By Kangaave Ishack
The shadow minister of Finance, Muwanga Kivumbi has raised alarm over alleged plans to engineer changes in the recommendations by parliament’s committee on trade against the controversial Vinci coffee deal.
Owing to recommendations by Trade Committee chaired by MP Mwine Mpaka, the August House a few weeks ago dismissed the controversial coffee agreement signed between the government and Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited (UVCC) earlier this year..
The House consequently voted to have the controversial coffee deal terminated for being in bad taste.
The Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka who was criticised green-lighting the deal said government would consider the recommendations by parliament.
“We shall take the recommendations and review them and report back to Parliament as required on the actions in respect to the report,” he said.
However, on Thursday, Kivumbi told journalists that they have uncovered a plot to have the resolutions and recommendations by the house changed by people he didn’t name.
“We are observing a trend where resolutions of parliament as passed are altered before being passed to the Ministry of Finance. Right now an attempt is being made to alter resolutions of parliament on the coffee agreement,”Kivumbi said .
He explained that an earlier recommendation by the committee on trade and subsequent resolution by parliament to have government acquire shares worth shs108 billion in Atiak Sugar was changed to show that the money was meant for the acquiring equipment by the sugar factory.
Muwanga told journalists that such a scheme of changing parliament resolutions has been ongoing, noting that it is high time those behind it are busted.
To this, he said he has written to the Clerk to Parliament to furnish him with the resolution of Parliament in regards the 18, May debate that saw the controversial coffee deal terminated.
There is need to take keen interest on the decision and resolution of house on the agreement between government of Uganda and Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited. On May, 18, 2022 country watched in excitement when the house resolved to terminate the unconstitutional, illegal , void and unenforceable agreement. Given the impact of the resolution on the livelihood of the citizenry, it is critical that it is made public. The citizenry is implored to vigilance and not to rest until they are assured that the resolution communicated to government reflects the termination of the agreement.”
“I have written letter to the clerk requesting him to furnish us with the resolution he is to submit to government. We say once bitten twice shy.We have given a precedent where we have been short changed and we are learning of maneuvers to short change on coffee agreement. Nobody can do this and get away with it. We want the clerk to attest to this. The Hansard, is there and records are there. This impunity must be stopped, Kivumbi noted.
When asked who was behind the maneuvers to change the resolutions, Muwanga didn’t provide a definite answer but insisted the parliamentary leadership is to blame.
“This parliament has got leadership and that is why we have written to the clerk.”
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