“The speaker Among and the members of the parliamentary commission reportedly resolved a salary hike by at least 30% effective the coming financial year of 2022-23. Among argues that the inflation levels are affecting the performance of the lawmakers” (Emmanuel Busingye – ‘Mixed reactions over Among proposal to hike MPs salary’ 02.06.2022, Ekyooto.co.uk).
What is really striking is that the Members of Parliament has issued a possible pay-rise of a total of 193 billion shillings shared among the 555 MPs. If those billions of shillings are shared equally between the MPs than each of them would get an additional 347 million shillings each. That is happening while the rising inflation and commodity prices are hard for people to handle.
The public are not getting any direct incentive or help with the basic commodity prices. The President has told people to eat cassava and live within their means. While the MPs are collecting more money and they have already huge wages. The MPs has free vehicles, salaries, paid per plenary session and whatnot. Therefore, they have already more than plenty and not lacking in anything.
While others has to contemplate to buy soaps, cooking oil or petrol. There are so many other things that is hit by inflation and rising prices, which affects the households. The livelihoods and salaries of the ordinary worker isn’t being stipulated. Neither is the state doing anything in concern to targeted taxes, levies or ensuring the population can afford it.
So, now that this is happening, the lawmakers and the ones who can help the population with it’s needs. Are more concerned about their added expenses, but they already earn millions of shillings and live large on the public expenditure. The public are not even getting cents on a dollar or any sort of push in the hardships they are facing.
The President told people to eat cassava and skip bread. That just shows what sort of mechanism and lack of concern that is on the top. The elite and the MPs are not feeling it or are unbothered. They don’t care if they are vouching for money and topping off more expenditure. The State House has already additional supplementary funds and now the same is scheduled for the MPs. They are all living outside their means and has vast pockets filled by the state coffers.
The public is really being played around with and only of value in a election. The rest of the time the state doesn’t pay them no mind. If civil servants or people paid by state coffers like health care workers strikes… the MPs and Ministers speaks of mass-firing and axe their jobs. That’s because the workers cannot even pay electrics or the pay to get to work with their salaries. While the same folks in chambers of power has no scruples giving millions of shilling in addition to their bountiful payments, which they will have for years. Therefore, the double standard and hypocrisy is out in the open.
The MPs are worried about the rising prices and lack of value for money. While the Ministries and MPs are not covering the health care workers, teachers or local government civil servants. No, they have to make it on the own. These have to live on measly salaries and hope to get by. Meanwhile convoys of big-men and MPs are driving in SUVs through town. They are acting as big-shots and of vast importance, but they are not doing anything substantial. Because, if they did anything that did matter. They would look after the poor, the starving and the ones who cannot afford a bar of soap. However, they are disinterested in doing that and would only give away a bar of soap if there is a by-election or something.
So, the MPs doesn’t care and clearly Besigye’s “Wake-Up Call” is needed. Because, the gentlemen and ladies of the Parliament won’t bat an eyelid. They don’t care and neither does the State House. That is the revolution that Museveni brought, which was “our time to eat”. Peace.
MinBane 