By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) scheduled tour of the controversial Lubowa International Specialized Hospital today, Friday, 26th April, 2024 has been called off.
Speaking to the Media at Parliament today, Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi, the PAC Chairperson says the Health Ministry has written to Parliament, postponing the scheduled tour of MPs from PAC arguing that the protective gear was not acquired.
Muwanga says consequently, the Speaker, Anita Among requested them to have the visit postponed, after the Lubowa hospital team asked for more time to allow them procure personal protective gears for the MPs to use while on site.
The Committee had earlier planned to visit the site on 12th April 2024, but the team at Lubowa asked to have the visit held after 22nd April 2024, leading to the Committee to postpone the visit to 26th April 2024, but the agreed date too hasn’t been honoured by people in charge of Lubowa hospital site who yet again demanded for more time.
Muwanga revealed that the first visiting date was cancelled after the proprietors of Lubowa demanded for the names, shoes sizes of all MPs on the Committee in order to avail them with personal protective gears while on site.
“When the clerk received the letter, the Speaker wrote asking the Committee to stay their visit to Lubowa hospital. I am not stubborn in the way I do things; I am a very patient man to the extent that I can even escort these people up to their home. We appeal to the powers that be, hands off, let the Committee do its work,” said Muwanga.
Early this year, Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among condemned the blocking of the MPs led by Leader of the Opposition Hon Joel Ssenyonyi from visiting the Lubowa hospital construction site.
She later requested the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, to visit the hospital site, putting government to task on why the site is a no go zone for Parliament.
“We are not asking for too much, we are actually helping you; I looked at the letter of the Minister of Health to the LoP, she just said good luck. What does that mean?” she said.
She added: “I am going to assign my Deputy Speaker to go to Lubowa with MPs and inspect and give us a report”.
The Leader of the Opposition, Hon Joel Ssenyonyi, had led a team of Opposition legislators to inspect the site and construction of the proposed international hospital located off Kampala – Entebbe highway on Monday 26 February 2024.
Now PAC’s attempts at touring the Site are meeting dead ends.
