On Wednesday, 25 January 2017, every television network, radio station and social media platforms were focused on the House committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase), grilling of URA boss Doris Akol about the Shs 6bn oil cash bonus, Parliament own handshake — the Speaker’s chopper of Shs. 19.9b was tremendously ignored. Here is what we know so far
- Ugandans say the Speaker and her deputy do not need a helicopter. On Wednesday afternoon after the NTV live coverage of Doris Akol’s grilling, a debate seconded by a one Duncan Abigaba somehow twitched about the Speaker’s chopper of Shs. 19.9b was an unnecessary expenditure and how Ms Kadaga did not need a chopper to enable reach out to her constituency of Kamuli District that just is 120 Km from Kampala yet she has a Land cruiser V8 that is enough to fly her there in less than an hour.
- Ms Kadaga unaware of multibillion purchase. Parliament’s Director of Communications told NTV that the Shs19.9B helicopter budget for the next financial year that starts in July and was passed without the Speaker’s knowledge and has not asked for the helicopter but often borrows police helicopter.
- Ms Kadaga will not own the chopper. According to Chris Obore, it’s purchase time has not been agreed yet. If purchased, it would not be property of the Speaker. It would not serve her exclusively but parliament work. And buying an helicopter for parliament would not be a secret affair; it’s impossible to do that.
- Currently the speaker has a fleet of three cars, a lead car, escort car and a benz. But even with these conflicting reports from the leadership in Parliament, they admit, a helicopter is a necessity for the speaker.
- The specified helicopter is an Airbus H EC145. It that can seat 9 passengers and two crew members. It was manufactured in 2002 and is reported to be able to perform corporate, Police and Oil and Gas functions. Several websites indicate that the EC145 costs 19.9 billion shillings. This sum could dig into parliament’s total budget of 422 billion shillings.
