Published on 18/10/2024
Alex Ndeezi, Representative for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), has condemned the latest Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) data which shows a drastic decline in Uganda’s PWD population.
The 2014 census reported 6.4 million Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) but the new figures claim this has dropped to 3 million. Ndeezi questioned the accuracy of the data, expressing concern over its potential impact on policies and services for PWDs.
Ndeezi expressed his concerns during a plenary session on Tuesday, questioning how such a drastic decrease could occur. “The question is, where did the 3.4 million people go?” he asked, highlighting the significant discrepancy in the numbers.
In response, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, who oversees UBOS, called for calm, promising that the government would provide a detailed statement explaining the discrepancy in the census data. “Next week, we will present a statement with the full facts. I ask for your indulgence until then,” Kasaija told the MPs.
However, Denis Lee Oguzu, MP for Maracha County, was not satisfied with the minister’s response and urged Speaker Anita Among to commission a parliamentary investigation into the faulty census data. He emphasized the importance of accurate census figures for national planning, stating, “Census data is what government uses for planning, and if decisions are based on opinion rather than data, things go wrong.”
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Speaker Among agreed to wait for the statement from the Minister of Finance before making any decisions on further investigations.
In the same plenary session, Speaker Among tasked the government to provide a status report on the delayed maintenance of the Kampala-Jinja Highway and an update on the construction of the Jinja-Kampala Expressway. MPs raised concerns about the deteriorating state of Uganda’s main trade route, particularly the long-standing potholes along several sections of the road.
Agnes Taaka, the District Woman Representative for Bugiri, questioned why the Ministry of Works has taken over five years to conduct maintenance on the highway, noting that the repair works between Banda and Kireka had stalled. She called on the government to expedite the maintenance and provide Parliament with an updated plan for fixing the road.
“The Kampala-Jinja Highway is a major trading route, but it has been left in a poor condition with many potholes. Maintenance works started in 2019, but they are still ongoing between Bweyogerere and Mukono,” Taaka remarked.
She urged the Ministry of Works and Transport to prioritize the repair of the road and address the potholes as a matter of urgency.
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