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Top Ugandan official returns wealth creation cow after uproar

Thursday July 27 2017
By MONITOR

A top Ugandan government official was Wednesday forced to return an in-calf cow he had received under the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) programme following protests from local leaders.

Mr Ofwono Opondo, the government spokesman, was among top officials and politicians including the ruling party National Resistance Movement's Mukono District chairman Hajj Haruna Semakula, to benefit from 42 in-calf cows distributed in the area on Monday.

But Mukono District councillors, led by Mr Davis Lukyamuzi, protested the move, accusing officials in charge of the programme of giving the cows to financially stable individuals instead of the poor who were the target of the OWC.

“The cows were given to rich people and influential ones who have the capacity to buy their own animals; leaving out needy people like widows and people with disabilities,” Mr Lukyamuzi said.

Despite his name being on the distribution list, Mr Opondo said on Wednesday that it was his wife who had applied for the cow.

“Although this cow was requested for by my wife, I have decided to return it following a lot of hullaballoo from the public and councillors; after all she already has two cows she is taking care of,” Mr Opondo said while handing over the animal to a local.

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OWC officials were absent.

Dr Fred Mukulu, the district production officer, said the cows had been given to people who have the capacity to look after them “very well.”

Officials of the OWC programme have been criticised in different parts of the country for favouring wealthy individuals with cows distribution, while the primary target -the poor - receive only seedlings for oranges and mangoes.

But Ms Sarah Kagingo, the OWC spokesperson, recently clarified that all people regardless of their social or political status are eligible to receive cows provided they are vetted by district leaders.

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