House buys 800m cars for Speakers
PARLIAMENT has bought two Mercedes Benzes worth sh838m for the Speaker and deputy Speaker.
By CYPRIAN MUSOKE
and BARBARA NAMBOZO
PARLIAMENT has bought two Mercedes Benzes worth sh838m for the Speaker and deputy Speaker.
Hellen Kawesa, the public relations manager of Parliament, said the procurement process for the vehicles started in April, but they were delivered early this month.
Kawesa said the vehicles were budgeted for under the current financial year.
“Each vehicle cost sh418m. The money was budgeted for and a decision was made to buy vehicles that could last at least 10 years,†Kawesa said.
The vehicles registration numbers, UG0188 H and UGO189 H, are ceremonial vehicles for the speaker and the deputy speaker.
The officers also have a pair of the latest state of the art V8 Toyota Land Cruisers to travel to their constituencies.
At least 12 four-wheel-drive vehicles were last year purchased at sh238m each by the parliamentary commission.
Kawesa said the commission and the finance ministry are yet to agree on the amount to give to each MP for vehicle purchase. She refuted reports that the commission had sanctioned sh190m for each MP to buy a vehicle.
The MPs also came under criticism last week for demanding for a pay raise to protect themselves from the biting inflation and an advance of sh50m after chasing away journalists.
It has also been reported that the commission is in negotiations with the Government to increase MPs’ vehicle acquisition funds from sh60m to sh192m.
The new housing minister and a former parliamentary commissioner, Justine Kasule Lumumba, told journalists on Friday that the commission sanctioned a sh190m car grant for each MP.
“We are negotiating with the Ministry of Finance. After the negotiations, a decision will be made whether to buy new cars for the MPs or give them money to top-up,†she said.
There are 375 MPs in the ninth Parliament, meaning that sh71b will be spent on purchasing new vehicles for them.
Kawesa said the old Speakers’ vehicles would be boarded off at an appropriate time.
and BARBARA NAMBOZO
PARLIAMENT has bought two Mercedes Benzes worth sh838m for the Speaker and deputy Speaker.
Hellen Kawesa, the public relations manager of Parliament, said the procurement process for the vehicles started in April, but they were delivered early this month.
Kawesa said the vehicles were budgeted for under the current financial year.
“Each vehicle cost sh418m. The money was budgeted for and a decision was made to buy vehicles that could last at least 10 years,†Kawesa said.
The vehicles registration numbers, UG0188 H and UGO189 H, are ceremonial vehicles for the speaker and the deputy speaker.
The officers also have a pair of the latest state of the art V8 Toyota Land Cruisers to travel to their constituencies.
At least 12 four-wheel-drive vehicles were last year purchased at sh238m each by the parliamentary commission.
Kawesa said the commission and the finance ministry are yet to agree on the amount to give to each MP for vehicle purchase. She refuted reports that the commission had sanctioned sh190m for each MP to buy a vehicle.
The MPs also came under criticism last week for demanding for a pay raise to protect themselves from the biting inflation and an advance of sh50m after chasing away journalists.
It has also been reported that the commission is in negotiations with the Government to increase MPs’ vehicle acquisition funds from sh60m to sh192m.
The new housing minister and a former parliamentary commissioner, Justine Kasule Lumumba, told journalists on Friday that the commission sanctioned a sh190m car grant for each MP.
“We are negotiating with the Ministry of Finance. After the negotiations, a decision will be made whether to buy new cars for the MPs or give them money to top-up,†she said.
There are 375 MPs in the ninth Parliament, meaning that sh71b will be spent on purchasing new vehicles for them.
Kawesa said the old Speakers’ vehicles would be boarded off at an appropriate time.