Kyadondo East legislator in Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine has joined some of his fellow MPs in returning the funds allocated to him to facilitate the ongoing Age Limit Bill consultations. Kyagulanyi argues that he won’t support the diversion of public resources from other sectors so as to fund non-priority issues.
He said the money amounting to Shs 12 billion which was hurriedly mobilized from programs that would have supported the delivery of critical services that Ugandans need.
Each of the MPs received Shs 29 million ($80,000) to help them seek views from their constituents on the contentious debate.
Bobi Wine questions the rationale behind spending these public funds to urgently support “a Bill tabled by an individual MP who had his own thoughts” at the expense of many other Bills of more significance which remain shelved.
“I will not support the diversion of funds from the Ministries to which we the legislature allocated them especially if the funds diverted are going to oppress our people,” Bobi Wine wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.
He revealed that he has already instructed hi bank to revert the funds back to the creditor (Parliament).
While some in the public realm have opined that this money be used to work on the problems in the constituencies, Bobi Wine says this would put him on the wrong side of the law and corrupt his conscience.
“By law, when the state avails money for a particular purpose it must serve that purpose and if one uses it for something else (even if it’s for the good of the people) one could be charged for misappropriation of government funds,” the singer turned controversial politician said.
Bobi Wine has been strongly opposed to the proposed amendment even before it was officially tabled in Parliament. He was among 25 MPs who were suspended by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga for being unruly while they tried to frustrate the tabling of the Bill.
He says that government has a duty to fund the provision of services like health, roads and schools and that his duty as an MP is to remind the Executive to fulfill this.
“I shall therefore not blind my people by temporary solving a few of our problems other than pressure the state for perfect service delivery,” he said.
Bobi Wine stated that his bank has already confirmed that the money has been sent back and he provided an image of a letter from Barclays Bank to that effect.
On Wednesday, 8 opposition MPs including Ibrahim Semujju (Kira Municipality), Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala), and Moses Kasibante (Rubaga North) paraded the Shs 29 million each before the press before returning it to Parliament coffers.