Mps on the parliamentary budget committee have discovered a move by the ministry of Agriculture, fisheries and animal industry to defraud tax payers 2 billion shillings for purchase of Ankole cattle at an inflated price for cross breeding program.
Mps on the committee chaired by Remigio Achia discovered the scam while meeting the minister of state for finance Fred Omach to defend the supplementary budget.
The minister Omach wanted mps on the committee to approve 2 billion shillings for restocking the National Animal Genetic resource centre with 1000 Ankole cattle to restock Ruhengyere and Aswa ranches for conservation and cross breeding pragram.
The cattle are meant for implementation of the presidential program to avail one cow per family in the areas where war and cattle rustling deprive farmers of their animals.
MPS Joseph Matte, Tim Lwanga, Elijah Okupa the they will not approve the requested 2 billion shillings for purchase of cattle because its not urgent item for supplementary budget and that the price tag was inflated to un believable price in the market.
Mps wandered how one cow cost 3 million shillings yet in the normal market its cost 800,000 shillings.
The committee resolved to summon the miniter of Agriculture to justify the inflated price although they have rejected to approve the money for this project because they donot see its urgency.