Government has released a statement announcing plans to recognise Members of Parliament who have served in the different legislatures from the time Uganda got her independence to 9th October 2012.
In this, it has been reported that Parliament is set to give Golden jubilee medals to 1,200 former MPs for their service to the nation.
The institution has set aside over 600 shillings to facilitate the awards ceremony slated to take place in Kampala on 26th September.
This statement has however not been welcomes by some stake holders and citizens of the country. Concern has been raised on government’s priorities in spending taxpayers’ money.
Parliament’s Assistant Director of Communication and Public Affairs Hellen Kaweesa told journalists on Tuesday that the idea was supported by President Y. K Museveni.
For some in debate, such amounts should be reverted to Uganda Cancer Institute hospitals that are turning away patients who seek treatment due to lack of drugs.
Sources report that the Cancer patients seeking radiotherapy will have to wait a little longer because there is no money to repair the old machine that broke down in March.
Elsewhere, civil workers from the health sector are making headlines time and again over delayed pay. 40,000 teachers are reportedly not paid for two months according to the Daily Monitor.
These are a few of several reasons forwarded by critics to the awards organised by the Presidential Awards Committee.
Should taxpayers be able to designate how their taxes are spent?
Should Ugandans make direct decisions about how much money they want to spend on other government programs, like paying off the national debt, government workers pay and allowances, the war in neighboring countries ?
This would probably – if applicable force the government to focus time and resources on projects citizens actually want, not just efforts that appeal to special interests.
Ms Hellen Kaweesa further urges that the awards are in place to honor heroes while they are still alive, rather than to await their death so as to hip up condolence messages.
Those to be honored include Forum for Democratic Change’s Dr. Kizza Besigye and his wife Winnie Byanyima, Dr Isaac Newton Ojok, Nobert Mao of the Democratic Party, Ben Okello Luwum among others.
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
