Foreign Affairs Given Deadline to Explain Delegation of 71 Government Officials to UN Assembly

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Jeje Odongo, has been given until Thursday to provide a report to Parliament explaining why 71 government officials were accredited to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa issued this deadline during a parliamentary session on Tuesday.

The decision came after Muwada Nkunyingi, the Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and Kyandondo East Constituency Representative, raised concerns about the wasteful use of public funds.

Muwada informed the House that there were reports stating that Henry Okello Oryem, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, had allegedly included his wife in the 71-member Ugandan delegation to the UN General Assembly.

Muwada argued that Uganda already has a Mission in New York funded with 16 billion Shillings in the 2021/2022 financial year to engage with the UN. Therefore, it seemed unnecessary to send such a large delegation to such an important summit.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, requested the Speaker to call upon the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, to explain her involvement in the delegation’s travel. This request was made in response to an audio recording circulating on social media where the Prime Minister criticized her subordinates.

In response, Tayebwa ruled that Gen. Jeje Odongo, the Foreign Affairs Minister, must appear in the House on Thursday and clarify the Ministry’s decision to accredit all 71 delegates, including specifying their roles during the UN Assembly in New York in September.

The MPs were unhappy that the two groups of delegates, one led by the Prime Minister and the other by Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jesca Alupo, did not have clear roles at the Assembly and were denied access to the venue. As a result, they had to spend their time in hotels.

The 78th United Nations General Assembly took place on September 5, 2023, with the High-Level Week occurring from September 18 to 22 in New York. It was a significant event in the effort to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)