Attorney General defends government’s position on MP’s car purchase

The Attorney General has defended government’s position before the Constitution Court to spend over 64bn shillings on purchase of cars for MPs.

Senior State Attorney Gorret Arinaitwe told Justice Richard Buteera this afternoon that the petitioner Twaha Sanywa has not pleaded any special circumstances including how he will suffer a loss that cannot be compensated in damages if the 64 bn shillings is paid out to MPs.

The State Attorney then asked court to dismiss with costs this application for lack of merit and strong reasons to block government from releasing the said funds.

Arinaitwe has based her submission on an affidavit sworn by the clerk to parliament; Jane Kibirige, who says such privileges and benefits enjoyed by MPs are provided for under the law.

Kibirige further argued that if court finds out at a later stage that the said money was erroneously given to the MPs, government can still go ahead to recover the 150 million shillings from individual MPs.

However Sanywa’s lawyers disagreed with her saying it’s difficult to recover the said money from MPs since it will be withdrawn from the consolidated fund for personal benefits without following the law governing procurement of public assets.

Sanywa wants court to stop the car purchase privilege to MPs saying it places them at a preferential treatment against other government employees in the Judiciary and Executive arms who perform their duties in public vehicles.

Justice Buteera has set the 13^th Oct to deliver his ruling on whether to issue this injunctive order.

 

Written by David Kugonza