The Deputy Speaker of parliament Thomas Tayebwa has faulted Bunyoro leaders including members of parliament and RDC's for neglecting their role of monitoring government programs especially parish development model.
He said because of this, the rich have benefitted from PDM at the expense of the poor who were supposed to be the primary beneficiaries.
While addressing hundreds of people at Kigorobya Moslem primary school in Kigorobya sub county Hoima district during the belated women's day celebrations, Tayebwa noted that he has learnt that most people who were meant to receive PDM money did not receive it.
"Here in Bunyoro there are a lot of complaints that poor people were tossed and never got PDM funds to improve their livelihoods. Its the leaders and the rich who got the money. How can that be? This money is meant for the poor of the poorest. I direct you to go monitor PDM in your respective constituencies to ensure the right beneficiaries get the money. It is hurting that this has happened in the watch of RDC's who are always available in the district," Tayebwa directed.
He however cautioned the public to avoid pressuring their members of parliament to do even the impossible including what is not in their mandate saying it's this pressure of electorates that make MPs end up doing dubious acts like corruption probably.
"Members of parliament have their roles. Don't pressurize them to do a lot. Because of too much pressure, they will end up using whatever possible way to get funds so that they can meet their electorates demands. If you want money don't join politics because politics is service. For example, Hon David Karubanga and I used to count money in billions when i was doing business in Sudan and Karubanga was a road engineer but today we count money in millions."
On the issue of Bunyoro University, Tayebwa said funds have been allocated in the budget .
"When we had not included Bunyoro University the pressure from these MPs was too much, but i want to assure you that Bunyoro University is in the budget. It will start soon."
Harriet Businge, the Bunyoro parliamentary caucus vice chairperson, also Hoima district woman member of parliament, noted increasing cases of land grabbing in Bunyoro sub region asking Tayebwa to join them to ask for affirmative action towards reversing the trend.
"We are tired of land grabbing, and the most unfortunate thing is the people behind are very connected, some in security. So many people are living in fear. We are calling for affirmative action for Bunyoro on the issue of land grabbing. Discovering oil in Bunyoro doesn't have to make our people landless, our president we kindly ask you to take it up," Businge said.
Uthuman Mugisha, the district chairman, noted that while oil companies talk about local content, people in Bunyoro are not getting the oil jobs even yet they are qualified.
"When our people apply for jobs in the oil companies many of them are never employed.I can confirm many qualify but it's intentional these companies bring people from other places, but oil is here and our people must be the first to benefit," Mugisha lamented.
Deputy Speaker Tayebwa responded.
"When these roads were being constructed, government used money that was got from other resources and that may not have been from Bunyoro. Those people did not complain, so as we advocate for our sons and daughters getting oil jobs, allow other people from other parts of the country to also get jobs, because they are entitled to them."
