Disaster Ministry asks for additional Shs 100bn for food distribution

The State Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness, Musa Ecweru, has said that an additional Shs 100 billion is required to finance the second phase of the food distribution exercise across the country.

According to Ecweru, the second phase will target three million vulnerable Ugandans who have been greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic across the country.

"We are going back to the cabinet for the second phase of intervention and that will be tomorrow (today). When the cabinet gives financial authority to proceed with food distribution, we shall inform the country," he said during an interview on Sunday.

According to Ecweru, the Shs 59 billion that was approved by Parliament to buy food was used in the first phase of food distribution in Kampala.

On the issue of accountability, Ecweru said they will account for every shilling that was given to the ministry.

"We are also going to indicate to them the companies that supplied, their contacts and amount of food each company gave to the people of Uganda and the money they received. This is going to be the most transparent operations and that is our commitment," he said.

He urged the public and leaders to refrain from politicising food distribution exercise saying during this period people need help.

"Don't open your mouth unless you have facts at your fingertips unfortunately some of my colleagues prefer to do things in a reverse way. They speak before doing research," he said.

In the first phase of food distribution, 1.5 million vulnerable Ugandans in Kampala and parts of Wakiso were targeted

The exercise was supposed to extend to Mukono but due to financial constraints, the arrangements were halted for the meantime.

In his latest address on Covid-19, President Museveni suggested that those who got food during the first food distribution exercise should also be considered during the second phase of the exercise.