Summary:
- The service award has sparked anger and anxiety among residents in Rubanda District, who condemn the act as a misuse of taxpayers’ money.
RUBANDA: The embattled Commissioner of Parliament, Prossy Akampurira Mbabazi, has revealed that she legally received 400 million Shillings as a “Service Award” and used it to empower women’s groups in Rubanda District, as approved by Parliament.
Akampurira, who is also the Rubanda District Woman MP, along with two other NRM Parliamentary Commissioners and the former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga, has come under scrutiny after they shared a 1.7 billion Shillings service award. The other Commissioners include Zombo Woman MP Esther Afoyochan and Bukooli Central MP Solomon Silwanyi.
Currently, some MPs are collecting signatures to try and censure the four Commissioners, who allegedly illegally shared the so-called “service award.”
Addressing her constituents at Kacerere Playground in Kacerere town council, Rubanda West County, during the District Women’s Day celebrations on Friday, Akampurira, who had remained silent about the service award despite public criticism, succumbed to pressure and conceded that she received the 400 million Shillings as a “Service Award.”
She stated that she used part of the money to start a project dubbed “Prosperous Women Rubanda” (PWR) in Rubanda District, which aims to support each of the 461 village women’s groups with 300,000 Shillings as seed capital. However, the project has faced challenges in extending its reach to the entire district, leaving some sub-counties and town councils behind.
CUE IN AKAMPURIRA….ON THE MONEY….RR//
The service award has sparked anger and anxiety among residents in Rubanda District, who condemn the act as a misuse of taxpayers’ money. They are incensed that these funds were not directed towards district service delivery, which could have significantly improved the lives of the electorate.
Residents lament that if the allocated funds to Rubanda District Woman Member of Parliament Akampurira had been directed towards the district, it could have facilitated essential services like improving access to clean water and providing adequate healthcare, including ambulances to save lives, especially of pregnant women.
The event, organized under the theme “Inspire Inclusion,” encouraged everyone to work towards ensuring that no woman is left behind in terms of development and socio-economic transformation. It was presided over by the State Minister of Finance, Henry Musasizi, who is also the Rubanda East MP and NRM Chairperson for Rubanda District, as the Chief Guest.
According to Stephen Ampeire Kasyaba, the District LC5 Chairman, the largest portion of the funds to organize the function came from the District Treasury, NGOs operating in Rubanda District, and a significant contribution from Minister Musasizi.
