Sh2.3b needed to rent office space for MPs

Apr 06, 2016

The Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige, tabled the figure before the legal and parliamentary affairs committee.


Sh2.3b is required to rent office space for MPs in the next financial year.

The Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige, tabled the figure before the legal and parliamentary affairs committee.

She asked MPs to treat it "as a matter of urgency" for the 10th Parliament which will have a total of 458 legislators.

"There is need to rent additional offices for MPs and staff accommodation," Kibirige said.

Kibirige explained the estimated cost of renting office space within  Parliament avenue is $ 57,336 (about sh193m) per months  equivalent to sh2.3b annually including VAT.
 
She explained the increase in the number of MPs of the 10th Parliament arose from the creation of more districts, municipalities, and constituencies.

Kibirige said: "The 458MPs of the 10th Parliament arose from 300 constituencies, 122 district women representatives, 10 MPs representing the army(UPDF), 5 workers MPs, 5MPs representing the youths, 5 MPs representing People with Disabilities and 11 EX - officials
The 9th Parliament had a total of 386 MPs, including 11 ex-officials."

Over 100 MPs lacked office accommodation which prompted Parliament to rent office space for accommodations at Bauman house. Some of the MPs occupied Parliament building while others occupied Bauman house.

Kibirige and the commissioners appeared before the committee to discuss the policy statement for the financial year 2016/17.

Kibirige presented a statement signed by Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga who also heads the parliament commission; the body in charge of members' welfare.

Parliament wants a total budget sh651b for the financial year 2016/17 which includes wages of sh86b, sh473b non-wage and sh92b for development.

The committee chairperson, Stephen Tashobya said the commission should ascertain the exact number of new MPs who needs office accommodations, to budget for the funds necessary.

Kibirige said in 2014, to save sh 2.5b paid annually in rent for Bauman House, the commission agreed  to  re-locate  MPs from Bauman house, to a rent-free Development house, where Parliament has been renting offices for MPs at sh2.5b annually,



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