President Museveni has called out Vice President Jessica Alupo and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja for their extravagant trip to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Allegedly, they were accompanied by an entourage of over 70 individuals. In a closed door meeting with his party’s parliamentary caucus, Museveni put the duo in the hot seat, demanding they clarify their lavish expenditure.
Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua, the bearer of this unexpected news, stated that the President was concerned about the excessive size of the delegation. According to Obua, both Alupo and Nabbanja claimed to have traveled with only five people each. However, the media had previously reported the names of staff members who supposedly joined them. Obua brushed off these reports as “total misrepresentation of the facts,” firmly defending the two officials.
When pressed for more details on Museveni’s stance, Obua revealed that the President merely sought clarity and did not reach a conclusive decision. He assured that Museveni was aware of the trip and that both Alupo and Nabbanja had received his approval.
In another surprising twist, Museveni expressed deep concern over lawmakers’ financial entanglements with money lenders. He cautioned MPs against borrowing from these financial institutions, believing that their indebtedness could hinder their effectiveness as leaders. Mr. Bashir Lubega Sempa, a legislator, shared the President’s warning against MPs’ financial woes and their tendency to shoulder their constituencies’ financial burdens by taking loans.
In response to the exorbitant interest rates charged by money lenders, Museveni has reportedly tasked the Ministry of Finance to collaborate with Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka to create a statutory instrument to regulate these lenders. The goal is to prevent them from charging rates beyond the legal limits. Finance officials have been given a tight deadline of two weeks to enact these regulations under Section 90 of the Microfinance and Money Lenders’ Act 2016.
