MPs can't account for the constituency fund
IT is almost nine months since the Constituency Development Fund was given to Members of the eighth Parliament. However, only 69 of them have accounted for the money. But the Clerk to Parliament says only three of the 69 MPs have presented satisfactory accountability. At least 250 MPs have not yet a
By Joshua Kato
IT is almost nine months since the Constituency Development Fund was given to Members of the eighth Parliament. However, only 69 of them have accounted for the money. But the Clerk to Parliament says only three of the 69 MPs have presented satisfactory accountability. At least 250 MPs have not yet accounted. Yet the MPs are supposed to receive the second disbursement next month.
The annual fund is meant to develop their areas. The fund was established after MPs complained that although their electorate demanded a lot from them, they did not have funds to meet the needs. For the last four years, the Government has been spending about sh3b every year on the fund.
There are 330 MPs 215 of whom are directly elected constituency representatives and 80 are women representatives. The workers, the youth and people with disabilities have five representatives each, while the army is represented by 10 MPs. There are also 10 ex-officios, who are not entitled to the fund.
In June last year, the fund was deposited on the MP’s accounts. Before the disbursement of the June fund, there was talk that it had been scrapped because MPs had failed to account for it.
The Speaker, Edward Ssekandi, says the fund was reinstated after measures to control its spending were put in place. However, as reports indicate, even these new measures have been flouted by most of the legislators.
According to guidelines regulating the use of the fund, every MP must have a five-member committee from their constituency, that decides how the funds should be spent. Primarily, the money should be spent on income-generating activities and charitable causes.
The MP is supposed to provide accountability for the funds every year. The regulations indicate that MPs who fail to provide accountability, will have their salaries attached and will not receive the next fund.
What this fund can do
Sh10m is either little or a lot, depending on who gets it. However, in a rural setting, sh10m is a reasonable amount of money, if someone spent it properly. For example, if one is engaged in promoting poultry farming of local birds for selected homes, to act as model farms, sh1m per sub-county can purchase about 300 chicks, at sh1,000 each in addition to constructing the shelters.
On average, a rural farmer needs about sh120,000 to hire a tractor to prepare an acre of land for farming. Sh10m can help prepare at least 90 acres of land.
If one is promoting pineapple growing, at a cost of sh60 per sucker, sh10m can buy at least 150,000 suckers for farmers. This is enough for over 20 acres of land.
If some one decided to buy hoes and pangs, at an average cost of sh4,000 each, sh10m can buy at least 2,000 pieces, plus transportation. These are enough for a whole sub-county.
A hybrid piglet costs sh40,000. Sh10m can buy at least 200 hybrid piglets for farmers in the county. Most of these examples are within the same docket as the government’s rural poverty alleviation projects. Indeed, a few MPs used the fund to engage in these ventures.
What some MPs say
Henry Banyenzaki (Rubanda West, Kabale)
Sh10m is very little and cannot be used for any development work. It can only buy a set of furniture in my house. How do you tell me to develop a whole constituency with that little money?
Frank Tumwebaze (Kibaale County, Kamwenge district)
I agree that we must account for this money. However, accounting is made difficult due to lack of offices for MPs. MPs are not accounting officers or auditors. This money should not be channelled through the personal accounts of MPs, but rather, through an account specifically set up for it because it is public money. How will MPs separate their personal money from the fund?
I also think it is very little since MPs use much more money than that. For example, by the time you receive the fund, you may have used over sh25m in the constituency and then you may use the fund retrospectively to cover up for the previous expenses. Accounting retrospectively makes it difficult. MPs should not handle this money if there are no offices under them. Let it be handled by the district administrative officers.
Michael Ocula Nyeko
(Kilak County, Amuru)
The problem is that the guidelines are ambiguous and difficult to follow. For example, the guidelines say that the fund should be used on income-generating activities, but what happens if someone buys iron sheets for a church? Besides, that money is too little. It is just a burden on us. Some of us did not want it in the first place.
Rosemary Sseninde (Wakiso Woman MP is among those who accounted)
It was easy for me to account for the money because I used it for specific things. I helped women groups start savings and credit societies. I also helped boda boda riders. I had all the committees in place and that is why accountability was easy.
Mugumya Magulumaali (Kooki County, Rakai, accounted for the money)
I used the money to set up agricultural projects, including a vegetable oil mill. The mill was opened by the Vice-President, Prof Gilbert Bukenya, in February. I also used some of the money to extend power to my constituency. I suggest that a committee be formed to verify whatever the MPs spend the money on. This committee should go down to the villages.
Ssebuliba Mutumba (Kawempe South, provided accountability)
The best way is to let the people manage the fund through their committees. We formed a committee of five people, including a person with a disability, an elderly, two women and me as the chairperson. They disperse the money and show me how they spend it.
I wanted my constituents to handle the money because in the last parliament, I spent more than what the Government had given me.
IT is almost nine months since the Constituency Development Fund was given to Members of the eighth Parliament. However, only 69 of them have accounted for the money. But the Clerk to Parliament says only three of the 69 MPs have presented satisfactory accountability. At least 250 MPs have not yet accounted. Yet the MPs are supposed to receive the second disbursement next month.
The annual fund is meant to develop their areas. The fund was established after MPs complained that although their electorate demanded a lot from them, they did not have funds to meet the needs. For the last four years, the Government has been spending about sh3b every year on the fund.
There are 330 MPs 215 of whom are directly elected constituency representatives and 80 are women representatives. The workers, the youth and people with disabilities have five representatives each, while the army is represented by 10 MPs. There are also 10 ex-officios, who are not entitled to the fund.
In June last year, the fund was deposited on the MP’s accounts. Before the disbursement of the June fund, there was talk that it had been scrapped because MPs had failed to account for it.
The Speaker, Edward Ssekandi, says the fund was reinstated after measures to control its spending were put in place. However, as reports indicate, even these new measures have been flouted by most of the legislators.
According to guidelines regulating the use of the fund, every MP must have a five-member committee from their constituency, that decides how the funds should be spent. Primarily, the money should be spent on income-generating activities and charitable causes.
The MP is supposed to provide accountability for the funds every year. The regulations indicate that MPs who fail to provide accountability, will have their salaries attached and will not receive the next fund.
What this fund can do
Sh10m is either little or a lot, depending on who gets it. However, in a rural setting, sh10m is a reasonable amount of money, if someone spent it properly. For example, if one is engaged in promoting poultry farming of local birds for selected homes, to act as model farms, sh1m per sub-county can purchase about 300 chicks, at sh1,000 each in addition to constructing the shelters.
On average, a rural farmer needs about sh120,000 to hire a tractor to prepare an acre of land for farming. Sh10m can help prepare at least 90 acres of land.
If one is promoting pineapple growing, at a cost of sh60 per sucker, sh10m can buy at least 150,000 suckers for farmers. This is enough for over 20 acres of land.
If some one decided to buy hoes and pangs, at an average cost of sh4,000 each, sh10m can buy at least 2,000 pieces, plus transportation. These are enough for a whole sub-county.
A hybrid piglet costs sh40,000. Sh10m can buy at least 200 hybrid piglets for farmers in the county. Most of these examples are within the same docket as the government’s rural poverty alleviation projects. Indeed, a few MPs used the fund to engage in these ventures.
What some MPs say
Henry Banyenzaki (Rubanda West, Kabale)
Sh10m is very little and cannot be used for any development work. It can only buy a set of furniture in my house. How do you tell me to develop a whole constituency with that little money?
Frank Tumwebaze (Kibaale County, Kamwenge district)
I agree that we must account for this money. However, accounting is made difficult due to lack of offices for MPs. MPs are not accounting officers or auditors. This money should not be channelled through the personal accounts of MPs, but rather, through an account specifically set up for it because it is public money. How will MPs separate their personal money from the fund?
I also think it is very little since MPs use much more money than that. For example, by the time you receive the fund, you may have used over sh25m in the constituency and then you may use the fund retrospectively to cover up for the previous expenses. Accounting retrospectively makes it difficult. MPs should not handle this money if there are no offices under them. Let it be handled by the district administrative officers.
Michael Ocula Nyeko
(Kilak County, Amuru)
The problem is that the guidelines are ambiguous and difficult to follow. For example, the guidelines say that the fund should be used on income-generating activities, but what happens if someone buys iron sheets for a church? Besides, that money is too little. It is just a burden on us. Some of us did not want it in the first place.
Rosemary Sseninde (Wakiso Woman MP is among those who accounted)
It was easy for me to account for the money because I used it for specific things. I helped women groups start savings and credit societies. I also helped boda boda riders. I had all the committees in place and that is why accountability was easy.
Mugumya Magulumaali (Kooki County, Rakai, accounted for the money)
I used the money to set up agricultural projects, including a vegetable oil mill. The mill was opened by the Vice-President, Prof Gilbert Bukenya, in February. I also used some of the money to extend power to my constituency. I suggest that a committee be formed to verify whatever the MPs spend the money on. This committee should go down to the villages.
Ssebuliba Mutumba (Kawempe South, provided accountability)
The best way is to let the people manage the fund through their committees. We formed a committee of five people, including a person with a disability, an elderly, two women and me as the chairperson. They disperse the money and show me how they spend it.
I wanted my constituents to handle the money because in the last parliament, I spent more than what the Government had given me.