Soi County Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Chemaswet Abdi, has requested Parliament to consider approving money to purchase a helicopter for the Minister of East African Affairs, Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga.
Abdi raised the concern yesterday after Kadaga presented a statement from the Ministry for East African Community Affairs on the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo into the EAC.
According to Abdi, the EAC minister travels across borders, and hence a helicopter will enable her to perform her duties diligently.
“The Minister for EAC Affairs should have a helicopter, not a vehicle that will facilitate her movements across the EAC,” Abdi said.
Meanwhile, Kadaga told the house that DR Congo will commence full participation in EAC Meetings, Projects, and Programmes with effect from October 2022 if all the prescribed steps are complied with and within the set timelines.
She stated that EAC will get lots of benefits if the DRC commences full participation.
“The EAC will have a combined population of over 300 million people, which provides an expanded market with opportunities to produce and sell goods and services, hence enhancing the prosperity of our people,” she said.
Kadaga said that for Uganda to tap into this opportunity, there is a need for quick and targeted investment in roads and related infrastructure.
Leader of Opposition Mathius Mpuuga called upon the government to sensitize the people about the opportunities presented by the admission of DRC to EAC.
He said this will solve challenges where some people in South Africa look at their fellow blacks as endangering their own survival.
Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi also asked the government to aid the local manufacturers by giving them tax incentives like those given to foreign investors.
Ssenyonyi said that this will increase production, giving Uganda more products to export to the member states.