Following social media anger outbursts over the exorbitant amount used to transport the Speaker of the 11th parliament Jacob Oulanyah to Seattle in the US for treatment, MPs from the Acholi sub-region offered to refund the 500,000 US dollars, approximately 1.7billion shillings, to the consolidated fund so as to end the negative talk about the Speaker.
Commenting on the decision, The Fatboy Show Presenter Olive Najjuma said, “I think it's arrogant because the money that was spent was public money that could construct a hospital. So for them to arrogantly come out and say they can refund the money is like giving money to a chic during your relationship and then when she's dumping you, she tries to return it. Then how come you took it in the first place?”
The Acholi MPs were choosing the course of action in reaction to a peaceful protest carried out by Ugandans in Seattle who demonstrated against the flying of Oulanyah to Seattle. They took to the streets holding placards with statements such as, ‘Officials from Museveni government aren't allowed in Seattle.’
The protestors, congregating at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance holding their placards, also chanted “Jacob Oulanyah, not in Seattle’s backyard.'' Believed to be National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters, they were commended by NUP on its Facebook page which encouraged its Ugandan supporters to also join the protest.
James Onen, The Fatboy Show Co-presenter said he wouldn’t be surprised if the issue was turned into a political one due to the water it holds.
“Many of the Government’s critics will cease upon this opportunity to point out what is really a genuine and legitimate grievance of an exorbitant of money being spent to treat one public servant whereas millions of Ugandans go without adequate medical care which the 500,000 dollars could have provided,” Fatboy reasoned.
Olive further exemplified the construction of a state of the art Hospital in Lubowa that has been stagnated since 2019. “The money had already exchanged hands but to this day, nothing has been done, only for Ugandans to learn last week that those with the same contract of the hospital had instead acquired a big chunk of land to apparently grow coffee on it.”
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy, Olive, Sarah and Lesham every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio.