KAMPALA – Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has given the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Minister Muloni up to November 26 to present an interim report regarding allegations that UGX24B meant for the construction of a road on top of Isimba dam connecting Kayunga to Kamuli district.
The Speaker made the directive during Wednesday’s plenary sitting, saying the decision by Muloni to address the matter before media was aimed at silencing her as well as Parliament against inquiring on the whereabouts of the Shs24Bn.
The Speaker said, “I have heard what Government has said and I want to give them the following information because I think they don’t have it or they are ignoring it. In February, the Criminal Investigation Department requested the Auditor General to conduct a special audit. There was an attempt to force the managers of China Water and Engineering Company (contractor of Isimba dam) to leave the country that is how they came to me, they were being threatened to leave the country. They wanted them to leave before the commissioning, if the Government is interested, this is part of the information.”
Theodore Ssekikuubo (Lwemiyaga County) described the decision by Minister Muloni to address the issue before media as contempt of Parliament saying, “I noted with deep concern when the Minister of Energy chose to go to the Media Center and respond to the Chair through the media center and yet she is a member of this house. If matters of such grave nature aren’t responded here and people choose to go somewhere and address media as if those who were speaking on the floor are nonsense, didn’t have facts, I find that very contemptuous of Parliament and demand that the Minister clarifies on that position and explain why she chose to go to media center.”
In her response, Muloni denied disrespecting Parliament saying she was prompted to respond to the matter because the issue was in the media and that the public was awash with information that the Shs24bn was eaten and there was no bridge so there was need to clarify the matter.
The Minister said, “I don’t condone corruption. I haven’t held the Parliament of Uganda in contempt. I respect this parliament, its head and colleagues. I asked colleagues who supervised the project and that is the information that was presented at media center. I don’t hold this parliament in contempt.”
