By Juma Nsubuga

Members of Parliament seating on parliamentary committee of public accounts (PAC) have disagreed on whether the first lady who doubles as the minister in charge of Karamoja region Affairs should appear before the committee to answer auditor’s queries that she used PRDP funds to travel 8 times to Israel in one month.

According to the auditor general’s report the First Lady used over shs143.6 million in travels abroad in just one month.

The First Lady is supposed to be one of the members to be questioned by the Public Accounts Committee this week regarding the misuse of  PRDP funds.

First Lady Janet Museveni

Ms Janet Museveni’s name came up during closed talks PAC members held with the Auditor General John Muwanga.   The committee through its vice chairperson Paul Mwiru has written to her requesting her to appear before the committee on Wednesday this week and defend herself over auditor general’s report which pins her for getting involved in the mismanagement of PRDP money.

Legislators are divided over the appearance of the first lady at the committee. Bufumbira county MP Eddie Kwizera, Bunyaruguru MP Bejamin Cadet and Ntungamo Municipality Yona Musinguzi say that the first lady should not appear before the committee because she didn’t sign for this money.

Meanwhile Kalungu west MP Joseph Sewungu together with Rubanda East MP Henry Musasizi says that the first lady should appear and explain how she got involved in the mismanagement of PRDP fund in prime minister’s office.

“It’s not politics. As a committee we should give her a chance to come and tell us what really happened. We have to give an opportunity to every individual and companies who were mentioned by Auditor General” Said Rubanda East MP Henry Musasizi

“The First lady has to appear before the committee as other witnesses have done. We have summoned her as the minister in charge of Karamoja Affairs not as the first lady. Those who says that she should not come are free to withdraw their membership from the committee but she has to come and explain why her name was cited in auditor general’s report” Said Kalungu West MP Joseph Sewungu

Other officials that expected to appear before the committee this week include the Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi who was mentioned in the report to have used some of the money to buy a Mercedes Benz.