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OPINION

By Faruk Kirunda

On Sunday, May 28, 2023, President Yoweri Museveni opened a 10-day NRM parliamentary caucus retreat at the National Army Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi by cautioning NRM MPs against using personal money in their constituencies, saying it is a big mistake which creates leaders who are indebted. He said: “Indebted leaders are dangerous.”

The President instead called on the members to preach the NRM agenda for the socio-economic transformation of the people, which is for all homesteads to engage in producing goods or services calculatedly for sale, which will in turn lead to prosperity for all.

Did the caucus’ members take this message and how far have they gone in putting it in practice? I have not done specific research on how many MPs are currently saddled with debt, but by the time the President spoke out it means there is no smoke without fire.

In the past, we saw MPs picked like grasshoppers and thrown into jail over defaulting on their loans, some of them incurred during campaigns and others when defending their seats against petitioners; others from raising their living standards once they are elected, ending up living beyond their means, becoming serial borrowers and defaulters.

That status of indebtedness renders them ineffective as people’s representatives because they are not at peace in Parliament and the constituencies. Being under financial strain and indebtedness means that they may easily get compromised in the course of doing their oversight roles in which they come in contact with corrupt-minded individuals. Here is one point where anti-corruption efforts fall on thorns.

Having financially independent legislators is one way to guarantee Parliament’s independence in execution of its duties. That is why it is vital that as a country, the calibre of people that contest for Parliament needs to be screened with much consideration to prevent having more of those looking for jobs or “survival” at the front.

As it is with the armed forces, where the President advises against the mentality of joining to look for jobs (financial gain) instead of going in to sacrifice and serve, so it should be with Parliament.

We have heard candidates going into the race vowing that it is time to eat and, surprisingly, some get elected. What do you expect of them and what do you think the electorate expects from them?

When elected, such fortune hunters have little interest in legislating for national interest and development, but for their individual benefit. This promotes the infamous “primitive accumulation of wealth” syndrome which is the biggest driver of corruption and failure to transform society at large.

There is an idea that for one to contest for a parliamentary seat, he or she should meet a given level of financial standing as assurance that they will settle in the role of MP and deliver on it without fear or favour. However, this should not be construed as locking out those with potential for leadership, but who may be lack financial backing, some of them being youthful and never having been in gainful employment or business before. Of interest is that in case they make it to Parliament, their “poverty” should not be seen in the way they perform their roles. They must stand firm where firmness is required, they must be loud and clear when need be.

Getting lucky and being elected due to a stroke of luck arising from a “wave” should be treated as such — just luck, but an opportunity to serve diligently and maturely in giving back to the very considerate electorate. The first time one gets elected could be by chance, but the next vote should be earned meritoriously. Seeing as many legislators sailed through by luck in 2021, it shouldn’t be that all they wanted was an address, a name, an addition to their CV without a plan to leave a legacy.

They must be doers, from whom the voters can pick traits of working for better times.

And as we urge MPs to avoid the debt trap, the same message goes to local council chairpersons, mayors, councillors and other elected leaders to avoid getting financially trapped in financing elections or maintaining the electorate.

Sell yourself based on ideas and a development agenda! Say “no” to electoral bribery aimed at winning unjustified support.

Woe unto MPs who were not at Kyankwanzi when the President gave the wise transformational counsel, and these are from the Opposition since it was a caucus of the ruling NRM!

Who will tell them these things given the absence of senior leaders to guide them and, sometimes, whip them accordingly?

Parliament is the bedrock of people representation and democracy. It should be constituted meritoriously, and be a beacon of hope, pride and inspiration for the people. Appreciation goes to those legislators who have taken their roles seriously and are engaged in promoting transformational programmes of the Government and with other partners so as to change the grade of their people.

Every constituency has an opportunity to be a model for something, if the representatives are settled — not strangers in the constituency and House — and deeply concerned with the wellbeing and interests of their people.

When the people are productive and bankable, the burden on MPs to meet their private and personal demands reduces.

This has a ripple-on effect on performance and democracy at large since MPs are empowered to stand firm in the constituencies to give accountability and to speak out in the House on matters of substance.

The writer is the deputy presidential press secretary faruk.kirunda@statehouse.go.ug 0776980486/0783990861