The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of Members of Parliament have reacted to President Museveni’s comments about the 20 million shillings that were given to each MP for COVID-19.
In his address to the country on Tuesday, President Yoweri Museveni condemned MPs for seeking to divert Ugandans from the current war against coronavirus by picking the money.
According to Museveni, he met the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and told her that she entered the trap and the best way to extract themselves from it was by not spending the money but donate it to the district taskforce in their respective areas.
He warned that the Auditor General would be asked to intervene to seek accountability for the funds availed to legislators.
Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa says the President’s statement is unfair and aimed at gaining political capital.
He added that the President’s directive for the money to be sent to the District Task Forces on Covid-19 was also contrary to the Attorney General, William Byaruhanga who warned MPs against spending the money.
Basalirwa also says that the President should respect the independence of Parliament.
Vincent Waboya, the Budadiri East MP also says that they received the money due to pressure from their voters to buy relief food. Waboya says that since the lockdown, he has spent 23 million shillings to buy food.
He also noted that besides the 23 million shillings, he had to buy seeds worth 15 million to aid farmers in his constituency during the planting season.
Kasese Municipality MP Robert Centenary says that the President was being diversionary in order get political sympathy after getting a huge allocation in classified expenditure under the Covid-19 budget.
Centenary however said that he will return the 20 million to the Parliamentary Commission account.
Maracha Woman MP Rose Ayaka said that they needed the money to support their constituents and that the allocation was made in good faith.
Ayivu County MP Bernard Atiku says that it was unfair for the President to castigate MPs over their welfare.
Atiku said that regarding how the money is utilized, MPs will follow the guidance given by the Speaker and that expenditure will be at the liberty of legislators depending on the demands in their constituency through the task force.
Upper Madi County MP Isaac Etuka says that the President’s statement was unfortunate since other government ministries and departments also benefited from the Covid-19 supplementary budget. He said that even before the allocation of 20 million shillings to MPs, they had already spent a lot of money on their constituents to support people during the crisis.
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My view is that these Honorables have totally missed it, if not the President’s remarks on the MPs’ cash-outs helped relieve the anger and backlash that the Public was vetting out to the Parliament. Yes true, the Parliament should be independent, but independence doesn’t mean blind moves by the August House that back fire to the government and hold the country’s organs in bad light.
The timing of the payout of the monies was wrong, given the reports of frontline workers and first responders in the fight against Covid_19 that have gone for several weeks or months without pay. Also the advice for to channel the monies through their districts is the best option.
what i know about covid19 pandemic money,some MPs will not go to their municipalities and constituencies taskforce to donate the money they got from parliament.take example of MPs who have never gone to their voters during reccess or when they’re not in parliament up to now instead they’re going back looking votes/campaign.some MPs in Parliament have done nothing to people who voted them. many MPs have not developed their municipalities and constituencies so why they were elected? we people of hands to mouths they’ve not helped us at all. Every after thirty days (30)they get monthly salaries,those who are on Parliamentary committee gets money plus other money we don’t know but what development they’ve made from where they come from each? many people are poor but government minds about those who are rich only forgetting that those who are poor are those ones who have votes. when these are campaigning, why can’t they make rallies to those whom they’re rich instead of disturbing us?MPs promises so many things during campaign while they can’t fulfill everything. during Amin’s regime he refused to be with cabinet which is useless that can’t work for the people can’t he be recognized as the president of the republic of Uganda? if they’re useful, but to few people not all.
The mps who dont want the money are the ones who doesnt want to be in their residencials, but instead they just want to spend money without even thinking of their people especially in eastern uganda. Understanding this situation now would be better, but just because of money, they will cause suffering and misery to their people yet the president is working so hard to fight out the crisis. I will say that the president has done his duty and he should not be blamed cause he knows why he did it that way…