MPs Elude Banks On Shs20m COVID-19 Cash Bonanza

By Henry Mulindwa

Last week, we told you of how MPs were warming up for Shs20m COVID-19 cash.This money had secretly been factored in in the recent supplementary budget that was passed by parliament totaling over shs300bn. This supplementary was partly meant to facilitate the health sector, security an other relevant entities that are involved in the national response against the deadly Virus.In that same supplementary, the MPs secretly put in shs10bn with each member going to bag Shs20m. Their original request had been shs50m each.Now, the latest information from the corridors of power is that MPs are pushing so hard not to have this money channeled through their bank accounts.Instead, they are pushing that this money be withdrawn and been handed to the office of government chief whip who should work with respective party whips and channel this cash to individual members.The reasoning here is that, members are terribly financially badly off with several of them nursing huge loans.”Therefore, if this money is put on our accounts, we shall have got nothing. Banks are going to snatch it. It will be a bad deal” a source told us, adding that this money was supposed to have reached member’s accounts today Thursday. “Members want the money to go to chief whip so that they get physical cash. They want it withdrawn and they go and sign it physically. They fear banks will chope it” sources said adding that this is the same approach members used during the age limit’s shs29m (each) cash. Apparently, the members threatened that if government dared passing it through banks, they had threatened not to support the age limit ammendments. This is how the cash was withdrawn and passed to them through chief whip’s office.”The same situation has emerged. Members say they want to pick this money personally in cash” the sources revealed.This money has attracted public uproar accusing MPs of being anti-people. That whereas everyone world over is contributing towards assisting those affected by COVID-19 effects such as quarantines, the legislators have turned out to be beneficiaries of the situation.”I have been thinking how Parliament interpreted the National call to fundraise for the corona virus efforts.There is an LC chairman who mobilised one million shillings and handed over. l am not sure whether the PS MOH ever imagined that her call to MPs to avail their Ambulances in this life threatening crisis would attract tax payers money 20M to each MP whether they have Ambulances or not.Was just thinking through this particular interpretation” says hon. Lydia Wanyoto.She goes on ‘Can Government standdown the national call for corona fund, so that the Supplimentary budget suffices.Who will help the locked up population deal with leadership contradictions.This particular crisis is about life. About all of us. About humanity” she says.However, one of the opposition FDC MPs Simon Oyet (Nwoya county) advised such complainants to warm up for the upcoming political season and stand for MP so that they too, become one.MAnother MP Robert Migadde (NRM) hugely backs the cash. He says the public outburst about this freebie is uncalled for. He even described such people as ringworms.”I have been watching public headlines that MPs are to receive 20m. This is worth 10 tonnes of second grade posho per constituency and everyone is shouting, some people behave like ringworms that kill a person feeding them not knowing they go in the grave together. I have been watching MPs voluntarily offer the little they can to their constituency task forces. What’s wrong with topping up a little 10 tonnes of posho to the little already offered?” He says. Though his colleagues like hon. Hussain Kyanjo urged him to feast on his cash but should not insult people. “Hon Migadde you can disagree with the critics coz I think they are unfairly treating the MPs but dont say they are shouting just explain your case many will understand” he counselled.