Senior Presidential Advisor on Media Affairs to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Joseph Tamale Mirundi has issued a list of seven High profile people for Museveni to assign the role of leading negotiations in the rocky relationship between the Government and global financiers- the World Bank.
As the country grapples to come to terms with the World Bank funding cuts, different politicians have made different statements castigating the global financial Institution’s threats as empty and meaningless. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa called for calm, saying the country can safely do without World Bank support while Junior Finance Minister, Henry Musasizi revealed arrangements for the government to engage the World Bank for a possible solution.
Economic analysts have however warned that the development could adversely affect the economy and warned the government to revive its budget immediately with the view of cutting public expenditure across sectors, the first one being public administration. Veteran Aruu County MP Odonga Otto has asked Parliament to trim their endowments, and the institution’s support staff which he says is in excess of 600, reduce the size of Cabinet, merge and, or close some government agencies to mitigate shocks to the economy.
A simple look at Uganda’s shs 51 trillion budget shows that donar funding stands at 40%, translating into nearly 22 trillion Shillings. Such a drastic deprivation is likely to hurt the economy critically.
Now, Senior Presidential Advisor on Media, Joseph Tamale Mirundi has asked politicians a religious leaders to keep quiet since its their push for the anti homosexuality law that has landed the country in a difficult situation that could imensely hurt the economy.
Mirundi has rather advised that the government should heed to the advise of economicists and financial experts for viable solutions. He also urges the government to deploy prominent Ugandans to engage the World Bank to avert a possible debacle that could retard the economy that had been steadly progressing.
The veteran scribe has gone on to propose a seven man team of outstanding Ugandans for the job of engaging the World Bank in such for a balance 6hat would benefit both parties. Former Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, First Deputy Premier, Rebecca Kadaga, Ex Finance Ministers, Ezra Suruma, and Gerald Ssendawula make the cut on Mirundi’s proposed list. Others are Deputy Atyorney General, Jackson Kafuuzi, National Planning Authority ED Dr Joseph Muvawala and Oxfam ED, Engineer Winnie Byanyima.
Mirundi downplayed a role by MPs and the Inter-religious Council in the negotiations for they conflicted parties in trying to a vert a looming catastrophe. He saysthat these are ” cursed for their selfish interests.”