Ministers who allocated themselves Covid 19 pickups have 30days to return them, says deputy RCC Burora

Rubaga division deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Herbert Anderson Burora has threatened to expose ministers, who he alleges to have taken pickups bought using public donations by government, during the Covid 19 period.

According to Burora in 2020, the fight for the improvement of Health services was not limited to government efforts, but also president Museveni’s call on Ugandans to join efforts.

He said the president’s call was that kind of response which showed that going forward even after COVID-19, it should be commensurate to the emerging demands in local government countrywide.

The deputy RCC highlighted that many Ugandans contributed both money and physical cars, however it is disturbing to hear that some districts and other ministries and departments, were short on mobility as some cars were shared amongst ministers.

“It is disturbing that Cars meant for improving the health sector are doing shopping and dropping their (ministers) children to school. Some have been confiscated by LC 5 chairpersons leaving district health officers without ability to do their work, yet government and the president took initiative to that regard,” he said.

Burora further warned the ministry of health and the permanent secretary Diana Atwine, giving them an ultimatum of 30days to withdraw all cars meant for Covid-19 and health responses.

He said, “the ministry of health and the permanent secretary are given 30days to withdraw all cars meant for Covid-19 and health responses, from all ministers and LC5 Chairpersons currently using them and redistribute them to where they are supposed to be deployed,”

At the end of the month Burora said if they are not withdrawn, he along with others not mentioned, shall name the ministers and chairpersons who are wrongfully abusing the initiative of the president.

“It’s time that we respect those who deserve the respect and not the blackmail of positions and closeness to authority,” he noted.

In March last year, the ministries of Health and Science, Technology and Innovations happened to be on the spot over cars that were procured to help in the fight against Covid-19.

This followed concerns raised by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) led by Hon. Medard Sseggona, that some of the vehicles were given to the wrong people and entities.

“Where did you put our vehicles now that Covid-19, which stampeded us, has ended?” Mr Sseggona asked during a meeting with officials from the Health ministry.

Whereas in October 2021, president Yoweri Museveni flagged off 282 pickup trucks to support logistical measures for COVID-19 surveillance across the country.

The vehicles were acquired using the funds collected through donations by Ugandans, with the president saying via his official X account, “these are your cars, bought with the money you donated to us during the first COVID-19 fundraising drive. I wanted the money to go to things that we can see,”