Odrek Rwabwogo is the head of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development
A section of Opposition MPs were left furious after their efforts to stop the allocation of Shs37bn to President Museveni’s son in law, Odrek Rwabwogo for a project aimed at promoting coffee were thwarted by their counterparts in NRM, who voted to approve the funds.
The fury from the Opposition side followed a minority report backed by Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala County), Ssemujju Nganda (Kira Municipality), Anna Adeke (Soroti DWR), Gorreth Namugga (Mawogola South) and Lulume Bayiga (Buikwe South) who described the budget request as suspicious, having been moved from Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations to State House under classified budget.
While presenting the report before Parliament, Kivumbi informed Parliament that the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development headed by Rwabwogo appeared before the Committee on Budget during the retreat at Munyonyo Resort, where Rwabwogo informed the Committee that his project on Coffee Value Chain Development required US$100M.
Subsequently, Rwabwogo’s project was allocated US$10M equivalent to Shs37bn in the budget, with Muwanga wondering why such amount for a private investment was directly charged to the consolidated fund.
“We dissent with the majority decision to provide and shift funds amounting to Shs37bn to Odrek Rwabwogo under the guise for coffee value chain development from Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations to classified expenditure for logistical support and security under State House. Classified expenditures should not be abused to hide irregular, personal and illegal expenditures on the consolidated fund,” said Muwanga.
However, there were attempts by Markson Oboth, Minister of State for Defence to stop the Opposition from labeling the money as Rwabwogo’s money, arguing that the Rules of Parliament bar MPs from discussing people in their absentia, but his request was rejected by Speaker Among who said Rwabwogo waived off this right when he appeared before the Budget Committee.
The Opposition mini-victory against Oboth was however short leaved when question to approve budget for State House was put, and the NRM side took the day, meaning Rwabwogo’s project will take off come 1st July 2023.
