The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Church of Uganda Bishop of North Karamoja Diocese, Rt. Rev James Nasak has proposed a reduction of the MPs monthly package to 250,000 shillings to help stop people from fighting and dying to enter Parliament.
According to the bishop, most people have taken politics as source of livelihood instead of concentrating on food production that would help grow the country’s economy.
The pay cut would represent 100 percent reduction as today, the lowest an MP can earn in a month is 25 million shillings which comprises salary official, salary plus untaxed allowances, but does not include other payments like for car purchase (unaccountable) travel per diem and inflationary adjustment at the end of the five years term, not to mention gratuity.
Bishop Nasak suggests that instead of paying MPs all that money, government should pay teachers and doctors higher than an MP so that less people would be interested in parliament.
“Parliament has lost it’s meaning, when you listen to the debate in parliament, it is like a school debate with nothing developmental,” he said.
Bishop Nasak added that every child who completes senior six and the University thinks of contesting without any knowledge of leadership because they have taken politics as source of livelihood.
“Reducing monthly salary for members of parliament will discourage people from contesting for parliament and people will concentrate in farming which is the main back born for Uganda,” he said.
He also proposed that any person aspiring for an elective position should be at a least a retired civil servant with a clean record.
Ms Monica Nakiro, one of the residents supported the bishop’s call saying most MPs are paid for work not done.
“Some go there just to keep quite without mentioning any word,” she said.
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I agree with the bishop. Most people have seen politics only as a source of livelihood. Some have never raised any serious issues in the floor of the parliament. They are paid for less work.
I agree with u 100%.This is what l have been waiting to hear from sensible Ugandans.Let Parliament be for thise who want to represnt their people and not for those who want to get rich.lts a norble service not a bisiness.Good u
Honestly it makes no sense to pay some body who attends to parliament 3 times a month all that much, while neglecting a classroom tr or a medic who goes to the work station More than 15times a month
Infact they have even delayed to have that proporsal
Ugandan politics is now a serious paying job that is why people are even sacrificing others for it