By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) spokesperson also the Kiira municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has said tbere is no any reason taxpayers money should be used to pay arbitration to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) yet the people who plundered the country are known.
Ssemujju’s statements follow a recently approved Budget for the Financial 2022/2023 inwhich the ministry of finance allocated Sh236 billion arbitration for causing 2ar in DRC.
In February this year, the UN International Court of Justice ruled that Uganda pays DRC $325 million equivalent to One trillion shillings in reparation to the efdects of the 1998-2003 war.
In a judgement read by the court’s president Justice Joan E Donoghue in Hague Netherlands on Wednesday 9th February, 2022, the court ruled that the reparation awarded to the DRC for the damages and to property reflects the harm suffered by individuals and communities as a result of Uganda’s breach of its international obligation.
As part of covering the debt that Uganda owe DRC, the minister for finance Matia Kasaija has allocated shillings 236 billions towards this obligation.
However, this according to Ssemujju is a wastage of taxpayer’s money yet the people who caused the war in DR Congo are known and some still alive. He demands that the people who participated in the looting be made to pay.
“Museveni who sent these soldiers on his imperial adventure and the individuals who participated in the looting of Congo must be made to pay,” said Ssemujju
He disclosed names of persons like minister Kahinda Otafiire, Museveni’s brother Gen Salim Saleh (Caleb Akandwanaho), former UPDF Commander late Maj Gen. James Kazini who were prominent in the war that looted multibillion resources including Gold, timber from Congo.
“As FDC we demand that this money must be paid by those who looted Congo. Museveni’s brother Gen Salim Saleh was very active and he is one of those who are accused of looting, Gen. Kazini is dead he cannot pay, one time Gen Otafiire was also accused of looting. So, that list exists. Why should you tax Ugandans to pay for the resources you looted and those who looted are known?” Ssemujju argued
He added; “If Museveni says he only got a stick from Congo, his brother Saleh, Gen Otafiire and those who operated in Congo at that time, they must pay! If Museveni doesn’t have money, he should sale his Kisozi and Rwakitura farms to pay this debt.”
It should be recalled that Uganda lost about Sh14 trillions to this case on hiring a London law firm to represent Uganda in the Hague court inwhich DR Congo accused Uganda of stealing its resource between 1997/98. Congo won the case and Uganda was meant to pay for the minerals stolen.
In FY 2017/18, Uganda paid Sh7.8billion to the law firm, in the FY 2018/19, the law firm further received Sh2.62 billion and in the FY2020/21, Uganda paid Sh2.83 billion to the same firm.
Furthermore, Hon. Ssemujju wondered why Uganda that is being made to pay the reparations to DRC is at the same time spending largesums of money on constructing roads in the same country.
“Parliament has allocated Sh26 billion towards construction of roads in Eastern DRC. Last year, we spent Sh200 billion on the same roads. One wonders, how can a country make us pay for looted goods and we construct its roads!” Rhetorical Ssemujju wondered.
