Budget Committee Queries Supplementary Funding to RDCs

Members of the budget Committee of Parliament have rejected a request for supplementary funding of 2.5billion Shillings towards facilitation of Residential District Commissioners (RDCs).

The request is part of a supplementary budget request of 847 billion Shillings tabled last month by Finance Minister Matia Kasaija. This covers 6.5billion Shillings to facilitate the operations of the Internal Security Organization- ISO, 6.3billion Shillings to cover domestic arrears in the security Ministry, and 62 billion Shillings for procurements under the Ministry of Defence among others.

The Minister for the Presidency Frank Tumwebaze told the committee at Parliament this afternoon that the portion of supplementary budget amounting to 2.5billion Shillings is required for facilitation of the RDCs. Under the arrangement, every RDC would receive a monthly fuel facilitation of 2.5million shillings.

The minister said that the RDCs have limited facilitation for their movement and need additional funds for fuel and motor vehicle repairs.

However Eastern Youth MP Peter Ogwang, West Budama North MP Fox Odoi, and Kyankwanzi Woman Ann Maria Nankabirwa accused RDCs of meddling in local politics and failing to effectively conduct their duties. MP Peter Ogwang questioned the minister on how the money would be protected from being used for individual political gain.

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Tumwebaze said that RDCs are effectively supervised and can be interdicted in case of office abuse and misappropriation.

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Mbale Municipality MP Jack Wamai Wamanga said the supplementary budget request did not constitute an emergency.

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