Uganda President blasts MPs over $2.6m coronavirus funds

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has blasted MPs for allocating themselves a total of 10bn Ugandan shillings ($2.6m; £2m) to enable each of them to raise awareness about coronavirus.

The president said it was "morally reprehensible" to allocate funding to themselves instead of district committees created for that purpose.

Each MP is getting more than $5,000.

"When I met with the speaker, I told her they should get out of that trap and the best way to do it is by not spending this money on themselves. I agreed with the speaker to donate that money to the district task forces," he said.

President Museveni said he would ask the auditor general to investigate MPs who had already spent the money to buy relief items for their constituents.

He had earlier banned individuals from distributing relief items and urged those who wished to do so to give the items to the district committees to avoid the gathering of crowds.

Opposition MP Francis Zaake was arrested last week for distributing food to his constituents, contrary to those guidelines.

The president says the rule should apply to all MPs not just those in opposition.

Uganda has so far confirmed 79 cases of coronavirus. The country is in lockdown, with restrictions ending next Tuesday.