 persons were verified out of the over 9,000 that benefited. In Arua city, the RCC and the Mayor only got to receive a report on the exercise while meeting the committee. There was no structural framework involving all leaders to ensure a co-ordinated execution. This led to people, who were not intended to benefit, taking part of the fund. It is worth noting that a few random telephone calls made by the committee to the beneficiaries revealed that some persons did not receive payments whereas their names are captured as having received relief and in the list provided. The committee could not, however, establish the accuracy of such assertions as the payments were made privately through their telephones and they could have deleted the confirmation messages. A one Ssewankambo Bashir Mbale captured in the list as having been paid under the bus/taxi conductor category denied having received the money when the committee called him. A one Oloya Geoffrey from Gulu purported to have been the first beneficiary of the relief fund under the boda-boda category could not be traced. When the committee consulted the boda-boda Association in Gulu, they denied him being a member and alleged that the Oloya in question is, in fact, a builder. While interacting with the committee, the Gulu City officials informed the meeting that their efforts to reach out to Oloya were futile. The committee noted that not all persons registered received the money due to various reasons, such as disparities in the names registered vis-à-vis those that appear in their NIN, using one’s NIN to register many telephone numbers and incomplete information, among others. The Committee further noted that there was an option in the guidelines to pay persons who qualified and were in possession of NIN, but had no telephones through the bank post. However, many would-be beneficiaries with these cases were ignored and replaced hence leaving out a big number. Recommendations 1. The Ministry of Gender considers verifying and giving relief to the vulnerable who had already been identified within the quota range but were left out due to errors in the information. This should be done before the end of October 2021; and 2. In future, systems designed for this kind of exercise should cater for vulnerable persons without phones and persons with disability. Term of reference number five was on how much money the beneficiaries received. We have indicated the figures and the committee recommends that should such an intervention be necessary in the future, the rates should be based on the current cost of living. We did observe before the recommendation on how we arrive at that conclusion. Term of reference number six was to establish the roles played by the different stakeholders. We have examined the same at page 17 and came to the conclusion that the committee recommends that should such an exercise be necessary in the future, elected leaders should be involved from the onset to give it ownership. benefited under the boda boda category than food vendors, salonists and car washers. In Mbale, the committee noted that the number of support staff who benefited in private schools was more than the teachers in those schools, which is not logical. In Tororo, a total number of 1,402 slum residents benefited, representing 37 per cent of the entire threshold, as compared to three vehicle loaders. In Soroti, the committee interacted with Mr Saleh Babu Opwonya, the Chairperson Teso Coach Stage, who intimated that out of the 75 members he registered, none of them received relief. Meanwhile, his counterpart, Mr Abdu Mugisha, the Gateway Bus Company chairperson, revealed that out of the 56 members he registered, 48 benefited. In Fort Portal, at Kampala-Kyenjojo Taxi Stage, 60 members were registered and on Kampala Road Boda Boda Stage, 132 members were registered but none of them received relief. These inequities meant that certain categories benefited more to the disadvantage of others. Suffice to note that the Government was able to set thresholds for beneficiaries in all the cities/ municipalities but did not consider setting out a workable formula to be used to equitably share the quotas. The committee noted that for success to be achieved in Lira City, identification was done based on the area of operation and business location for each category. Leadership structures for each category also supported the registration and verification process. Consequently, internal structures were put in place where the compiled lists were first submitted to the DISOs’ office and both physical verification and phone call verification was done to ascertain authenticity of the submitted lists. Once approved, the list would be submitted back to the Town Clerk for data entry. Other cities and municipalities did not fully verify their lists. Cognisant of the directive of the ministry to display the lists generated in public places within urban areas for purposes of updating and verification, with supervision of warden administrators and support of village health teams, the committee noted that across all the cities and municipalities, this directive was defied. This was attributed to limited time, technicalities in the online system, bulk and sensitivity of information. In the committee’s view, the display was avoided as it would expose the irregularities and abuse of the process. Nonetheless, if a display was to be done, raw data would have been the one to be displayed as and when the lists would come through. The committee recommends, therefore, that; 1. The Ministry of Local Government should, in liaison with UBOS, support the local government administrative units to set up a more robust database for future use. 2. In future, if such an activity reoccurs, the Ministry of Local Government should ensure that Town Clerks strictly adhere to the set guidelines. Term of reference No.3: Verify the list of people who received the money Madam Speaker, the observations here are contained on pages 12 to 13. I would wish to proceed directly to the recommendations, following the observations. The committee recommends that the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development should consider giving relief to residents of Ayivu Division and Northern Division of Arua and Fort Portal cities, respectively. This flows from the observations that there were no benefits to them. Term of reference No.4: Verify and establish whether the intended beneficiaries actually received the money.