Asiimwe quizzed over increased number of beneficiaries of Akasiimo project

By Alice Lubwama

The special assistant on veterans affairs for president Museveni Col. Jacob Asiimwe  has had a rough  time before the public accounts committee of parliament when members  quizzed him over the rising

numbers of beneficiaries under the ‘Akasiimo project for people who contributed to liberation war.

The Office of the Prime Minister is supposed to reward civilians who contributed to the liberation war that ushered in NRM government but members were surprised by the  initial number of beneficiaries shot up from  30,000 to 80.000 shillings.

The  beneficiaries   were meant to share 30 billion shillings in the financial year  2014 but the amount was also  increased  to 158 shillings   to be shared  among the 80.000 beneficiaries  during the same year .

MPs including   Mathias Mpuuga Masaka municipality  and the committee chairperson Angeline Osegge tasked   Col Asiimwe to explain the circumstances leading to the rise and when the government was

planning to put   a cap on the list of beneficiaries.

In his response, Asiimwe said that the rise was caused by the need to incorporate other volunteers such as FRONASA and other groups that aided the  military to fight  extremism in the early days of peace.

He has given assurance that after clearing the pending 17,000beneficiaries, the “akasiimo project” will come to an end.