President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has told Members of Parliament of the National Resistance Movement to consciously debate the controversial Shs 6bn Presidential Handshake Cash ‘in good faith.’
On Tuesday morning Museveni met NRM MPs in a closed door meeting at State House Entebbe and opened up on the matter for the first time since it dominated public debates and news for the last two weeks.
According to the President, MPs just like many in the country have been maligning and negatively attacking the beneficiaries of the handshake that include his three trusted ladies steering sensitive authorities.
The Commissioner General Uganda Revenue Authority Doris Akol was the person behind the Handshake initiation and approval according to the documents that were first obtained by ChimpReports.
Others who took the money are KCCA Executive Director Jenifer Ssemakula Musisi, Uganda National Roads Authority Executive Director Allen Kagina and others.
“I have been quietly following the debate and how people are condemning my ladies and some other good people who helped us recover the money from the oil companies. Parliament is free to carry out its constitutional mandate but the debate should be in good faith,” Museveni said according to a source who attended the meeting.
The President also told MPs that good people like Akol, Kajina and Musisi are very few in Uganda and should not be demonized for taking the Shs6bn that he approved.
“I would like to let you honorable members know that honest people are very rare to find in this country. Let us not roast these ladies who have stood the test of time.”
The Government Chief Whip, Ruth Nankabirwa who is the Chairperson of the Caucus told Journalists at Parliament after the State House meeting that Museveni elaborated to MPs that he was not arm-twisted to approve the handshake.
“The President clearly told us that he was not pressured or forced to give out the handshake but he had also personally recognized the extraordinary effort by the team that made Uganda succeeded in getting the money from Heritage,” Naknkabirwa said.