MPs’ attitude is absurd indeed!
Sep 07, 2006
SIR — It is absurd that our MPs are once again making overwhelming demands on Uganda’s limited resources They need cars worth sh20b!
SIR — It is absurd that our MPs are once again making overwhelming demands on Uganda’s limited resources They need cars worth sh20b! Before we know they will be demanding allowances for fuel, maintenance and repairs of these luxury cars to be borne by the the electorate! What happened to the cars that the MPs of the previous parliament bought? It means that the taxpayer has to bear the brunt of buying for our MPs personal cars. I fully acknowledge their contribution to the development of this great nation but they need to be more realistic. There are many pressing needs that have to be addressed and that is the reason we sent them to parliament. In many of the constituencies they represent there are people who cannot afford to buy a dose of anti-malarial drug, let alone access medical services due to prohibitive costs. the roads on which the MPs intend to drive their cars are almost non–existent while some schools lack teachers. some of the electorate are starving! My appeal to our MPs is that they should reconsider their position and settle for reasonably priced vehicles to relieve the burden on our shoe-string budget. My humble appeal to our executive is that we need a regulating body to determine how much MPs are supposed to earn to avoid this ridiculous tendency of each House setting their salaries and allowances.
Sarah Mwandha
Kampala
SIR — Indeed, politics is a dirty game! I read with utter dismay that MPs are demanding for sh20b to buy new cars! Goodness me! when many of them were campaigning, they promised to put right what their predecessors had messed up, but now they are following in their footsteps! It is becoming obvious that MPs consider their positions as money-making ventures rather than an opportunity to serve their people. The story indicates that the MPs need sh60m each to buy cars, amounting to close to sh20b. How many of them would earn that much if they were running private businesses? How many of them would think of buying such an expensive car if they honestly earned that money? But they are dashing to pass a resolution to purchase vehicles for themselves before some of them can be impeached for incompetence! This is looting.
It is ironical that our leaders have many brilliant ideas during campaigns yet when they get what they want, they decide to sleep! Instead of using the little money available to improve their constituencies, they want to purchase four-wheel drive vehicles. Little wonder Jesus said during his time that, “Many people have eyes, but they cannot see, they have ears, but they cannot hearâ€. I suggest that any MP that consents to the car-buying scheme is simply blind and therefore not fit to be in Parliament. Uganda is a very rich country. The only problem is that most of the money is in the hands of a few people controlling this country. How many poor souls in this country living on less than a dollar a day would live on the sh20b? Can’t these MPs really know that it is better to drive a cheaper car but on a good road? With the ever increasing traffic jams is it not better to travel in taxis? after all, this would be one way to identify with the voters. See the construction taking place in Kampala everyday. Where has the money come from? I think it is time to spend wisely. The unrealistic salaries should be redistributed to meet social services which benefit all. This issue should be discussed by the people. Those who dissented like Winnie Byanyima and Miria Matembe, were left by the wayside!
D.Tumusiime Kabwende
Kampala
Sarah Mwandha
Kampala
SIR — Indeed, politics is a dirty game! I read with utter dismay that MPs are demanding for sh20b to buy new cars! Goodness me! when many of them were campaigning, they promised to put right what their predecessors had messed up, but now they are following in their footsteps! It is becoming obvious that MPs consider their positions as money-making ventures rather than an opportunity to serve their people. The story indicates that the MPs need sh60m each to buy cars, amounting to close to sh20b. How many of them would earn that much if they were running private businesses? How many of them would think of buying such an expensive car if they honestly earned that money? But they are dashing to pass a resolution to purchase vehicles for themselves before some of them can be impeached for incompetence! This is looting.
It is ironical that our leaders have many brilliant ideas during campaigns yet when they get what they want, they decide to sleep! Instead of using the little money available to improve their constituencies, they want to purchase four-wheel drive vehicles. Little wonder Jesus said during his time that, “Many people have eyes, but they cannot see, they have ears, but they cannot hearâ€. I suggest that any MP that consents to the car-buying scheme is simply blind and therefore not fit to be in Parliament. Uganda is a very rich country. The only problem is that most of the money is in the hands of a few people controlling this country. How many poor souls in this country living on less than a dollar a day would live on the sh20b? Can’t these MPs really know that it is better to drive a cheaper car but on a good road? With the ever increasing traffic jams is it not better to travel in taxis? after all, this would be one way to identify with the voters. See the construction taking place in Kampala everyday. Where has the money come from? I think it is time to spend wisely. The unrealistic salaries should be redistributed to meet social services which benefit all. This issue should be discussed by the people. Those who dissented like Winnie Byanyima and Miria Matembe, were left by the wayside!
D.Tumusiime Kabwende
Kampala