The Parliament of Uganda has dismissed reports saying Members of Parliament were each given Shs40m for unknown reasons.
“The National Unity Platform (NUP) party has in a statement claimed that MPs, including some who subscribe to NUP, have been paid Shs40 million in cash from Parliament, and that Speaker Anita Among was involved in the impugned payments,” said Chris Obore, the Director Communications and Public Affairs at Parliament on Wednesday.
National Unity Platform is the largest opposition party in Parliament, and by virtue of that, have representation in the Parliamentary Commission, which is the Legislature’s administrative decision-making organ.
“Parliament distances itself from the alleged payment as claimed by the NUP, and treats it as a deliberate, persistent smear campaign against the leadership of Parliament,” he went on.
According to Obore, any payment to MPs by the Commission is charged on the Consolidated Account, and remitted to an individual MP’s bank account. “If indeed there has been any such payment by Parliament to MPs outside the known procedures as the NUP claims, wouldn’t it have been the right thing for the party to interest the accountability Committees, chaired by its Members, in the matter with evidence for action?”
He said as leaders, the MPs who NUP claims received the money are duty-bound under Section 10 of the Penal Code Act 2002 (as amended) to declare the same to the Inspectorate of Government for proper investigation.
“Short of the above, the statement is an effort to tarnish the institution of Parliament where ironically, NUP has representation at the highest decision-making organs — the Committees and Commission.”
“It is unfortunate that a section of the media has picked up and published the same allegations, yet they ought to interrogate these kinds of claims with professional fairness and rigour,” he pointed out.
According to Obore, the image of Parliament should not be sacrificed at the altar of internal party intrigues.
“Parliament belongs to all citizens, not an individual political party, therefore; respect to Parliament is respect to citizens.”
He added: “The public is advised to treat the statement from NUP as mere allegations without basis since, as earlier mentioned, Parliament does not make cash payment to MPs.”
- Latest
- Trending
