{UAH} PLIGHT OF UGANDAN TRADERS IN SOUTH SUDAN

Acting Minister of Finance, Planning and Investments, David Bahati has
said that Government was preparing to seek authority from parliament
to pay Ugandan traders that were Government of South Sudan creditors.
While speaking in a plenary session this afternoon, David Bahati who
until this afternoon, has been doubling as Acting Government Chief
Whip, said that Government signed an agreement with the traders
promising to pay them on behalf of Government of South Sudan, but it
has not been fulfilled.
This was raised by Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko) who said that
Government made the agreement as early as 2010 but until now, it has
not paid them.
Other MPs including Thomas Tahebwa named several prominent raters that
were operating in South Sudan and were creditors to Government of
South South Sudan, whose business have collapsed and property taken by
banks over unpaid loans.
He wondered why Uganda has failed to pay its traders when other
countries like Kenya and Ethiopia have done so.
Mukono SOuth MP Muyanja Ssennyonga who also doubles as Buganda
Parliamentary Caucus requested that this time the Kingdom of Buganda
should also be paid in accordance with the MOU signed by the President
and the Kabaka, and following a meeting of Prime Mibisters of Uganda
and Buganda on Tuesday. Bahati promised to fulfill all that.
MPs also raised an issue on government general ban on recruitment of
staff but Bahati said that there was no such ban but what is required
is for each government department and agency to recruit within its
budgetary means.
He also said that a committee set up to harmonize salaries of public
officers its report is expected this April before the passing of
2018/2019 budget.
Opposition MP Muwanga Kivumbi complained that government was abusing a
provision allowing it to borrow domestically without parliament
approval, of money not more than 10 percent of the revenue, but the
deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah and the Budget Committee Lugoloobi
explained that it had not gone beyond that.
Then Cecilia Ogwal lambasting Budget Committee Chairperson Amos
Lugoloobi, whom, he accused, of smuggling UNRA answers to queries UNRA
officials had failed to answer in the committee, but the speaker
became lenient with Lugoloobi.
Another opposition MP Odonga Otto raised concern that government
borrows from institutions with high rates and suggested that it uses
oil wealth to borrow from those with low rates.
The debate on the budget framework paper for 2018/2019 financial year
is going on and right now, they are on plight of schools that face
closure this Friday before school term opens on Monday.

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