Although the late Speaker’s Jacob Oulanyah burial budget was cut from 2.5 billion shillings to 1.2 billion following a review of the budget by the Finance Ministry, some groups and individuals think that the budget could be further slashed and the state would still accord the late Oulanyah a decent burial.
While speaking to the media, the Deputy Speaker of the National Unity Platform Alex Mufumbiro said that at least 100 million shillings would give the late speaker a proper burial without plundering resources. He further inferred that in an African setting, people always contribute money towards burial of the deceased, something that Members of Parliament should have done and the government would chip in incase of any shortages.
“I absolutely agree with him because I think 1.2 billion is outrageous,”said Sarah Apollo, a Fatboy Show host on RX Radio. “Especially looking at a time where front line workers who helped during the fight against Covid -19 have been fired by the Ministry of Health after failing to pay them for three months but will pay for an extra month because their contracts were terminated prematurely. So if areas of great importance are being overlooked for a state burial, then our priorities as a country are misplaced,” she explained.
Also Olive Najjuma additionally said that after spending 1.5 billion on the chartered flight that transported Oulanyah to Seattle US to save his life, it was illogical to spend another 1.2 billion on burial saying that no matter how decent the burial is made, it can’t bring back the Omoro District legislator.
The duo further contended that this budget issue may be a ploy by some officials to squander money. Olive added that the Auditor general’s report will finally bring to light the actual sums during the burial. Like Sarah, Olive thought that the budget was exorbitant for one person’s burial yet UPE and USE schools have for years been in a bad shape while government hospitals are in a worrying state.
Away from the budget the two commented on the now Speaker Anita Among’s proposal to Northern Ugandan MPs to have the late Oulanyah’s son Andrew Ojok, the new Omoro county Member of Parliament.
“You Know what, our country just needs a reality show of its own because there’s so much drama. This puts us in a situation where spouses, family members of fallen officials are going to demand and start thinking that they are entitled to government resources or state owned property like the late Governor’s wife who was asking to retain the Governor's mansion!” said Sarah.
Olive was disappointed by the Speaker Anita Among’s suggestion, and wondered what the family members of the deceased would do.
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy, Olive and Sarah every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio.