Speaker Anita Annet Among has asked the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja to consider including a provision in Parliament’s budget to cover medical treatment abroad and burial expenses for former MPs, saying the demands for these items are overwhelming Parliament.
She made the remarks during yesterday’s plenary sitting while reacting to a request by Phyllis Chemutai (Kapchorwa DWR) who had earlier sought Government’s help in the repatriation of the remains of Samuel Kiprotich, a student who was pursuing a PhD in Food Science and Technology at the Minnesota University, USA, but had died mysteriously 3 weeks back and the remains still stuck in the US.
“We may need to lobby for funds for former Members of Parliament for medical (treatment) abroad, and then for their burial expenses. You really need to take it up so that we have it in the next budget. It has become a very big burden,” noted Among.
The Speaker’s remarks were in response to a pledge made by the Premier to engage President Museveni to make arrangements for the repatriation of the body of Kiprotich that is stuck in the US hospital following his abrupt death, where he had gone to pursue studies and was making preparations to return to Uganda.