Parliament rocked by bribery allegations

Parliament is in the spotlight over new allegations that MPs are soliciting for bribes from government officials appearing before parliamentary committees. Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda complained to Speaker Rebecca Kadaga about the creeping vice of committees of parliament extorting money and other benefits from government entities they superintend over as part of their oversight role.

The form of extension is varied through requests of residential workshops where the MPs are paid lofty per diem. Usually, the workshops are organized by government agencies for the MPs to have a supposedly better understanding of these agencies.

The government entities are usually hamstrung by budget cuts so the workshops are seen as an opportunity for greasing the poles. The Speaker and Clerk to Parliament have formally warned MPs and committee clerks against soliciting of bribes.

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