MPs to spend more in 2021 elections-ACFIM

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Alliance for Finance Monitoring (ACFIM) has said expenditure of Members of Parliament for 2021 elections is most likely to double to 48 billion shillings, up from of 28 billion shillings spent in 2016.

A survey conducted by ACFIM revealed that 113 of the 185 MPs spent close to 25 billion shillings in the Parliamentary elections in 2016.

The findings indicated that the mean expenditure for NRM MPs interviewed is 233 million Shillings, 187 million Shillings for opposition MPs and 189 million Shillings for independent MPs.

ACFIM says that the figure could double in 2021 polls due to the demand of so much money by MPs and the perception by the electorate that MPs are not representing the interest of the people.

According to Henry Maguzi, team Leader ACFIM, their preliminary findings indicate that MPs will double the amount of money they spent last elections.

Maguzi said following the removal of the age limit and the payment of money to MPs, the electorate have asked MPs for money following information the MPs were paid hefty sums for removing the age limit.

Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the Kiira Municipality MP says that as long as the incumbent President still distributes money, the commercialization of politics and MPs spending will  get worse every general election.

He also says that MPs role towards their constituents have shifted from legislation to sponsoring students in schools, meeting bills of constituents and making various monetary contributions.

According to the 2016 election spending estimates, 2.4 trillion shillings was spent by political parties and candidates that contested in the presidential and parliamentary elections.

The study further revealed that in 16 districts, President Museveni and NRM spent more money than any other political party or candidate with an estimate of 333 billion shillings, while Dr Kizza Besigye and the FDC, spent  12 billion shillings in the 16 districts.

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