MPs oppose UGX 37b donation to Museveni inlaw Rwabwogo

A section of lawmakers in the opposition have rejected plans by government to donate UGX 37 billion to Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, an inlaw to Gen. Yoweri Museveni.

Rwabwogo, hiding under the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development is supposed to spend the money on coffee value chain, export and industrial development promotion.

MPs have since last week questioned the manner in which the money has been mysteriously allocated to the first family inlaw.

The money was first introduced as a component of the newly established Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) agency vote. It was then switched to State House as part of the classified expenditure, which places its use almost beyond Parliamentary oversight.

The opposition MPs penned down a minority report that contests the idea of putting taxpayers money in the hands of private individuals.

“He (Rwabwogo) has been allocated $10 million (37 billion shillings) in the budget. This amount for investment was directly charged to the Consolidated fund. In the subsequent corrigenda, it has been shifted to State House under classified expenditure,” the MPs noted in the report.

“We dissent with the majority decision to provide and shift funds amounting to shs 37 billion to Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo under the guise of coffee value chain development from Vote 167–Science, Technology and Innovation, to classified expenditure (for logistical support and security) under Vote 002 State House as indicated in the addendum to the corrigenda for the Draft Budget Estimates for FY 2023/24,” the report added.

Rwabwogo in a tweet however lashed out at ex LOP Wafula Oguttu who had questioned the criteria followed to reward him the UGX 37b contract.