The Buliisa district woman Member of Parliament (MP), Ms Norah Bigirwa Nyendwoha, has handed over Shs20m to the Chief Administrative Officer following instructions from the Clerk to Parliament.
Handing over the money on Friday, the MP said the Clerk to Parliament instructed all legislators to hand over the money to their respective home district Covid-19 taskforces.
Last month, the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga had the MPs share Shs10b among themselves with each being allocated Shs20m for fighting coronavirus in their constituencies.
This caused widespread public criticism coercing President Yoweri Museveni to instruct the MPs to hand the money over to the taskforces.
The president said it was reprehensible for the legislators to share the money at the time when government was battling with the virus.
The Judiciary also weighed in, ordering the legislators to return the money to parliament. This caused a deep rift with Ms Kadaga accusing the two arms of government of attacking the autonomy of parliament.
However, President Museveni insisted that the MPs return the money saying the legislature was usurping the executive’s power.
Now, Ms Nyendwoha said parliament harmonised with the executive that saw her hand over the money.
The MP urged the district taskforce to use the money for its intended goal.
She also urged the taskforce to work aggressively to ensure that the presidential directives are implemented in order to stop the spread of coronavirus for the good health of the people.
Ms Nyendwoha called for joint efforts in fighting the virus, calling on well-wishers to donate food aid to the needy at this time when the pandemic has ravaged the globe.
Receiving the money, the Buliisa Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ofwono, pledged that the money will be used in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act Section 44. He also said the money will be treated as a donation and wired to the Consolidated Fund account.
Meanwhile, Masindi Kitara diocese has donated 2.5 tonnes of maize flour to Buliisa district COVID-19 taskforce to support the needy during this lockdown period.
Handing over the food, the Bishop of Masindi Kitara Diocese, the Rt. Rev. George William Kasangaki, said the donation is in fulfillment of the biblical teaching that calls for feeding the hungry.
The diocese donated food aid to all districts in Greater Masindi including Buliisa, Kiryandongo and Masindi that form Masindi Kitara Diocese.
Elsewhere in the region, the Masindi District woman Member of Parliament, Ms Jalia Bintu Lukumu, also handed over the Shs20m to the District Covid-19 Taskforce. This was the money that the Parliamentary Commission advanced to the MPs to fight coronavirus.
