KAMPALA: The Inspector General of Government, (IGG) Hon Beti Olive Kamya has announced in a tweet that her office is taking interest in the cash bonanza dotting the burial expenses of the fallen speaker Rt Hon Jacob Oulanyah.
Uganda’s @DailyMonitor broke the story on Monday this week when it reported that it had discovered the burial of the fallen speaker of parliament would cost the country Shs. 2.5 billion to the horrific shock of many Ugandans who took to the micro blogging twitter to condemn the profligacy.
Kamya wrote: “The Spirit of the departed @JacobOulanyah must be horrified by the obscene cash bonanza in his #funeral expenses, he’d not allow it if he had a choice. The @IGGUganda will honor him by taking interest in allegations of impropriety in his funeral #expenses.”
Daily Monitor reported that the Shs2.5b budget prepared by the National Organizing Committee chaired by the Presidency Minister, Ms Milly Babalanda, excludes medical and funeral home bills in the US as well as expenses of flying back Oulanyah’s body. Oulanyah’s body is expected to arrive at Entebbe Airport today.
The casket containing the former speaker’s remains is expected to arrive by Ethiopian Airlines at Entebbe International Airport, and will be accompanied by Oulanyah’s family in the US and Ms Patricia Lakidi, described in medical documents as the deceased’s “partner”.
The ex-Omoro Member of Parliament’s time at the University of Washington Medical Centre was marked by protests outside the facility by the Ugandan Diaspora community over initial reports, which Uganda Airlines dismissed without providing alternative figures, which airlifting him to America cost Shs1.7b.
When Ugandans took to social media in a rage, Minister Milly Babalanda responded in a tweet saying: “Regarding the budget for burying Rt. Hon. Oulanyah, what matters is not the figures but the activities involved and status of the deceased. Let us avoid traumatizing the family in this trying time.”
However, a few days later, it emerged the budget had been slashed down to Shs. 1.8 billion.
Top Secrets has now discovered that Uganda’s pioneer funeral home, Uganda Funeral Services, which had initially been contracted to handle the burial was reportedly kicked out last Saturday in favour of A-Plus Funeral Services.
A source close to UFS tells Top Secrets that the company had quoted Shs 870 million to cover all expenses including feeding, tents, PA systems, transportation of the body and a mausoleum grave at Oulanyah’s home.
Oulanyah Burial Budget
Number Item Cost
Muyenga | ||
1 | Sitting and Ushering | Shs2.8m |
2 | Health service | Shs13.5. |
3 | Ceremonies | Shs12.3m |
4 | Protocol | Shs3.6m |
5 | A-Plus Funeral Services | Shs75m |
Kololo Grounds | ||
6 | Decoration | Shs8.9m |
7 | Sitting and ushering | Shs8.1m |
9 | Ceremonies | Shs4.4m |
10 | Accreditation | Shs26m |
11 | Construction | Shs19m |
12 | Protocol | Shs1.9m |
13 | First aid | Shs10.5m |
14 | Finance sub-committee | Shs20m |
15 | Health service (Covid-19) | Shs60m |
16 | Publicity | Shs18m |
17 | A-Plus funeral services | Shs151m |
Omoro | ||
18 | Decoration | Shs12m |
19 | Sitting and ushering | Shs14.7m |
20 | Ceremonies | Shs30.6m |
21 | Fuel for coordination | Shs124m |
22 | Construction | Shs3m |
23 | Protocol | Shs2.2m |
24 | Funeral service (general) | Shs1.1b |
25 | Finance sub-committee | Shs228.7m |
26 | Security | Shs158.5m |
27 | Acholi Parliamentary Group | Shs312.9m |
28 | Religious leaders | Shs11m |
29 | Health services | Shs34m |