The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Parliamentarians Personal and Research Assistants Association wants parliament to take over the payment of its members, saying they are being exploited by legislators.
Currently, the personal assistants are paid by legislators. Although parliament has research officers who, are attached to committees, MPs hire private individuals to do their research.
On Monday afternoon, Uganda Parliamentarians Personal and Research Assistants Association, which has over 150 members, petitioned the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, saying they should be incorporated in the parliamentary system so as to add value in the work of the MPs so as to avoid conflicts related to salaries and their rights.
Led by Festo Kajura, the interim chair of the Association, the Personal Assistants, say there is limited consideration of the assistants as being part of the parliamentary family, no job security, unpredictable lunch and transport allowances and remuneration forcing several of them to suffer in Parliament.
He also notes that in case of high political temperature, the assistants are targeted with the aim of weakening the legislators.
Kajura called on the Speaker who heads the Parliamentary Commission to consider the model of Kenya where MP’s personal assistants are paid by the house.
He said incorporating personal assistants in the formal structures of parliament will improve the performance of MPs and reduce the research burden on legislators.
He says that the proposals is meant to better the work of parliament, MPs and the assistants.
Kadaga noted that Personal assistants need to be part of the system and promised to benchmark with other parliaments and see if they can be integrated into the Parliamentary system.
She said they will start with access cards for the Personal Assistants who have been relying on the mercy of security.
She however said they need to study especially how to pay the assistants who are of different qualifications.
Kadaga promised to get back to the association in July when the Parliamentary commission sits.
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