Pece Division Chairman Kelly Komakech on Sunday afternoon stunned many when wished bad luck for Members of Parliament (MPs) and diplomats who seek treatment abroad.
Speaking during the 54th Independence celebrations at Pece War Memorial Stadium in Gulu town, Mr Komakech should not ‘‘heal’’ any of the MPs and diplomats in hospitals outside of Uganda.
“If any MP flies abroad for treatment, they should come back in a coffin. They are very selfish while ordinary Ugandans die in ill-equipped health care centers,” a visibly angry Kelly Komakech said and then asked to ‘‘God to listen to his prayers.’’
Uganda’s health services are woeful. Members of parliament have recently come under heavy criticism in their demand for new cars and their reported demand for 68 million shillings for their funerals in case they die.
Some figures put the amount the Ugandan government spend on treating dignitaries abroad at 150 billion shillings a year, a far cry from the wretched conditions in most public health facilities around the country.
Mr Komakech said the current state of health services is appalling and those in higher positions of authority do not care about it instead preferring to treat themselves in expensive hospitals abroad.
“We have a lot of wealth in this country and if we use it appropriately, we will all benefit. What are we yearning for? All these things we are struggling for in this world are nothing. We will all die. Other people think they are more Ugandans than others,” an angry Komakech, a known Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) firebrand said.
Gulu district Chairman Ojara Mapenduzi who also doubles as the Vice President Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA) has backed Komakech saying there is a ‘‘serious problem’’ with Members of Parliament.
“I think they (MPs) are either showing that they are probably not citizens of this country or they don’t love this country. Because we sent Members of Parliament to give full attention to issues that affect the welfare of the citizens unfortunately, they are talking about how much should be spent on their burial even when they are not dead; actually they are not even sick,” said Mapenduzi.
“They are talking about age limit, they are talking about their allowances, they are talking about buying new vehicles, they are talking about their burial arrangement as if they are already dead.They are not even sick in the first place,’’ the Gulu Chairman added.
But the Acholi Khadi Musa Khelil disagreed with the two politicians.
“As religious leaders, for us we pray for the best because our major role as religious leaders is to pray for everybody even if one is a sinner, we still pray for a sinner to seek God, forgiveness and be pardoned by the Lord. So I as a religious leader, I will pray that if they go abroad, may God give them life so that they come back alive.”
The Khadi however said MPs must advocate for the poor people they represent.
“Our Members of Parliament are our sons and daughters, we still pray that they remember their people but at the same time while going for medical assistance abroad, let them go safe and come back safe alive,’’ Khelil emphasized.
