The newly elected 10th Parliament will not see on its floor a proposal for have the salaries of Members enhanced as has been the tradition; at least from a National Resistance Movement leaning member.
This is in accordance with a directive handed down to the members of parliament from the NRM on Wednesday, by their party chairman and President Yoweri Museveni.
Museveni while addressing the MPs during the party caucus retreat in Kyankwanzi, made it clear that that there would be no salary increments form civil servants or members of parliament for the coming five years.
“What I want you MPs to avoid is to demand salary increment,” said the President during his lecture on the third day of the retreat. “It is bad politics.”
The president stressed that resisting the temptation of asking for a pay rise by the members would be the ultimate test of their patriotism.
He noted that the priority of the newly elected legislators should be helping government transform its people from poverty.
“We must all tighten our belts to eradicate household poverty by helping people create wealth,” he emphasized.
Parliament has this term been expanded to 458 members, up from 382 in the 9th Parliament. The ruling party which usually determines the decisions of the august house controls just above 70% of the parliament this term.
The enormous size of the house will be costing the tax payer up to Shs 11.5 billion every month to cater for the salaries and numerous benefits of members that include among others, Subsistence allowance, Town running allowance, Gratuity, Medical allowance, Plenary sitting allowance, Constituency facilitation, wardrobe grant, a furnished office and a new car.
Just last year, the members touched the nerve of many Ugandans when they requested and were granted an extra 40% pay rise.
The pay raise followed a proposed 40 percent increment in the MPs’ mileage allowance by the Parliamentary Commission from the current Shs 2,500 per kilometer to Shs 3,500 for the financial year 2015/16.
This, the members said was to motivate MPs to monitor government programs better, significantly revises parliament’s budget upwards.