The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A pleasant welcome awaits the freshly elected and re-elected members of Uganda’s parliament – all 520 of them.
The Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija is hunting for sh165bn to avail Parliament a budget for MPs motor vehicle allowances in the 11th Parliament. Divided by about 520 MPs, each is expected to pocket closet to sh320million in vehicle allowances.
Minister Kasaija told URN last night that even if the 165 billion expenditure for cars is not yet funded, the money will have to be availed because the MPs need transport, especially the first termers.
When asked how much each MP will be entitled to and whether it was indeed Sh321m Kasaija said that that figure will have to be determined by the Parliamentary Commission on which he himself sits.
“Every MP must get a car. Especially the new ones…..but the amount will depend on what the Parliamentary Commission determines. If we have the money we will provide, if we do not have the money we can give half, or a quarter then the MP can go and determine what type of car he can get,” Kasaija told URN.
The item of Cars for new MPs is captured in the Budget Framework Paper for the 2021/2022 financial year as one of the critical but unfunded priorities. The other unfunded priority in the next budget is compensation for cattle in Acholi, Lango and Teso.
The number of Uganda’s MPs will only be confirmed when parliament starts. The president can appoint about ten or even more ex-officio members who despite being fully facilitated as ministers, still enjoy all the emoluments and perks of elected MPs.
The cars item in the Parliament’s budget may however be seen by State House as going against a warning made by President Yoweri Museveni during his recent victory speech following his triumph in the 2021 presidential elections.
Museveni warned MPs against extravagance and wasteful expenditure and warned them against increasing their allowances and emoluments.
In the 10th Parliament government spent nearly 110bn shillings on motor vehicle funds awarded to MPs.
The money was released in two installments with MPs getting 100m shillings each in October 2016 following a release of 64.5bn shillings, MPs were to get an additional 100m each following release of 45.8billion shillings in June 2017.
Budget Framework Paper 2021-2022
According to the budget framework paper for the 2021/2022 financial year there are budgetary pressures that government is facing totaling to Sh5.99 trillion.
However after review of the pressures government says the critical funding areas will require Sh3.19 trillion next financial year.
Among the critical pressures is the classified equipment project under ministry of defence requiring Sh1.026 trillion which has been fully provided under the proposed allocations, Uganda National Oil Company Capitalization (UNOC) requiring 539.9bn shillings of which 100.6bn shillings has been indicated under the proposed allocations and Salaries Pensions and Gratuity requiring 492.4bn shillings of which 170.1bn shillings has been proposed under the budget estimates.
The critical areas which remain fully unfunded under the proposed allocations are the recurring supplementary from the current financial year requiring 388.6bn shillings, compensation for cattle in Acholi, Lango and Teso requiring 200bn shillings, counterpart funding for the UgandaIntergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program requiring 381.5bn shillings and vehicles for new members of parliament requiring 165bn shillings.
The 11th parliament is set to see the amount spent on the MPs’ car allowance rise by 55bn shillings to 165bn shillings owing to an increase in number of MPs from 448 to 514. This translates into a cash out of 321m shillings per MP. There are no costs involved in this implementing the MPs’ car ‘programme’ as the money is simply wired to MPs to spend as each chooses. When the (new) MP are undergoing orientation, car dealer swamp the premises offering ‘bargain’ deals to the members, but there are no conditions, standards or guidelines for the MPs to follow and one can even choose not to buy a car. Some in the 9th and 10th Parliament bought an ambulance of their constituency with (part of) the money.
The budget framework paper says that the priorities that have not been covered or partially covered will be funded through tax policy and administrative measures that are still under review and the process is expected to be complete by the end of January 2021.
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Westing of money instead of using this money for building more hospital
let us look at issues that is why I don’t vote NRM, because look at public expenditure is so high for God sake why this big parliament, let us compare to Tanzania which is almost five times bigger than Uganda, its members of parliament are 393, Uganda we are going to 514, look at these RDCs, looking big V8 vehicles ministers driving worth 600M , and yet external debt is increasing so at end of the day revenue collected will pay interest on burrowed money and cater for useless public expenditure which is useless hence population we lack good services such as good Medical care , poor education system or do you put this money to innovators such we build local knowledge and start our own factories . Look at failed government institutions which are not independent and look at corruptions on increase case global fund, army junk helicopters and many forms of Corruption
This is a total of $87,156 to be given to each MP for doing absolutely nothing. The minister says they need transport to go to parliament. Are there no public buses for them to go to Kampala or to parliament if they are so needy? Use this money to buy more ventilators for the ICU to say people’s lives instead of giving such money to MPigs. They will soon collude with the speaker and vote to increase their allowances, all from the taxpayers’ money. I don’t believe MPigs are even relevant at this time of Covid 19.
… ti save people’s lives …
These are arguments of peasants mentalities. Do you know how much it takes to educate a child for a position in parliament.! Do you know what the MLS go through in the hands of the electorate to get those jobs! Let them enjoy their privileges, Rob the country and reap where they have sown. These peasant fries should go silent for God’s sake
This is the actual peasant mentality
Parliament should be for needy who have never even owned cars!
I meant “Parliament shouldn’t be for needy who have never even owned cars!”
imagine 300m to just buying a car
God have mercy upon us
ugandans have many more problems that have to be seen firs including this rampant covd 19 in our nation
Let those ones who have been saying very many things about taxpayers money lead by example and refuse that money. Or accept the money and then account for it by buying COVID-19 vaccines and oxygen cylinders for vulnerable people in their constituencies. That’s how we will know that they are not just noisemakers.
I meant “Parliament shouldn’t be for needy who have never even owned cars!” I am surprised that some people still have respect for MPigs.
So the beings responsible for the recent problem may turn out to be like Nikolai Gogol’s Khlestakov, as the voters await to visit the sugar candy mountains, the anxiety frequently reproducing the works of Capek
This really for God and my stomach Uganda God bless them.
How can we make MPs contribute to:
(a)education of brilliant children who cannot afford to go for training/ further studies/higher education
(b) basic requirements at the health facilities [stock outs are very frequent]
in their respective constituencies?
This should be deducted from the money they receive, reduce the car allocation by 40%
We shall then pray for them to remain in parliament for as long as they wish
Oh I miss Hon Waluswaka, how boring the afternoons of Tuesday, Wednesday an Thursday will be without him
then the one from Ngora, a former teacher who quotes the bible
I have just realized that his Cohort get [144*300]
But a number of them have quality contribution so be it