Legislators in Uganda consisting 529 legislators and the 26 ex-officio members of the 11th Parliament have started receiving Shs200 million each, for the procurement of vehicles. The payments are parts of their entitlements for their five-year tenure. Each MP gets a monthly net salary of Shs6.1 million besides housing allowance of Shs6.5 million, a constituency support allowance of Shs17.03 million plus a town running fee of Shs1.945 million.
Director of Communications at Parliament, Chris Obore, confirmed the development yesterday, saying that the sums were part of the entitlements for all Members of Parliament.
In his words, Obore confirmed “That is true. We got a release to give members their money which you know is a ritual that each member has to be given money to buy a car. There is nothing to hide there. It is a once in five years’ period benefit that members are going to get.”
He added: “It is Shs200 million and it is what the other Parliament got. In other words, they are getting what the 10th Parliament got.”
Parliament shut recently for few weeks as 200MPs tested positive for the virus. Parliamentarians in the 10th Parliament also received payment for the procurement of vehicles in 2016.
The Ministry of Finance recently revealed that a decision had been taken to cut budgets in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as a means of enabling the government to raise funds in its fight against Covid-19.
The fund is being released at a time when major sectors of the economy are smattering from the shocks triggered by Covid-19, worsened by a 42-day long lockdown that was last month imposed by President Museveni, as a measure to limit the raging spread of the virus.
Government’s Appeal for Public Donations
The government is again requesting cash donations from well-meaning Ugandans, businesses and investors in the country for the procurement of oxygen cylinders and Covid-19 vaccines.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, while receiving a donation of 300 oxygen cylinders yesterday said the government, which passed a new Budget last month, is struggling to bankroll purchase of enough vaccinate to inoculate the targeted 21.9 million Ugandans.
“I take this opportunity to call all other Ugandans and companies to step up and be counted in the national response to Covid-19…You may be aware that this pandemic, most of the countries which are on top of it, have vaccinated their population. Our government is struggling to ensure that we buy as many vaccines as possible so that people get hard immunity,” she said.
June 28, 2021 as Uganda battles the second wave