MPs criticised over cars
Jan 10, 2007
The Uganda Communications Employees Union has condemned MPs for holding the country at ransom by demanding transport facilitation.
By John Odyek
The Uganda Communications Employees Union has condemned MPs for holding the country at ransom by demanding transport facilitation.
MPs have been asking the Government to give each of them sh60m to buy a new car to facilitate their legislative travels, especially to their constituencies.
The union has written to the National Organisation of Trade Unions, urging them to ask the workers MPs to move a motion in Parliament to suspend the car debate and resume normal parliamentary work. The letter, dated Monday, January 8, states that the motion would save the country the burdensome costs involved.
“It is now common knowledge that our MPs have resorted to blackmail and are holding the country at ransom until and unless their transport facilitation is raised from sh20m to sh60m, purposely to buy them cars of that worth,†said the letter, a copy which was sent to the New Vision.
The letter said MPs receive gratuity, which was untaxed, and get pension, medical allowance, sh20m for constituency development and mobilisation allowance.
“That our MPs should employ such despicable blackmail — holding Uganda’s tax-payers ransom by not doing any business unless we pay each of them the sh60m for a car — should be condemned in the strongest terms possible,†the letter signed by Emmanuel Baigana, a union member, read.
The Uganda Communications Employees Union has condemned MPs for holding the country at ransom by demanding transport facilitation.
MPs have been asking the Government to give each of them sh60m to buy a new car to facilitate their legislative travels, especially to their constituencies.
The union has written to the National Organisation of Trade Unions, urging them to ask the workers MPs to move a motion in Parliament to suspend the car debate and resume normal parliamentary work. The letter, dated Monday, January 8, states that the motion would save the country the burdensome costs involved.
“It is now common knowledge that our MPs have resorted to blackmail and are holding the country at ransom until and unless their transport facilitation is raised from sh20m to sh60m, purposely to buy them cars of that worth,†said the letter, a copy which was sent to the New Vision.
The letter said MPs receive gratuity, which was untaxed, and get pension, medical allowance, sh20m for constituency development and mobilisation allowance.
“That our MPs should employ such despicable blackmail — holding Uganda’s tax-payers ransom by not doing any business unless we pay each of them the sh60m for a car — should be condemned in the strongest terms possible,†the letter signed by Emmanuel Baigana, a union member, read.