Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda’s Health Minister just like other submissive leaders in the country on Wednesday donated ‘her controversial’ 20m shillings.
She donated it through her aide to Lira district COVID-19 task force.
But her choice of Lira over Oyam has sparked a huge debate among some political commentators in the district. This is equally sending signal to some female politicians in Lira district.
“The minister has no specific constituency, so she has decided to donate this popular 20m shillings to the district task force of Lira,” her personal assistant, Mr Paul Ssewamala told the district task force as he handed over the cash, Wednesday.
There was already excitement in Lira town and the entire Lango sub-region a day it was announced that “daughter of the soil” as Dr Jane is commonly described by the natives would visit Lira, and probably pay a courtesy visit to Lira Regional Referral hospital where she once worked as an administrator before rising through the ranks.
But Mr Ssewamala told the district task force team that the minister was “very prepared to visit Lira and hand over the money herself” but that she “got committed executing a special assignment from the President.”
He however told the district leaders that Dr Aceng wants the money properly budgeted for and utilised in a sustainable manner as the country continues to battle new cases of COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, Uganda has a total of 139 confirmed cases.
Lira Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Milton Odongo praised Dr Aceng for her decision to donate her money to Lira district task force and said it would boost their capacity to handle COVID-19.
Equally, Alex Patrick Oremo Alot, the district LC5 chairman lauded Dr Jane Aceng, describing her as “a true daughter of the soil”.
According to Mr Oremo, the Minister has demonstrated an act of good will to Lira as a mother district. The district chair pledged that the money will be put to good use.
Samuel Paul Mbiwa who’s the deputy Chief Administrative Officer who received the money, said the 20m would be banked on the General Account of the district.
“We will raise a supplementary budget and take it before council as required by law so we can budget on the money,” Mr Mbiwa said.
Dr Jane Aceng, a born of present day Oyam district could have equally chosen to donate to the district task force of Oyam.
Her resolution to instead hand it over to Lira has arisen the suspicion theory that she could be eying the Lira Woman Member of Parliament seat. By press time, we could not verify this gossip from the Minister.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Dr Jane Aceg was already talked about as one of the potential people that could ably represent Lira as woman MP.
TND News has since established, through her aides that she seems less interested in running for a political office and that the President is pleased with her administration as a Health Minister.