Opposition legislators want Covid-19 relief increased to Shs 200,000

The shadow cabinet has accused the executive of usurping the powers of Parliament by appropriating Covid-19 relief funds without the approval of Parliament.

They now want Parliament to be recalled so that they can handle issues affecting the country.

In a joint press conference held at Parliament on Thursday, the shadow cabinet ministers asked the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah to immediately recall parliament to handle their constitutional role of appropriation and oversight as the country grapples with a second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic.

According to Joyce Bagala, the Mityana Woman MP and shadow Information minister, the absence of parliamentary sittings has compelled the executive to usurp the powers of the legislature while appropriating Covid-19 funds.

“Government needed to bring such a matter to parliament for debate. The executive has no power whatsoever to appropriate funds without the approval of parliament,” Bagala said.

Gilbert Oulanyah who is the MP for Kilak South said arms of government as parliament should be left to do its work.

Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister of ICT and Information however told NBS TV in a separate interview that government is only executing the budget, not appropriating like the shadow cabinet claimed.

"In any case, the law empowers and authorises the minister of Finance to spend up to 3 percent if wishes to spend through supplementary budgeting, and then he can make a report to parliament within four months. It’s clearly in the law," Baryomunsi said.

The shadow cabinet also wants the relief for vulnerable persons revised from Shs 100,000 to Shs 200,000, saying that the figure announced by government is too low.

"We think it should be doubled by suppressing the State House budget since the president no longer moves around regularly," Bagala said.

Baryomunsi said the opposition should stop thinking that everything that government does should be opposed.