The ongoing extreme heatwave sweeping across the country has left Members of Parliament (MPs) deeply concerned about its impact on the environment, health, and livelihoods. During a parliamentary session, MPs discussed the adverse effects of the rising temperatures and called for urgent action to address the situation.
Annet Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament, highlighted the severity of the heatwave and urged MPs to actively participate in tree-planting initiatives to combat environmental degradation. She emphasized the need to restore and protect the country's natural resources.
Beatrice Atim Anywar, the State Minister for Environment, acknowledged the challenges faced by the National Forestry Authority (NFA), a body under her ministry. She revealed that the NFA lacks sufficient funds for tree-planting programs, despite the critical need to address deforestation and climate change.
MPs from rural areas expressed frustration over the government's failure to enforce laws against illegal tree cutting and charcoal burning, which have exacerbated the environmental crisis. They also raised concerns about the heatwave's impact on agriculture, with reports of livestock dying due to water shortages and drought.
Minister Anywar warned that the heatwave could lead to an increase in diseases, food shortages, and disruptions in transportation. She called for immediate measures to mitigate these effects, including reducing taxes on alternative energy sources to discourage tree cutting for charcoal.
The minister also revealed that the government is considering reducing gas prices to make it more affordable for households to transition to cleaner energy sources.
Meteorological experts predict that the extreme heat will persist until April, further straining resources and livelihoods. Meanwhile, the judiciary is facing financial challenges, with a debt of UGX 13.371 billion owed to individuals and organizations for services rendered.
Pius Bigirimana, the Permanent Secretary of the Judiciary, appeared before the parliamentary committee overseeing government expenditures to explain the budget constraints. He admitted that the judiciary has exceeded its allocated budget but denied any misuse of funds. Bigirimana emphasized that the judiciary is committed to following the law but is struggling to pay its debts due to insufficient funds.
The judiciary was allocated UGX 362.637 billion out of a requested UGX 392.778 billion for the 2023-2024 financial year, covering 92% of its needs. However, the institution is still unable to settle its outstanding debts.
Muhammed Muwanga Kivumbi, the MP for Butambala and Chairperson of the committee, expressed concern over the financial strain on individuals and organizations waiting for payments from the government.
MPs also scrutinized the judiciary's performance, noting that out of 120 cases handled by the Supreme Court, 105 were resolved using UGX 3.58 billion. Similarly, land cases totaling 5,506 were addressed, with 4,320 resolved using UGX 2.4 billion. The High Court handled 106 out of 315 cases with UGX 2.07 billion, while the Court of Appeal resolved 164 out of 315 cases using UGX 1.44 billion. The Chief Magistrate's Court handled 21,336 out of 25,160 cases with UGX 16.49 billion, and lower courts resolved 200,620 out of 230,522 cases.
Bigirimana explained that some cases require more resources than initially budgeted, contributing to the financial strain.
MPs called for expedited processes and improved accountability to ensure that individuals and organizations receive the funds owed to them. They also urged the government to release UGX 24 billion held in the central bank to support pending payments.
