By Our Correspondent
A parliamentary Select committee will investigate the operations of the National Council of Sports following inconsistencies in statements regarding the release of funds to the sub-sector.
The committee will be chaired by Hon. Laura Kanushu (NRM, PWD) and includes, Hon. Solomon Silwany (NRM, Bukooli County Central), Hon. Geoffrey Kayemba (NUP, Bukomansimbi South County), Hon. Iddi Isabirye (NRM, Bunya County South), Hon. Donald Katalihwa (NRM, Mwenge County South), Hon. Agnes Achibu (NRM, Nebbi district), and Hon. Margaret Makhoha (Ind. Namayingo district).
The committee was named by the Speaker, Anita Among after a motion was moved by Hon. Asuman Basalirwa during the plenary sitting on Thursday, 10 November 2022.
National Council of Sports was allocated Shs47.81 billion for 51 federations across the country for the Financial Year 2022/2023.
On Wednesday, 09 November 2022, the Minister of State Finance, Planning and Economic Development (Privatisation), Hon. Evelyn Anite and Minister of State for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang gave contradictory statements on the release of funds to the sports federations for the first and second quarters.
Anite said that Shs19.2 billion was released for the first quarter while Ogwang said that Shs27 billion was released for the first and second quarter.
Hon. Moses Magogo (NRM, Budiope County East) and also President of the Federation of Uganda Football Association however, said that sports federations had not received any funds for the two quarters.
This prompted the Speaker to call for a harmonization meeting on Thursday, 10 November 2022 between the two ministers, the shadow ministers of Education and Sports and Finance and Magogo.
Anite on 10 November 2022 then said that it was ascertained that the money released to the federation is, Shs17.1 billion.
“We did observe variation in figures and we have tried to reconcile,” Anite said.
This prompted Basalirwa to move a motion for Parliament to create a Select Committee, saying that the inconsistencies in the ministers’ statements reveal that there is something wrong with the National Council of Sports and the Ministry of Finance.
The Speaker said that Parliament will not allocate more funds to the National Council of Sports until the operations and management of funds of the sub sector are resolved.
“We want to know where the money we give you goes and after we have done that, then we can give you more money. You need to check on the governance issues because now there is suspicion that there is a fraud,” said Among.
The Leader of Opposition, Hon. Mathias Mpuuga however, said that several sectors are facing the same challenges and this needs to be addressed by the Ministry of Finance.
“Finance are playing around with figures. I request that we give the Finance Ministry timelines to present the extent of appropriation, otherwise we are grappling in the dark,” said Mpuuga.
