OPINION: Can we talk honestly about the extravagant government expenditure?

It is being reported that the Oyam North County by-election which is slated for July 6, 2023, will cost Shs900 million, according to the Electoral Commission (EC).

Probably the same amount  is to be spent on conducting the Bukedea LCV by-election due on 14th June this year.

Just last week, the Government Spokesperson, Mr. Ofwono Opondo opined in the government daily and even aired his views on the Capital Radio Saturday program his concerns about the escalating government expenditures. Mr. Opondo seems to have conveniently singled out the expenses the government is spending in burial ceremonies in the name of offering the deceased a state funeral.

Mr. Opondo raised pertinent questions as to why tax payers' money to the tune of Shs700 mn  should be spent on sending away a deceased when actually much of that money would have instead gone into  improving on the government service delivery in the area where the fallen government official hails from?! 

This sounds like the most logical and objective side of Mr. OO and indeed he has received a lot of applause and kudos from  as wide and far from even his doubters.

However, if we are to evaluate Mr. Opondo's views critically, we can't miss to wonder why he chose to brazenly talk only about the extravagance in the expenses of government burials while seemingly giving a blind eye to the other expenses that government makes which undoubtedly are haemorrhaging the country.

Certainly, there are numerous government expenses that if suppressed or reduced would have gone along way into being utilised to improve on our roads, pay a reasonable capitation grant for our children in schools, pay for the regular supply of drugs in our health facilities and would help in enhancing salaries for the teachers and medical workers.

Actually, this has been and continues to be the herald call to government to cut down on its expenditures given the current economic and financial constraints.

The government expenditures that one would have liked or expected Mr. OO to also speak  about is the expenditure for our so called democracy.

Mr. OO needs to also address his concern on the cost of our current Parliament to the tax payer. 

Is it still feasible and sustainable for the country's tax payers to continue to be burdened with a Parliament of 557 Members and over 500 members of staff?

Is it feasible and sustainable for a country like Uganda to continue with the habit of political gerrymandering which has resulted in slicing the country into 146 Districts, 312 Counties and 353 Constituencies, all of which are resource consumption centers?

A case in point are two pending bye-election to be held next month of July. 

In effect, in Oyam county alone, an amount of a total of Shs1.6 bn will have been expended on the state burial of the deceased and in organising a bye-election to elect his replacement.

It should matter to evaluate if the amount of government resources expended in the excise is worth the value that is derived thereof.

It shouldn't be lost on us to reflect on and remember the equally expensive bye-elections held to pick new replacements at the constituency or district levels, only to end up with replacements that actually don't measure up or have just been a disappointment to those that they are supposed to represent and serve.

A case in point is the bye-election in Usuk County in 2012.

Few will forget the excitement and pomp that the youthful Hon. Elangot Oromait who was elected in 2012 when she was only 19 years and still completing her secondary school came to Parliament. She was to replace her fallen father of Usuk county who tragically died in an accident. 

Hon. Elangot to the disappointment of those who fronted her, rarely attended Parliament and even before the expiry of her term she moved to the US where she is registered into a University also paid by the government of Uganda.

There are many examples of products of these expensive bye-elections that haven't lived up to the expectations.

So, while applauding my good comrade Mr  Ofwono Opondo in gathering the courage to raise a red flag on the government state burial expenses, let us hope that he will too pick interest in addressing these government expenditures that are bleeding the country profusely.