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PARLIAMENT - Several MPs still insist that there was something wrong with the presidential jet flying President Museveni’s daughter and daughter-in-law to Europe to give birth despite a lengthy explanation by President Museveni.
In his statement published on Sunday, Mr Museveni admitted that his daughter, Ms Natasha Kainembabazi Karugire, and Ms Charlotte Kuteesa, the wife of his son Maj. Muhoozi Kainerugaba flew the presidential Gulf Stream IV jet in August.
The President said the trip was borne out of security concerns and lack of trust in most local doctors – and that he paid for the two women’s upkeep and medical expenses.
But the president’s defence made a crash-landing with most of the MPs that The Monitor interviewed separately at parliament yesterday.
“The whole episode is scandalous,” said MP Ben Wacha, who heads the parliamentary committee on rules, discipline and privileges.
“It can not be defended by a local person or a head of state”.
Wacha said the president’s description of ‘silent’ forms of killing had enlightened him, since, he said, many people have died soon after getting out of prison.
“On that account I thank the President,” he said, with a touch of sarcasm.
Wacha said that one Maj. William Olwol supposedly died of Aids soon after he was released from prison - but his wife still lives normally without any trace of the disease.
Maj. John Kazoora, who fought alongside Museveni in the guerrilla war, said the president’s essay had stunned him.
“He used to preach [to] us in the bush that love for soft life is a subversive element and shame is a revolutionary sentiment.”
The MP said that Museveni’s letter is well projected in George Orwell’s novel the Animal Farm.
He said that in the book, pigs said that they were taking milk and eggs because doctors had advised them to do so on behalf of others.
Making comparisons, MP Kazoora said that when President Mwai Kibaki fell sick, he flew Kenya Airways to London for treatment.
“Mr Kibaki is right now in America and he travelled by Kenya Airways,” Kazoora said.
Capt. Guma Gumisiriza (Ibanda North) said that maximum security for the President is paramount – but he added: “Nobody should hide under security to defend an extravagant way of life.”
Manjiya MP, Mr John Wakikona, who is a former general manager of Uganda Air Cargo and the director of Soroti Flying School, disputed the cost of flying the jet as presented by the President.
He put the cost of keeping the Gulf Stream in the air at between $2,200 and $2,500 per hour and said the journey would take at least seven-and-a-half hours.
Taking the minimum figure, the MP said the cost of two return trips to Germany would be $66,000 or roughly Shs 132 million.
However, Wakikona and the MP for Rwemiyaga, Mr Theodore Ssekikubo, said the trip is okay if the law allows it.
The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Dr. Okullo Epak, said he would not comment until the Auditor General issues a report on the matter.
He said that he was “amused” by the president’s knowledge of different method of killing and wondered whether security is not using the science the President enumerated.
The youth MP for Eastern Uganda, Mr Wilfred Kajeke and Rukiga MP, Mr Jack Sabiiti, said the president’s daughters “are above 18 and are therefore not considered members of his family”.
Mr Sabiiti said of the trip: “It is illegal and unacceptable”.
The MP for Budadiri West, Mr Nandala Mafabi, said the expense was illegal and should be reflected in the Auditor General’s report.
Several other MPs who are traditionally supportive of President, and whom The Monitor spoke to declined to comment. | 
