EXCLUSIVE: UPDF MPs Disagree on Shs 2M Monthly Contribution for COVID-19

The UPDF Members of Parliament have disagreed on the Shs 2m monthly contribution from each of the 10 members to the COVID-19 National Taskforce.

ChimpReports has exclusively learnt that the 10 army representatives only unanimously agreed on returning the contentious 20m but failed to reach a common ground on the figures of the monthly contribution.

The UPDF Caucus members led by Security Minister, Gen. Elly Tumwine on Tuesday returned a total of Shs 200m to the taskforce and committed to contribute Shs 2m each from their salaries for the next for 6 months.

According to sources, some members including a Cabinet Minister, internally raised queries on why some of their colleagues decided to propose a figure above the Shs 1.4m monthly contribution from the Commander-in-Chief. President Yoweri Museveni is contributing Shs 1.4m for six months.

Several Caucus members were surprised on Tuesday to read on news that some of their colleagues have actualized the Shs 2m commitment before it was internally exhausted.

“UPDF embraces discipline and we don’t compromise on it. We cannot just wake up and do something beyond the Commander-in-Chief,” said a source.

The army representatives opposed to the Shs 2m want the contribution from each member to be Shs 1m. They have maintained that they will not contribute Shs 2m but 1m to the taskforce.

The Tuesday event at the Office of the Prime Minister’s conference hall was attended by Tumwine, Maj. Gen. Pecos Kutesa (Chief of Military Doctrine).

Other UPDF representatives are; Gen. Katumba Wamala (Works Minister), Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta, Maj. Gen. Innocent Oula (Head of Civil Military Cooperation), Brig. Felix Kulaigye, Colonel Flavia Byekwaso, Col. Francis Takirwa (Chief of operations UPDF), Capt. Evelyn Assimwe and Capt. Susan Lakot.