61 MPs fail to account for constituency fund
Apr 06, 2011
A total of 61 MPs have failed to account for sh610m, which was advanced to them as constituency development fund (CDF).
By MADINAH TEBAJJUKIRA
A total of 61 MPs have failed to account for sh610m, which was advanced to them as constituency development fund (CDF).
Out of the 61 MPs who have not accounted for the money, 58 of them were thrown out of Parliament by the Constitutional Court and three others lost the elections. The money was meant for the 2010/2011 financial year.
Every financial year, every MP is given sh10m for constituency development and it is mandatory to account for it.
In February this year, the Constitutional Court ruled that it was illegal for independent MPs to stand for elections on any party ticket and also for political party MPs to contest as independents without first resigning their seats.
The court ruled that any independent MP should have vacated their seat before being nominated to contest on a political party ticket.
After the ruling, the legislators were removed from the payroll. However, by the time of the developments, they had not accounted for the CDF. Consequently, the deputy clerk to Parliament (administration), Chris Kaija, wrote to the affected MPs, asking them to refund the money.
Kaija’s letter, dated March 28, refers to the Speaker’s communication to all MPs about the ruling.
“You were affected by this ruling and our records indicate that you have not yet accounted for CDF advanced to you for 2010/2011 financial year,†reads the letter.
It added: “The purpose of this letter is to request you to immediately account for the said advance.â€
Kaija, who is also the chief executive officer for the Parliamentary Pensions Board, yesterday said Parliament was trying to persuade the MPs to use part of their pension money to refund the money, incase one could not submit accountability.
He noted that if they were not restricted by the pension law, Parliament would have attached their pension in order to cover the tax payer’s money.
Kaija also warned them of court action if they did not cooperate.
A total of 61 MPs have failed to account for sh610m, which was advanced to them as constituency development fund (CDF).
Out of the 61 MPs who have not accounted for the money, 58 of them were thrown out of Parliament by the Constitutional Court and three others lost the elections. The money was meant for the 2010/2011 financial year.
Every financial year, every MP is given sh10m for constituency development and it is mandatory to account for it.
In February this year, the Constitutional Court ruled that it was illegal for independent MPs to stand for elections on any party ticket and also for political party MPs to contest as independents without first resigning their seats.
The court ruled that any independent MP should have vacated their seat before being nominated to contest on a political party ticket.
After the ruling, the legislators were removed from the payroll. However, by the time of the developments, they had not accounted for the CDF. Consequently, the deputy clerk to Parliament (administration), Chris Kaija, wrote to the affected MPs, asking them to refund the money.
Kaija’s letter, dated March 28, refers to the Speaker’s communication to all MPs about the ruling.
“You were affected by this ruling and our records indicate that you have not yet accounted for CDF advanced to you for 2010/2011 financial year,†reads the letter.
It added: “The purpose of this letter is to request you to immediately account for the said advance.â€
Kaija, who is also the chief executive officer for the Parliamentary Pensions Board, yesterday said Parliament was trying to persuade the MPs to use part of their pension money to refund the money, incase one could not submit accountability.
He noted that if they were not restricted by the pension law, Parliament would have attached their pension in order to cover the tax payer’s money.
Kaija also warned them of court action if they did not cooperate.