The MP for Mukono Mucincipality Hon Betty Bakireke Nambooze has come to question why the country spends more money on state burials than the health care system.
According to Nambooze, it’s very weird that a lot of funds are spent on seeeing a state official buried. Nambooze further said that Uganda in fact has more funeral cars than has ambulances.
“It’s weird that we spend a lot of money on the dead. Uganda has a lot of funeral service cars other than ambulances,” she said.
She added how she was shocked that the demise of the late speaker Hon Jacob Oulanyah called for a supplementary budget yet this is called for in unforeseen circumstances.
She further revealed that a budget of 65 million shillings is put aside for Parliamentary burials every year and this is just enough.
“It surprises me that the demise of our Speaker called for a supplementary budget. A supplementary budget is passed in scenarios of unforeseen situations.
A budget of UGX 65 million is put aside specifically for five parliamentary burials every year, and that money is enough.”
Furthermore, Hon Nambooze said that a national policy is needed in regards to how leaders in the country are buried. It’s not proper for people to discuss what funeral to accord someone already dead.
“We need a national policy on how we are supposed to lay our leaders to rest. It is weird that some people always discuss what kind of funeral they will accord someone.”
The MP also said that it seems like the Oulanyah that Parliament lost is not the one going to he buried because of rhe pomp and flair being exhibited in the burial budget.
“The Oulanyah we will lay to rest isn’t the Oulanyah we lost. It seems like we are going to lay a cultural leader to rest.”
