A Row Erupts between Uganda’s PM, Eminent Pastor over Oil Refinery
By George Kalisa
Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC Affairs, Hon. Rebecca Kadaga has today demanded for an apology to Ugandans from prominent Pastor at Miracle Centre Cathedral Rubaga in the capital, Kampala, Robert Kayanja for what she has described as distortion of the legacy of the 10th Parliament. Kadaga was the Speaker of this Parliament.
The Pastor said that if Uganda had constructed the oil refinery, the commodity prices would not be rising at the current rate.
“Pastor Kayanja, you owe an apology to the people of Uganda and the 10th Parliament whose legacy you are distorting,” said Kadaga through a tweet on her official Twitter handle.
The unprecedented scenario came on the back of the skyrocketing commodity prices, which has attracted widespread outcry from Ugandans across the country. Ugandans, in vain, have been calling on their government to intervene.
Uganda’s state media, The New Vision ran a story this week quoting Ptr. Kayanja blaming the soaring commodity prices on 10th Parliament.
During his Sermon to the followers, the Pastor alleged that the House neglected its duties despite having “all the powers and responsibility” to allay the current alarming economic situation by passing a vote to construct the oil refinery.
Ptr. Kayanja said: “The 10th Parliament let us down as a country. There was a chance for them to work hard and appropriate money to construct the country’s oil refinery, but they did not,” (redacted).
“The 10th Parliament let us down as a country. There was a chance for them to work hard and appropriate money to construct the country’s oil refinery, but they did not,” he added.
Ptr. Kayanja was preaching during an Easter celebrations service at his Church on Monday.
He said that if the House did what the right thing, the country would be exporting oil other than importing it at exorbitant prices, which consequently are a toll on the citizens.
The Pastor’s message irked Kadaga saying there was “no budget for a refinery was presented or rejected by the Parliament she chaired, please substantiate; which meeting, which sitting and which session this happened,”
Notably, the Pastor joins the citizens, religious leaders, legislators and civil society that continue to mount pressure on the government to address the repressive economic situation, worsened by the soaring commodity prices.