Two ministers in the office of the President, Richard Todwong, the minister without portfolio and that of state in the office of the Vice president, Vincent Nyanzi have admitted being idle due to lack of a budget to carry out their designated duties.
Ministers Todwong (left) and Nyanzi (right) . Photo by Rogers Okwany
When Presidential affairs committee chairman Col. Fred Mwesigye on Friday asked them to explain what they do, Nyanzi answered; “Honorable Chairman I must admit that I am redundant because my terms of reference are not very clear. My office does not have a specific vote to draw money for office work,” he told the committee, to their surprise.
Todwong supplemented; ” I hate being redundant in my office. Apart from the vehicle and furniture in the office, I sometimes get directives from the president to work but I am often un-deployed for long due to lack of enabling funds.”
Todwong explained that his ministry does not have a specific programme or budget-line to run his office.
The two ministers had come to answer queries raised in the budget framework paper for presidency for the financial years 2013-2014 for approval.
Other minister in the office of the President Frank Tumwebaze (Presidency), Muluri Mukasa (security), Henry Banyenzaki (economic monitoring), Fr. Simon Lokodo (ethics and integrity), Nyanzi, Todwong and David Kihumuro Apuuli (Director general Uganda Aids Commission) were all trying to defend what their budgets would do.
The committee told the duo to bring their terms of references at the time when they were appointed ministers.
“For 2 years I have been a minister, the terms of reference are not very clear. Sometimes the vice-president Edward Ssekandi can delegate me duties to represent him at functions, but I often times use my own cash to fuel the vehicle,” Nyanzi submitted.
In an interview with New Vision later, he said he was however a dedicated civil servant who likes to serve government but lack of operational budget affects his work. Besides, he added, he was under oath not to disclose this information,” he added.
“Last year I pledged 50 bags of cement on behalf of the Vice president at a function, but the office of the vice president refused to honor it. So I dug into my pockets to pay the pledge,” he lamented.
“Being a minister is public work. The public expects the minister to deliver but when I request for fuel refund after executing my duties, the money is not refunded.
“My office can’t have access to newspapers yet I am entitled to them,” Nyanzi grumbled.
By Paul Kiwuuwa, The New Vision
