21.5 billion shillings meant to finance Uganda’s military operation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been obstructed by the Parliamentary House Committee on Defence.
Uganda started a special military operation in DRC called Shujaa, intended to deal the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) a decisive blow, in November of 2021 after the Islamist rebel group masterminded two suicide bomb attacks in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, that claimed several lives.
But the Ugandan government did not seek permission from the parliament while deploying the troops to the DRC, this made Lawmakers bitter.
According to Ms. Rosemary Nyakikongoro, the committee chairperson, the operations in DRC and Karamoja are peculiar given the security threats posed, the committee said in its BFP (Budgetary Framework Paper) report for FY2022/2023 but recommended that the minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs make a statement to Parliament on the operations of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in DRC.
Ms. Rosemary says to date, the minister has neither made a statement to Parliament nor adhered to this requirement which was intended to initiate the necessary procedures required by law to be fulfilled before the deployment of troops outside Uganda.
She said that the committee, therefore, recommends non-provision of funds towards such operations that took place without prior Parliament approval
Last year, Shs89.7b budget for Operation Shujaa was approved on condition that the government later appears before the House to formally notify lawmakers and seek their approval but this never happened.
Uganda: MPs Block Shs21.5b For Operation Shujaa
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