Kampala Central MP, Muhammed Nsereko

Members of Parliament have noted with concern that the current government student loan scheme is only benefiting 1,325 students at University and Tertiary level leaving out a number of young needy applicants.

A report tabled before the Parliamentary Equal Opportunities Committee Chaired by Kampala Central MP, Mohammed Nsereko, shows that the available funds could only cover 46.3%.

Since the beginning of this scheme which was established by the Higher Education Student’s Financing Act 2014, in the financial year 2014/15 a total of 3,799 students have benefited out of the 10,288 number of students who had applied.

However, the MPs noted that there has been a drop of 17% in the number of applicants received in 2016/17 compared to 2015/16.

The Higher Education Student’s Financing Board which is a body running the students loan scheme is considering expanding the scheme to cover the continuing students, masters and doctoral to enable such students who are already at universities  because they meet various challenges tuition fees needs.

University students jubilating at a graduation

It was also noted that the number of girls benefiting from this scheme is still small compared to the males students who stand at 2,845 against their female counter parts at 919 students.

The Higher Education Student’s Financing Board is expected to start recovering the loans given to the  first batch of  students in 2019.

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President Yoweri Museveni.

President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni last week appealed to the Parliamentary Commission to consider extending the payment of pensions and gratuities to include all the former MPs not just those of the 9th and 10th Parliament.

Museveni said this recently during the Golden Award Ceremony of 1162 MPs who served the country right from the 1st to the 9th Parliament when Uganda celebrated its golden Jubilee.

The President says the government cannot fail to look after 1,000 people who in the last 50 years made a contribution to the development of this country.

The appeal was made when one of the Golden Jubilee Medalists asked that as former legislators, Parliament considers also accompanying their awards with some token of appreciation in form of money.

Mathias Nsubuga, the former Bukoto South MP expressed the need for a resource envelop that can cater for families of former MPs most of whom cannot cater for themselves.

Another MP, Gilbert Oulanya, the Kilak County Member of Parliament did not also differ much saying that government needed to do more for these families either by either schooling their children than giving simply empty medals.

Meanwhile former Rubaga South MP, John Ken Lukyamuzi does not support attaching monetary value to the medal. Lukyamuzi was however, among the few opposition politicians who turned up to receive the medals.
He said boycotting the ceremony is meaningless and he received a medal not for President, Yoweri Museveni but for his own contribution to Uganda’s democratic struggle.

Some of the prominent opposition politicians including Dr. Kizza Besigye, wife Winnie Byanyima, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party President Mugisha Muntu, Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Winfred Kiiza  did not show up  for the Golden Jubilee medal awarding ceremony.

Others are Democratic Party (DP) president and former Gulu Municipality MP Norbert Mao, former Mbarara Woman MP Miria Matembe, former Kampala Central MP Erias Lukwago and others.

The awarding occasion is provided for under the National Honours Award Act, 2001.

The medalists were read out by, General Elly Tumwine who is the Chairperson of the Presidential Awards Committee.

Museveni was later invited to decorate the medalists who were recognised for work done in building Uganda’s democracy.

However, Gen.Tumwine cautioned those who received the medals to handle them with care and put them on with pride since they remain a property of the republic of Uganda.

About 300 Members of Parliament since 1962 to 2012 did not pick their Golden Jubilee award medals, though 600 million shillings was injected in for their procurement and preparations to about 1400 beneficiaries.

Reports from the officials who were giving out invitation cards and identification tags to the beneficiaries of the medals say that most of the Opposition MPs shunned the awarding ceremony and hence causing wastage of funds used for making   invitation cards, identification tags and booking eats they said.

The award is in recognition of the present and former MPs for their contribution to the democratization of the country and some of them missed the medals due to lack of transport facilitation especially to those who served in the first Parliaments.

The awarding ceremony held at Serena hotel on Monday and officiated by the President was attended by few opposition MPs because others did not want to associate with the President and prefer to pick them after without the President’s hand shake.

Among of those who boycotted the function include; the former  Democratic Party President, Dr.Paul Kawanga Ssemwogerere,John Sebana Kizito ,Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze Bakireke ,Leader of Opposition Winfred Kiiza ,Kampala Central MP, Mohammed Nsereko , Erias Lukwago ,Bugweri County MP, Abdul Katuntu ,Soroti Woman MP, Angelina Ossege ,Lubaga North MP, Moses Kasibante ,Busiro South MP,  Merdad Segona ,Masaka Municipality MP, Mathias Mpuga among others.

Others are the former FDC Leader, Dr.Kiiza Besigye’s wife Winnie Byanyima ,former Leader of Opposition, Wafula Oguttu  and Latigo Ogenga ,Democratic Party President, Norbert Mao ,former Mbarara district MP, Maria Matembe among others.

The few opposition MPs who attended the function include the Kilak North MP,  Gilbert Oulanya, Kasilo County MP, Elijah Okupa ,Lira district Woman MP, Joy Atim , Aswa County MP, Regan Okumu among others.

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MPs Mohammed Nsereko, Barnabas Tinkasimiire, Theodore Sekikubo and Wilfred Nwagaba

In the meantime, West Budama South MP-Tororo District Markson Jacob Oboth has withdrawn from the race saying it’s not a practice of common wealth Practice to stand against the Incumbent Deputy Speaker of
parliament.

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The Party’s Disciplinary Committee resolved to expel Rwemiyaga MP, Theodore Ssekikuubo, Kampala Central MP Mohammed Nsereko, Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimiire and Ndorwa East MP Wilfred Niwagaba. The four who being charged together with Mbarara Municipality MP Vincent Kyamadi of disobeying party positions and indiscipline refused to appear before the NRM disciplinary committee.

Kyamadidi who appeared before the committee chaired by NRM Chairman Al hajji Moses Kigongo has been given a three months suspension. The four MP tried unsuccessfully last week to seek a court injuction against appearing before the disciplinary committee saying they were not being given proper audience while some complained that the members of the disciplinary committee especially Amama Mbabazi was opposed to all of them.

Tinkasimiire, Sekikuubo and Niwagaba

The accused MPs usually called rebel MPs are known for openly opposing the position of the NRM party in Parliament and in public media.

Niwagaba last week said the NRM was criminalising his holding a different opinion debated and passed before the floor of Parliament. He said that some of the charges brought against him concern his position on the Petroleum Exploration, Development and Production Bill. It is not clear whether the suspended Mps will appeal the decision, because if they dont, they will automatically lose their Parliamentary seats.

MP Tinkasimiire says the MPs are ready to challenge the NRM in their respective constituencies if by-elections are organised.

“You joke with the will of the masses. Let NRM be tempted to remove us from Parliament, they will learn a lesson. They will not garner 10% of the total votes in any of our Constituencies,” he told journalists last week.

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A source in NRM parliamentary caucus has intimated to us that the supporters of DP, FDC, UPC, JEEMA and PPP among other opposition party are free to go to Kyankwanzi when the president summons NRM cadres to go there.

Kampala Central MP, Medde Nsereko says that when NRM summons its cadres for meetings, they use public facilities so any member of the public can also go since the facilities used are owned by all citizens.

MP Nsereko is considered in NRM circles as an opposition element who contested for parliament on NRM ticket.

By Walakira Nyanzi

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This in contained in an eight page statement he supplied to MPs during Monday’s caucus meeting at Entebbe State House.

Museveni summoned MPs of his NRM ruling party to Entebbe state House to discuss the current economic crisis and the controversial giveaway of Mabira forest.

But according to MPs who attended the caucus, all MPs who contributed to the debate differed with the President on the proposed give away of Mabira forest.

Kampala Central MP Mohammed Nsereko, Mugema Peter Panadol of Iganga municipality and John Mulimba of Samia Bugwe South say no one supported Museveni;s idea of giving away mabira and they will not allow him to giveaway one of the only natural forests remaining.

The Vice chairman of the NRM caucus David Bahati says it was a healthy discussion with the President and the party will have to take time to digest the views of MPs before taking a conclusive action.

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The committee whose members are yet to be named will among others investigate the funding of the thermal power generation project.

Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko tabled before Parliament the motion seeking parliamentary approval to probe the energy sector.

Electric power connection

He told fellow legislators that the underhand dealings in the energy sector require a comprehensive probe by a committee of Parliament.

With support from MPs Katooto Hatwib, Cerenah Nebandah and Opposition Chief Whip Winnie Kiiza, the legislator highlighted the need for proper accountability on funds spent by government on subsidies to the energy sector.

In April 2011, Parliament approved 92 billion Uganda shillings as supplementary expenditure for the energy sector.

MPs are enraged by the current power rates and the rampant load shedding that has grossly affected the economy.

The probe follows a standoff between Parliament and the joint Finance and Energy Ministries over a 61 billion shillings subsidy for the thermal power subsidy.

The funds earlier blocked on the floor of Parliament have been blocked by the Parliament joint committees on budget and natural resources.

A report of the Parliament Budget committee noted that the funds would enable government partially offset outstanding arrears amounting to 207 billion Uganda shillings.

Tim Lwanga the chairperson of the budget Committee told Parliament that it would be irregular for Parliament to approve the expenditure of 61billion Uganda shillings over and above the funds provided for in the ministry budget.

State Minister for Finance Aston Kajara told Parliament that government requires 455 billion Uganda shillings to offset the total power subsidy for the 2011/2012 financial year.

The funds he said are urgently required  to subsidize thermal power generation until Bujagali hydro electricity power plant whose operations have been  pushed to October 2011 becomes operational

By Isaac Senabulya

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Mohammed Nsereko with Museveni

Nsereko explains that he has stormed out of the debate because his conscience is not at home with the nomination of Mbabazi for the said post.

He argues that the post of the prime minister requires someone with clean hands and for him the nominee is lacking in that.

Nsereko says he did the same in the party caucus that endorsed Mbabazi’s nomination implying that he is not pro Mbabazi for the said post.

He also says he sees a very big difference between Nsibambi and Mbabazi which partly explains his reason for going out.

He also says he preferred Mbabazi as party secretary general because that is the post for which he was voted by the party members.

Nsereko also alludes to the activities of Mbabazi in Namboole at the party’s general conference which Nsereko seemingly detests although he refuses to divulge the details.

Ultimate Media

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