KAMPALA, UGANDA: President Museveni has said he will preside over today’s reading of the National budget virtually after he changed his mind on the method of addressing parliament for the event.
The president had earlier on Wednesday said that since he would not be able to visit Kyiv and Russia with other African leaders, “I will be able to address Parliament tomorrow at a distance of 300 metres on the budget day.”
However, Mr Museveni who is in self-isolation for now seven days said in a later update on Wednesday evening that he will address Parliament (today) virtually.
“I feel ready to move out of self-isolation. However, today, again, we carried out corona tests and I was still positive. Fortunately, Maama Janet is still negative because we take precautions,” Mr Museveni said in a tweet via his official Twitter Handle.
The 78-year-old leader said his Vice, Ms Jessica Alupo will inspect the parade for him and conduct other activities on his behalf as the President at the function.
“Now that I am not travelling, she [Jessica Alupo] will inspect the Parade for me, take the salute for the match past and I will make my brief remarks at the end of the budget speech,” he said.
The President went into self-isolation last week, a day after he told the country during the State of the Nation Address that he had tested positive for Covid-19.
A day later, Mr Museveni delegated the week’s remaining duties to the Prime Minister, who presided over the National Heroes’ Day in Luweero last Friday.
Although the move had set tongues wagging as a section of the public wondered why the President had ‘side-lined’ his deputy [Vice President], the Ugandan leader later clarified in another Twitter update that Ms Alupo (the Vice) was out of the country for state duties, thus the choice of Ms Robinah Nabbanja.
This year’s National Budget is under the theme: “Full monetization of Uganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Industrialization, Expanding and Broadening Services, Digital Transformation and Market Access.”
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