MPs express mixed reactions over Museveni's address

Members of Parliament and government officials have expressed mixed reactions on the State of the Nation speech delivered by President Museveni on Wednesday at the Serena hotel in Kampala.

Talking to The Nile Post, Aswa County MP Ronald Reagan Okumu watered down Museveni’s announcement of creation of a new corruption monitoring unit within the State House.

Museveni said in his speech that he has put in place a new team to help fight corruption despite the presence of the office of the Inspectorate General of Government that he said has failed on its duties.

However, according to Okumu, the president has lost touch with what is supposed to be done and is simply doing things out of ignorance.

“There is no need of duplication of units.I don’t agree with such an intervention because every government department works on behalf of the president but creating new one is wrong,”Okumu said.

“He should just empower the office of the IGG.”

On the issue of security, Okumu said the president has failed to reign on security agencies which he said are fighting among themselves.

The Aswa County legislator said various security agencies are fighting over control of money that goes for security operations.

“I think he is not in control and ought to bring to order the security agencies.I doubt the ADF is involved in all those murders like he said.”

In his address, Museveni wondered s why the office of the IGG has failed on its duty of protecting the public from corrupt officials.

However according to Buyaga West County legislator, Barnabas Tinkasimire, the head of state is only lamenting and cannot do anything to stop corruption adding that the vice stems right from his own house.

Tinkasimire, who is one of the rebel MPs, lashed out at Museveni for bribing some legislators to pass the age limit bill into law, a thing he said shows he is not ready to fight corruption.

“He gives bribes and he thinks we shall believe him on the fight against the vice? At least the IGG could work but what will the three- man committee do without enough budget,”Tinkasimire wondered.

Manjiya MP John Baptist Nambeshe described the president’s address as a fulfilment of his duty before rubbishing its contents.

“He only fulfilled what the constitution tells him to do by giving account of himself in the past one year. There is nothing new," he said.

The NRM Secretary General, Kasule Lumumba applauded the president for tackling the key issues in his address adding that it is high time people realised government is working towards progress of the entire country.

She however urged the president to strengthen IGG’s office and the party structures at all levels to help fight corruption, instead of forming a new state house unit to do the job.

“I don’t think the new unit will have the power and capacity to prosecute offenders like the case is with the IGG.I suggest they should be strengthened instead of coming up with a new unit,” Lumumba said.

On kidnaps, Lumumba implored Museveni to come out with a strong stance against those involved in carrying out kidnaps.

“Like he came out on child sacrifice and it ended, he should come out as the commander-in-chief to speak against kidnaps,” Lumumba said.

Security minister, Gen. Elly Tumwine emphasised Museveni’s advice to security agencies regarding working closely with the locals for intelligence gathering to help fight criminality.

He assured the country that they are on top of the few security skirmishes adding that there is no need to panic.