KABALE – Drama arose on Saturday, March 30, during the closure of a dialogue under Parliamentary Outreach Program in Kigezi sub-region when participants from Kabale Municipality were deprived of transport allowance.
Held at Cephas Inn Kabale under the theme, “Closing the Gap between parliament and Local Governments’, the dialogue had attracted political leaders and technocrats and legislators from Isingiro, Ntungamo and other districts from Kigezi region
However, the dialogue which was completed in one day (Saturday) with each participant being given UGX300,000 as transport allowance.
Hell broke loose when one of the parliamentary officials who was only identified as, Gideon, bluntly stated that there was no transport allowance refund to leaders from Kabale Municipality.
Angry leaders yelled at the Parliament official protesting his decision.
John Peter Sande, the LCIV Councillor – Nyabikoni ward says he regretted why he left his work to attend the dialogue where transport allowance was given to a few.
“I can’t leave my work to come here and waste my time in kavuuyo (chaos). We shouldn’t be taken for granted as leaders,” said agitated Sande.
The irate leader further slammed the organisers citing that denying Kabale Municipality leaders transport refund while other participants were being given is a sign of disrespect
Councilor Badru Biryomumeisho, (Kijuguta ward – Northern division) expressed his dissatisfaction with the organizers for denying them transport allowance.
“This is open corruption and injustice to give one party transport refund and leaving the other out, ‘ said Biryomumeisho
In a new twist, the State Minister of Finance for Planning – also the Ndorwa West County MP – Hon. David Bahati and the Kabale District MP, Hon. Catherine Atwakiire Ndamira sped off for their dear lives on realizing that leaders of Kabale Municipality are not on the list of those to receive transport allowance
This forced Patrick Besigye Keihwa, the Kabale District LC5 chairman to task the Parliament official to explain why leaders from Kabale municipality are not being considered to get transport allowance.
On confrontation, the official later changed his decision and only facilitated three Division Chairpersons with UGX 50,000