BUDUDA–The MP for Manjiya County in Bududa district, John Baptist Nambeshe, has withdrawn the Shs29 million he donated to Bududa hospital recently sighting intrigue and malice among district leaders.
The funds were the MP’s package given by Parliament for consultation on the Age limit bill but because the MP is strongly opposed to the lifting of presidential age limit, he, on Sunday, November 29, decided to donate the money to the hospital to buy a CBC blood count machine and other hospital equipment.
The former district LC5 chairperson had also constituted a committee to monitor the safety of the money and progress towards improving health services at the hospital which is understaffed, over-crowded, underfunded and operated with antiquated or absent equipment.
However, in a letter dated November 1, 2017, seen by this website, the hospital human resource officer, Emmanuel Bululu, who received the funds on behalf of the Bududa district medical superintendent, noted that the money has since been retrieved under the directive of the MP.
“I deemed it wise idea to hand over the money and work as a loyal public servant guided by the principles of public service,” part of Bululu’s letter read.
In another letter dated November 1, 2017 authored by the Dr Sylvia Ntegeka, the Bududa hospital Senior Medical officer, and addressed to Bududa district secretary social services and copied to the district Chief Administrative Officer, Resident District commissioner, district chairperson and the District Health Officer, it was indicated that the hospital had not received any financial donation from MP Nambeshe.
According to MP Nambeshe, the decision to withdraw the money was informed by the desire to safeguard the life of Bululu who was being threatened by both the district autocrats and other higher authorities.
“For receiving this money on behalf of the hospital, this young man was highly threatened and even arrested,” Nambeshe said, noting that he is also being hunted for making the donation.
Bududa Resident District commissioner Imran Muluga in a WhatsApp message sent out to the media confirmed the arrest of the human resource officer, saying a security committee had sat in an emergency meeting Wednesday and agreed that the money was posing a threat.
“I do not know that donating money to a hospital is a crime in this country?” the MP wondered.
The vocal legislator also alleged that the district authorities had also wanted to withdraw the money from Bululu and subject it to bureaucratic procedures.
“They wanted the money to have gone through the accounting office which would originate a work plan and then go through a procurement process which to me would see some funds end up in malicious hands,” Nambeshe said.
The legislator, however, maintained that the Shs29 million is still intact and he will still go ahead and procure the CBC blood count machine which has been lacking at the hospital to help locals at his district.
The inside story
Sources close to PML Daily in Bududa had intimated that Bududa district authorities received a directive from “Higher authorities” to give back the money to the defiant legislator as it was causing excitement among locals and popularizing the anti-age limit campaign within the district.
“The district authorities compelled the hospital management to return the money because government has enough resources to manage all hospitals in the country,” a source said.
Patrick Kuloba, the secretary Social services in his October 31, letter demanded the hospital superintendent to provide a receipt for the funds received and the work plan for the funds.
This bureaucratic demand, according to the source, was a polite way of asking the hospital to refund the money.
But Nambeshe said the move was an attempt to frustrate him politically.
Cause of trouble
MP Nambeshe is among the NRM MPs who were recently kicked out the party caucus for strongly opposing the amendment of Article 102 (b) of the Constitution. His ‘togikwatako’ demo on 0ctober 15, 2017 in Bududa Boma Grounds attracted a huge following in the rural district which forced police to fire teargas.
