Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, the Minister for Internal Affairs, on Sunday clashed with the Rushenyi Member of Parliament after she accused him of failing to use his Cabinet position to lobby for better services in Mitooma District.
Drama unfolded at a fundraising function after the Rushenyi County legislator, Ms Naome Kabasharira, accused Gen Otafiire of failing to support a church project that had stalled for four years.
The ceremony was held to raise funds meant for the completion of Ryakahimbi Catholic Parish Church in Mitooma Town, which is situated in Gen Otafiire’s constituency, where parishioners sought to raise Shs600m.
“Being a Cabinet minister does not mean you are more powerful than others,” Ms Kabasharira said.
“Where is your strength when your people here are lacking social services? The roads are poor, people are poor and you claim to be more powerful. Why don’t you use that power to improve the lives of your people here in Mitooma?” Ms Kabasharira asked.
“He came decampaigning me saying that ministers are more powerful unlike MPs who wait to be served. If he is powerful and is a minister, why is that this church has stalled for four years,” she probed.
The Monitor learnt that Gen Otafiire decampaigned Ms Kabasharira in support of his Cabinet colleague, Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana, during the 2021 General Election, which he [Rukutana] lost.
The Rushenyi County legislator immediately left the function after she made her verbal attack against the minister.
Gen Otafiire said Ms Kabasharira was raising unnecessary dust well aware that “Cabinet was more superior than Parliament” .
“I saw Kabasharira criticising me for wielding more power. You should know that Parliament cannot deliver on what the Cabinet has not endorsed. The Cabinet is bigger than the Parliament. On the service delivery table, ministers serve themselves as MPs wait to be served,” Gen Otafiire said.
“Government has three arms and one arm cannot do the roles of others. Cabinet is the one that decides on what to do, but not Parliament. For example, Parliament wants us to increase salaries for teachers, but we cannot because there is no money and Parliament doesn’t know,” he added.
The Rubanda District Woman MP, Ms Prossy Mbabazi Akampurira, a Commissioner of Parliament who represented the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, as chief guest reminded minister Otafiire that Cabinet cannot work in isolation.
“It is not good for Gen Otafiire to forget when he is still young. The Cabinet cannot exist without Parliament. It is impossible because ministers are picked from MPs. Cabinet is selected after electing MPs. Sometimes Cabinet gets stuck and we (commissioners) are the remaining hope to convince the parliament to approve cabinet resolutions,” she said.
The function was organised by the Mitooma District Woman MP, Ms Juliet Agasha Bashiisha, and attended by more than 40 MPs.
Ms Bashiisha appealed to residents of Mitooma to avoid discriminating against each other on religion and political affiliations.
The Speaker of Parliament contributed Shs20 million towards the construction work. More than Shs228 million was raised in cash and pledges.
