The Cabinet has directed Attorney General’s chambers to ensure that the stand-off between Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Justice Steven Kavuma of the Constitutional Court is resolved expeditiously.
The directive by cabinet follows an ugly spat that spiraled and negatively impacted on the image of government when Kadaga and Justice Kavuma disagreed over a restraining order issued by the latter, barring Parliament to debate an issue regarding Shs6 billion, shared out between 43 senior government officials.
As a result of the stand-off between the two, the Speaker, who referred the Judge’s order as ‘stupid’, has since adjourned parliamentary sittings till the order, brought before the House by Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana, is vacated.
The controversial money that has put a cog in the wheels of government is part of the US$434 million won by Uganda following a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) case against two oil prospecting companies, Heritage Oil and Gas and Tullow Oil Uganda, after several court battles in Uganda’s Tax Appeal Tribunal, High Court of Appeal and High Court of London, Court of Appeal of UK and two international tribunals.
The money, now dubbed ‘presidential handshake’ or ‘oil cash bonanza’ that has since caused a public outcry was shared by officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA); the ministries of finance and justice, and the Attorney General’s chambers, with the highest beneficiary getting UgShs262 million and the lowest getting UgShs90 million.
