PARLIAMENT | SALARY RISE | PRESIDENT MUSEVENI 

KAMPALA - President Yoweri Museveni has cautioned parliamentary staff to wait on the issue of raising their salaries. 

The President made the remarks Thursday, while meeting the Parliamentary Commission led by the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among. 

The President said waiting does not mean the Parliament staff are not thought about, adding that other key personnel such as armed forces, teachers and medical workers were also getting low salaries. 

“Be careful with these budgets. The bases of the state are the armed forces, teachers and health workers. We should always look into their welfare first before others,” he said. 

On the issue of the parliamentary budget, President Museveni appealed to Parliament not to misuse the committees of the House, adding that they should be funded, but with small numbers. 

He lauded Parliament’s decision of allowing to give the constituency development fund to the Parish Development Model to run it, saying it is a wise decision. 

President Museveni said when all the arms of Government (Executive, Parliament and Judiciary) work together, they yield good results for the country. 

Using the crisis of load-shedding in 2005 as an example, the President said electricity shortage was caused by the Parliament at the time, which blocked major projects of constructing dams. 

“When we came to Government, Uganda was generating 60MW and selling 30MW to Kenya. I proposed to have more power dams, but Parliament at that time blocked it. This was betrayal,” the President said. He added: “When we won in 2006, I came back and met the Cabinet. This time, I was ready for a showdown. I told them that ‘I beg you, we must put more money in two areas — roads and electricity’. Cabinet and caucus agreed. 

“That’s how you can see all these roads constructed and we got out of that problem caused by the misuse of Parliament. I am very glad that this Parliament has moved well. I want to congratulate you,” he said. 

President Museveni said the country does not belong to leaders, but to the people of Uganda. 

“When you have a leadership role, you are a trustee, so you should know that the country does not belong to Members of Parliament. It belongs to the people and other workers of the country,” he said. 

The President commended the 11th Parliament for a good start and handling of government business in a mature way. 

This way, he said, complements the NRA/NRM line of liberating Ugandans from poverty. 

“I thank the entire leadership of Parliament for the good way you have started and working well as a government, the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary,” Museveni said. 

He appealed to Parliament to complement the historical mission of NRA/NRM to liberate the people from poverty. 

“In the past, people used Parliament to set up a parallel authority to fight government programmes. I have seen that this Parliament is not involved in those mistakes,” the President said. 

He supported the commission’s proposal of building their own offices for the Members of Parliament instead of renting, which is costly. 

Among revealed that they have had 83 plenary sittings, adding that the commission has decided to take the constituency fund to be run under the Parish Development Model. 

The meeting, which was held at State Lodge Nakasero, was also attended by the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa and commissioners of Parliament, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, finance minister Matia Kasaija and clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige.

Speaker of Parliament speaks out

“We spend over sh20b for rent per year for MPs. We should instead use the money to build our own accommodation and save government money,” the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, said. 

She commended President Museveni for the support he has always given to Parliament and its leadership. 

“We wish to extend our sincere thanks for your continued support. Thanks for the support to our late Speaker. Your personal interest in the leadership of Parliament has not been in vain and we shall never disappoint you. We shall work together to ensure good governance,” Among said. 

The Speaker outlined some of the achievements registered by this Parliament in the last 11 months, including passing of 12 Bills out of the 20 presented. 

Among said they had passed 12 bills, including the NSSF Bill, Oil Bill, Income Tax Bill, Finance Management Bill, Succession Bill, Market Bill, Mining and Minerals Bill as well as Electricity Bill. 

“We have also passed 64 resolutions out of 78 and presented 31 committee reports,” she said.