Tag: Parliamentary Commission
Greed 101: The 10th Parliament MPs are doubling their own salaries!
“They have plundered the world, stripping naked the land in their hunger… they are driven by greed, if their enemy be rich; by ambition, if poor… They ravage, they slaughter, they seize by false pretenses, and all of this they hail as the construction of empire. And when in their wake nothing remains but a desert, they call that peace.” – Tacitus
These Members of Parliament is are the definition of greed. They already have cars paid by the government, and then not some off-back neck-in-the-woods ones, but something with 4 Wheel Drive and usually a SUV. These same MPs got tax exempt in 2016, that gotten suits, foods and other benefits in their salaries, they are so caked up with funds for themselves, it isn’t funny. And comparing these fellow brothers and sisters to average salary rate in the Republic. Would be an insult to salary rate in the Republic.
They are now in 2018 trying to get their salary doubled from 11 million shillings to 24 shillings. When they are already paid hefty sums for the cars, the monthly gratuity, medical expenses covered through insurance, wardrobe grants, furnished offices, mileage facilitation, constituency facilitations, sitting fees, allowances for plenary sittings and airtime allowances as well. There is nothing that is already covered, expect for the side-dish allowance, so if they have a man or woman on the side, the state will cover that too!
Because this is an insult to the state, the whole republic. They are already the special class who has a salary, which is tax-exempt, that they fixed for themselves in 2016. They have added and added for every Parliament, added more perks and more covering of their expenses, while their own salary has sky-rocketed.
It is a reason why they are unaccountable and not trusted, its because they are eating, while so many and plenty are living hand to mouth. While the state is figuring out more loans and added debt, these people are topping off on the loads of cash borrowed or donated. They are taking the aid and donations, the squeezing of every buck from the Republic as God-given right. They continue to do so.
So these subject isn’t new, at every twist and turn, these MPs are trying to hash out more funds from the public. Because of any reason within here and the moon. Let’s just be clear, this isn’t fair salary, this is a theft of a nation and the MPs are the embodiment of it. If they weren’t thieving like this, they are still getting kickbacks, grabbing land and also getting paid to vote in favour of the Presidents bills. That is known as the handshakes and “suits” has been given in the past for favourable bills.
This is the National Resistance Movement paradigm, we eat and the rest of you starve, because we need everything and deserve everything. We liberated you so we could eat off your plate and everyone else too. Because we deserve that, while the rest of you fork-up the money, so we can represent you. That is what they are saying and continue saying, without showing any signs of accountability or responsibility to their constituents, because they don’t matter anyway.
As long as they are paid, and paid-in-full. Peace.
10th Parliament MPs is extra greedy as they are eating another Shs. 100m. each!
You know there is something special, you know there is something out of bound and something compelling, when the Members of Parliament (MPs) who has no quarrels with eating without taxation, without thinking of their salaries compered to the ones who they represent. The constituency of the MP must feel betrayed as their allowances and their benefits are enormous, to say it at least, they are gigantic! But take a look at the latest big payment for the MPs!
“Parliament — MPs are smiling all the way to the bank after the government authorised the release of an extra Shs45b to Parliament, with each of the 449 lawmakers set to get an additional Shs100m, ostensibly to buy cars for constituency travels” (…) “In a June 13 letter titled: ‘Additional cash limit of Shs45.8b for the Parliamentary Commission’, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, the Secretary to the Treasury, authorised Ms Jane Kibirige, the Clerk to Parliament, to spend the cash as part of non-wage recurrent budget in the fourth quarter of the Financial Year 2016/2017. The clearance comes barely two weeks to the end of the Financial Year” (Arinaitwe & Manzil, 2017).
So the Members of Parliament are clearly getting another pay-day without passing to much legislation or any sort of consideration of the proposed budget or pledges they had for the financial year 2017/2018. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the NRM Caucus have clearly made together with the Parliamentary Commission to make a new pay-day for the MPs, yet again!
The National Resistance Movement and their MPs clearly like to get extra brown-envelopes without any considerations of the state of the budget or the way the funds are raised. It is not shocking, it seems like an ordinary event at this point. Not like it is the first time, the MPs uses their Noble place in the august house to enrich themselves and add cost to the state. Therefore, the added debt and interest payments should be feared by the MPs. Instead, they are adding debt and creating more interest without concern of the citizens.
The citizens are going to pay extra for this, they are the ones that are ripped off at broad-daylight. They are eating directly of the state reserve and does it with impunity. Also worth noticing, President Museveni is not sanctioning against it, since he can do as pleases. Since he is eating directly and misuse s it whenever he wants. Peace.
Reference:
Arinaitwe, Solomon & Manzil, Ibrahim – ‘Uganda: MPs Get Extra Shs100 Million Each for Cars’ (17.06.2017) link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201706190735.html?utm_campaign=allafrica%3Ainternal&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=promote%3Aaans%3Aabafbt
The NRM Regime have during the FY2015/2016 fallen behind on paying out UGX 2.7 trillion!
Today I am dropping numbers that are devastating, as the numbers of debt that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) isn’t paying, show’s sufficient motives for malpractice when it comes to budgeting and the structure of payments. There are certainly not enough transparency and clear audit of the state reserves, as the State is misusing seriously amount of funds. The NRM Regime and their President should be ashamed by their record.
Emmanuel Katongole is the Head Information Technology in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) in Uganda on the 12th April 2017, he dropped a document on their web-page that show’s the domestic arrears of the Republic of Uganda in the last Financial Year.
If you wonder what Domestic Arrears means: “The amount by which a government has fallen behind in its payment of interest and principal on debt to lenders within its own country” (Encyclo.co.uk). So Katongole will literately show how bad the National Resistance Movement is on paying their bills and expenditure. All the sums of this report is in Ugandan Shillings (UGX).
Like under the Office of the President and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) who itself leaves arrears in the margin of 3.8bn shillings and 8bn shillings in other payable arrears. That one part of the budget and current audit of the Office of the President as the total of verified arrears at June 2016 was 37bn shillings alone. So the Office of the President owes a lot of funds that it hasn’t paid, not only for the ISO!
The State House by the verified arrears at June 2016 was 1bn shillings. What is more unsettling is that the Pensions and Gratitude for Veterans are the sum of 183bn shillings, Survivors 315bn shillings, EXGRATIA 10bn and UNLA 26bn shillings. The Ministry of Defense by June 2016 verified arrears was 718bn shillings! So the MoD are a lax payer of their expenses and expenditure.
Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs owes verified arrears by June 2016 the amount of 684bn. Shillings Court Awards unpaid by the Ministry is 203bn shillings. The Electoral Commission has growing verified arrears by June 2016 because of Unsettled penal insterest for URA in the total sum of 3.2bn shillings. Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has by June 2016 billed up verified arrears by 283bn shillings.
This is just some of the government that has not paid their dues and their expenses, their salaries or pensions, even their lacking covering of funds to pay debt, either internal or external. So the National Resistance Movement are clearly running an economy and fiscal policy that isn’t healthy for the republic.
Just to drop the total sum that the Government of Uganda has failed to pay or failed payments on their debt are by June 2016 the total of 2.7 Trillions of Uganda Shillings! Which is an insane number and amount of misspent monies by the state. The strategy by the Republic to fail so miserably cannot be sustainable, as the invoices and the target to pay their debt should be the most important. Still, the NRM doesn’t seem to think so. They are surely missing steps to having a sound economy when the verified arrears are hitting 2.7 trillions by June 2016. So the Financial Year of 2015/2016, the Ugandan government failed to serve out over 2 trillion of their needed expenses!
What is troubling that the year before, the total state had not paid on their debt and failing expenses in the Financial Year of 2014/2015 as by June 2015 we’re totally 1.389 or close to 1.4 Trillion shillings. So the miss-match between FY2014/2015 and FY 2015/2016 are 1.3 Trillion shillings. So the clear picture is that the Election Year for the NRM is very, very expensive.
Just think about that… eat the bill and pound on the amount of lost monies in the system. Peace.
My letter to the 10th Parliament on their reckless behaviour!
Dear Members of Parliament!
I know by now that you doesn’t’ care much about the National Economy or about Transparency as you excluded yourself from the citizens you represented when you gave yourself a giant tax-break with no-income tax. That is the way you are I guess, reckless misbehaving children who are creating havoc in the candy store pointing at all the different kinds of treats and wants them all, even if it make them sick of sugar; they still want it all!
You guys, ladies and gentleman, the so called nobles, the so-called honourable citizens of the Republic have no totally forgotten your place and your reason for co-existing in the Republic. You might think that your above the people, the citizens, the one that you represent exist because of. Even if you think you exists and breathes eats and have pleasure because of President Yoweri Museveni, let’s be clear he is just using you!
I am not mad that you want to have air-conditioner in the North or the Eastern Building of the Parliament, it’s hot and you guys doesn’t want to turn into hot-air or Wokoloso. I know that, you want to peaceful creatures, which doesn’t kill Kasese or support arms for the rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo. You want to keep cool and be great support of the Republic.
I am furious over you wish to grand yourself 4 station wagons for whatever purpose of trading socks at Kololo Airstrip or having secretaries to drive some of you around on your shopping spree at Game or Garden City. That is all up to you and the use of the Station Wagons that you acquire to Parliament. You already have a massive fortune in Car money and doling it out when you started your terms as MPs because your official duty needs that the public offer you luxurious transport. Not take Taxis, Specials or boda-boda’s to Parliament Avenue, which is beneath you. You just like eating the monies of the public who would so!
I understand that the Parliament isn’t built for nor have the facilities for all the MPs now. Since you’re Executive, the chief of Rwakitura and the whole nation has let the nation sore with districts and parishes since his dire beginning of power in the 80s. It was nearly any districts when he entered the building as a Defence Minister under Dr. Milton Obote, now it is more than pages in the Kampala Eye and whatnot Tourist Information brochures that are delivered at Entebbe International Airport. Therefore the amount of MPs has soured with the amount of districts; a cow hasn’t been butchered as many ways the districts in Uganda has been during the last decades under Museveni.
So that the MPs needs office space and rebuild their accommodations is responsible acts of the Parliament, though costly because the share amount of MPs created under the President all of his terms. The MPs are in this one reacting with sense, but they should question the need for all of their services, even if it means giving up their wealthy new acquired lifestyle in the Capital.
What makes doesn’t make sense to me, in a nation where the state doesn’t have enough funds to allocate for the Presidential Jet or Helicopter of the farmer of Rwakitura. So when the current reflection of that in mind, the 10th Parliament are allocating funds and finding ways of giving Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah. Because these noble creatures and honourable minds needs to take into air and land wherever. Since their roles in Parliament is damn important that they need to follow the Presidential Jet and Helicopter that the State House cannot allocate enough funds too. So they can all stand still at the Helicopter Landing-sites in Kampala. At the Merry for the Kadaga and Oulanyah who dearly need them for their service of the country. They need to be mosquitos who can travel in the air and suck funds out the taxpayers coffers like the mosquito suck blood of their pray. If the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are lucky they will give the nation malaria as of the purchase and maintenance so the inflation keeps rising and the dwindling economy needs more debt to feed the fiscal imbalance of the state budget. The same state budget the Parliament allocated funds to their helicopters. Their needed helicopter that they will silence the MPs and show their way in Parliament; the Parliament will controlled by the waving wings of silence and the blood sucking drones the Speakers have become.
If you don’t understand the spending is of the chain, when the Mulago Hospital still lacks needed equipment, when other state institutions is depleted and civil servants not getting salaries. At that moment of time… the Speakers doesn’t need more perks, they need to be fiscal responsible and show the Executive just ways, since he is not caring about the Bank of Uganda’s hard work to stagger Inflation and the running debt rate. So when they are using public funds as their playground, these runs rapid wild in spending to be sure they can play all the cool games and be spoiled kids. That is what the Parliament and MPs are right now. Time to stop, rehash ideas and think of accountability, transparency and being fiscal responsible! Peace.
Written
By the Writer of this Blog!
CSBAG Statement: The Budget We Want 2017/18 (20.01.2017)
Misappropriate funds instead of feeding the hungry in the districts; 10th Parliament greedy MPs only see their bellies and not that they represent the ones that are starving!
Something is just wrong, something is seriously wrong, as the misappropriated funds and public coffers in Uganda; there is something sinister going on. It is okay that a government and administration cannot make it rain or make sun shine, but they can make sure the people together with public gathering technics make sure when there is plenty of water. It’s in tanks and other barrels until needed for the crops and enough for drinking. This is practices mankind has done since the Roman Empire. It’s not spectacular, but convenient.
On the other hand, since Roman Time, there has always been corruption, and men has always been corrupted by gold, silver and sparkly things. So as the citizens are hungry, the starvation isn’t only in Isingiro, where the starvation is dangerously high, there are other districts severely hit by the draught and the lack of rain.
Hunger in the districts:
“Already, 1.3 million Ugandans, the minister said, need urgent food aid and so far, 600kgs of maize flour and 300 kilogrames of beans have been sent to Isingiro Districts where some people have starved to death” (…) “According to Mr Kibazanga, 65 per cent of people in Karamoja sub region have one meal or half a meal in a day as opposed to three meals while 35 per cent of the population in the districts of Katakwi, Amuria, Kumi, Bukedea, parts of Serere and Kaberamaido are in the same phase with Karamoja sub-region” (…) “Mr Kibazanga also revealed that 50 per cent of the people of Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo, Maracha, Arua, Zombo, Nebbi, Adjumani, Amuru, Nyoya, Gulu, Pader, Lamwo, Kitgum, Agago, Soroti, Ngora, Amolatar, Pallisa, Butaleja, Rakai, Isingiro and Tororo have access to a meal a day. The districts of Oyam, Apac, Kiryandongo, Masindi, Bulisa, Kyankwanzi, Nakaseke, Kiboga, Mubende, Luwero, Kyegegwa, Sembabule, Kiruhura, Lwengo, Ntugamo, Kamuli and Kibuuku are in a minimal phase of food insecurity, meaning the people can still afford all meals though stocks are running low” (Tajuba, 2016).
So when the Government knows about that and they continue with their inappropriate idea of giving new cars for the Members of Parliament, something that the 10th Parliament MPs have been waiting for. It is in their duty and now getting a free-ride for their services; this they do while districts upon districts lack food and water, while they are starving… the reckless thieving of state coffers instead of supplying needed food from the budgets !
New Cars for the MPs:
“Parliament has received a release of Shs25 billion for payment of vehicle grant to members of parliament. The money will cater for at least 250 MPs out of 431. According to parliament’s director of communcations Chris Obore, the Parliamentary Commission will first pay new MPs. The new MPs to get first are those without election petitions in court. The old MPs will be paid when the Commission gets a new release. It emerged recently that each Member of Parliament will bag Shs200m instead of Shs150m as had earlier been budgeted by the Parliamentary Commission. This means Parliament will spend more than Shs85 billion on all the legislators” (the Insider, 2016).
As much as there are money in the system for unnecessary expenditure from the 10th Parliament, that with no thought or consideration thinks about the consequences for the once they are supposed to represent. They apparently wish to become greedy like the former EX-MPs who we’re taken to court and charged with massive thieving, though where the money really went nobody knows. They surely pocketed some of it, but the where it we’re supposed to go, is not hard to know. Because the pay-outs we’re to ghosts, ghosts are invisible creatures not of the living.
Pension Scam:
“Anti Corruption Court in Kampala has found three former top employees of ministry of public service including Jimmy Lwamafa, the ex-permanent secretary guilty of all the ten charges slapped against them by the state. Presiding judge, Lawrence Gidudu summarised in his ruling that the fraud to steal the Shs88.2 billion was hatched in the public service, smoothened in finance ministry and executed in Cairo bank where the money was finally paid out to ghost pensioners” (Ndagire & Wesaka, 2016).
So the living in the districts are either this days getting screwed by their own representatives of the 10th Parliament, as they are more keen on perks and riches than helping the citizens they represent, that is what their President Museveni has been teaching for three decades now. So the people are starving and not getting valuable food or needed water for their daily life, while the MPs are riding in flash, posh cars in Kampala. That is happening while their predecessors are being detained for thieving from coffers to bail-out ghost pensioners, while the results of the matter are not told where the money went.
We can wonder since it is not told, that somebody did their bidding and stole the monies for the bigger plan of their President, and when they we’re not needed to do their service they gotten taken to court. That wouldn’t be surprising as that has happen before in the times udner the Executive Museveni. It’s just new names who done similar things in the past. The billions of shillings are levels of stealing while the hunger is running rapid is worrying; together with the wishes of lavish lifestyle by the men who supposed to represent them. Instead they represent themselves and not using their powers and reach to service the famine ridden districts, because they only see their own tummy. Peace.
Reference:
Ndagire, Betty & Wesaka, Anthony – ‘Court finds Lwamafa, Obey, Kunsa guilty of fraud’ (11.09.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Court-Lwamafa-Obey-pension-scam-Kunsa-guilty-fraud/688334-3448762-n2qb3oz/index.html
The Insider – ‘NEWS MPs receive Shs25 billion for cars’ (08.11.2016) link: http://www.theinsider.ug/mps-receive-shs25-billion-for-cars/#.WCindPnhDIU
Tajuba, Paul – ‘Millions of Ugandans in 45 districts starving, says govt’ (04.11.2016) link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Millions-of-Ugandans-in-45-districts-starving–says-govt/688334-3440478-8uj0buz/index.html
Opinion: 10th Parliament MPs proves that their Greed is more important than the Government programs and running expenses!
This is growing concern not because of the World Bank suspending loans and funds to the development projects or anything else. The ways the allocated funds and tax funds are used in the 10th Parliament shows their level of reckless spending and no concern of accountability.
This happens on the week the Daily Monitor shows reports of 80% of Primary Teachers that teach who can’t read while being government civil servants. These Teachers are the ones learning their inabilities to the future. So the misappropriate funds for the Educational Sector comes into fruition. The Universal Primary Education is surely improperly balanced together with the mismanagement of buildings and salaries; if they get salaries that usually never on time, teachers can wait for months upon months to get their pay. There are enough fallen and depleted schools.
While the Education Sector is in shambles the Members of Parliaments are allocating more money for their private cars. So they can drive around like King-pins in their constituency. They can ride around in the Toyotal Land Cruiser Prado and feel special while their citizens they represent have teachers who can’t read and supposed to teach Vincent grammar. That is just so special ignorance of their duty those 30 years of the Movement should have had enough time to make difference and not make the schooling system weaker.
This is happening in the week that the imported Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARDs) where National Medical Store (NMS) are distributing medicines, but they are sold more expensively locally than internationally. The Ugandan population are doing the same as Americans who pays an extra fortune for their EpiPen Auto-Injector. Together with the other issues around in the Hospitals like Uganda Cancer Institute and their breakdown of hte Cobalt 60 Teletherapy Machine. That still isn’t fixed and was the only one in the great nation.
While the Health Care and Health Sector are not as functional as it should be. While this is happening the MPs have allocated funds and bought Tablets or Ipad’s for a fortune for themselves. Because these MPs need tablets to write notes and such even if am not sure Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Ruganda or Vice-President Edward Ssekandi can even use one of them. So they spending a on this while medicines are missing or empty at a time or another.
The MPs salaries, the MPs Allowance and the MPs wish to exempt their salaries from Tax. Together with appropriating lots of funds for travelling for days to the United States and Boston for a Seminar; together with the extended funds for burials, this is happening so they can have an extravagant lifestyle into the casket.
This is happening while the government institutions and programs are weak or nearly non-existence. They have surely ghosts like the ghost SACCO Mzee gave to a non-existing organization. While the MPs representing their people are living like royals in the National Assembly with fancy cars and houses while the unemployment levels are still strong and the educations of their kids are made by teachers who can’t even write. This shouldn’t be happening, but apparently it is.
The Governance is not really happening. Because the government are not steering towards any place, they are walking on clouds and not taking steps to change the deteriorating state of education and health care.
This is happening while the Government are adding more debt and is by end of the year having over UGX 26 Trillion. This is happening while the Roads Development that been borrowed to Uganda National Roads Authority from the World Bank has been suspended. So the worsen economic situation together with lack of funds for fiscal cash proves the weakness of the economy and the national policies.
This is happening also while the Ugandan Government has to tackle more refugees in Adjumani and other districts towards South Sudan as the neighbour continues with internal fighting. This together with the fluid borders into Democratic Republic of Congo. This has been done with armies and guerrillas in the past to get resources something that has led to another expensive debt to DRC for the Ugandan State.
So the mismanagement and maladministration of the Movement that have had the time to fix it has apparently been more sucked into their own rich-elite oblivion instead of serving their people. That is why the MPs are so into fixing themselves up nicely while the other are living in midst of utter poverty. So the debt is rising and inflation is rising. So the value of shilling isn’t worth much while the imports are more needed. NRM Regime is not having a fiscal policy as they are loose with spending without having secured funding. While making grand plans without having the output to secure borrowing…
I am sure there more things that could be discussed, but this is more than enough for today. As the proof is in the pudding; the budget and the inflated expenses of the Parliament shows how little accountability and transparency of their acts are. This is with the knowledge of months after the General Election 2016… the State House we’re broke right after for those that forgotten. Since the State House had used it resources in the Campaign that cost fortunes and after the election they had to get funds to pay the running expenses.
You think the government should be carrying itself better after been ruling for 30 years, but they are not. They are running like lackeys thieving the little pieces they can instead of building. Therefore the MPs are running the mill like the ability is only counted for when they are pocketed. That is why the greed of getting brown-envelopes is coming when the Mzee needs bills to pass. They get both monies and valuable produce to sell after being in the National Assembly. So with this in mind, the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga should silence herself and take care of her people instead of blaming the media… because they account to the people and the MPs should be more careful spending taxpayer’s monies, instead they use the budget for their own sake and not for the citizens who bleed for this. Peace.
Uganda: Danida built the Courts, M7 donate 100m to a SACCO, 150m to the MPs for Cars and so on!
Today is a weird news day, the news from Uganda are scattered and shows the ability of nobility from Ugandan Government isn’t there. The impunity from Uganda Police Force continues as the loyal men to IGP Kayihura doesn’t cares about the law. While President Museveni drops a few coins, while his MPs ask for millions shillings worth of cars themselves; and there over 400 MPs so the amount of money used on the cars are huge. At the same time the news of Danish Tax Payers have built most of the Courts, the NRM steady progress is in the hands of foreigners and not in the hands of the allocations done by Ugandan Parliament. If so, then they would have contributed some cash for the cement that constructed these buildings. And so it goes on!
Just as Dr. Kizza Besigye goes to Court to be allowed to leave for United Kingdom for his meetings with Ugandan Diaspora, FDC P10 and others who support his cause abroad. The former District Police Commander Aaron Buguma showed his disgrace for Law and Order with not joining his own court trial as his own boss Inspectorate General of Police (IGP) Edward Kale Kayihura the other day. So the law is different it seems depending on who it is served upon, especially the ones who supposed to guard it can run away from their brutal behavior against citizens.
While the riches of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the walking budget, showed his mercy at the Bwebajja Fruit Sellers SACCO got Ush.100m and also giving away tools. This came today as Court Justice Bart Katureebe said this in Parliament: “Danida built almost all the courts in Uganda, but why isn’t gov’t not taking interest in this. You have courts sharing offices with bars”. That means the Danish Tax Payers monies built the Courts of Uganda, not used the extended revenue made Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) or the generate tax that President Museveni so proudly speaks of. EU spokesman Kristian Schmidt: “Praise for Denmark by Chief Justice: “Danida built almost all the courts in Uganda”.
Members of Parliament procurement of cars:
“Each of the 427 MPs will receive UGX150m by October to buy new car to travel to their constituencies, according to Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. Parliament will have to process a supplementary budget amounting to at least UGX64bn to finance the MPs car grant. This comes after Parliamentary Commission rejected proposal by finance ministry to finance MPs car grant in shifts with priority given to newly elected MPs” (WBS TV Uganda, 17.08.2016).
If the greed of the Members of Parliament wasn’t big enough their road safety fears are extended as the men and woman have discussed building a fly-over to make sure they are well. While the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) need to do this instead of securing better roads so there is less accidents and incidents to secure road safety. The road projects are most likely to be fulfill are the ones where foreign donors dolce out money or grants through bilateral and multinational organizations as International Monetary Funds or World Bank instead of through the ordinary budget of the allocated funds in the fiscal year. So that the MPs have the balls to order fresh from the factory SUVs and ask for fly-over to secure their working place is disgusting.
Another issue today: “Appearing before the parliamentary committee on ICT, minister of ICT and National Guidance Frank Tumwebaze admitted that the NRM government has finally given up trying to control the internet especially social media usage in Uganda. Tumwebaze said “every time government tried to block social media, within a few minutes, Ugandans were already back on after invoking VPNs “(virtual private networks)” (The Observer, 18.08.2016). So the VPN shows the sanctions for national security doesn’t work… so the reality is that the Ugandan Government are beaten by technology and their own public will to do what they do. The only danger this is to the Ugandan Government is that the NRM cannot be only source of information and where the intelligence they are gaining. Therefore the Opposition will have a place to share information without fear online and on social media even if the Ruling Regime bans it or tries to shut it down.
I should have commented on the closure of Greenhill Academy for being World Bank and Mark Zukerberg (Facebook Founder) donated school for having books with explicit content; while the reports that most UPE schools lacks books or equipment. So the ironic side of the closure is amazing and foolery from the state. But wanting to take control of private institution is not strange in the context of micro-management style of the present day NRM.
There are always more, this my little update on today’s Movement news and the Parliament of Uganda. This has been hazardous… this has been special and would not be the last. Because this government cannot help themselves and we who follows now it! Peace.
MPs Want 85 Billion Shillings for Cars (Youtube-Clip)
“In the 9th parliament, the Parliamentary Commission gave each legislature 103 million shillings to procure vehicles that meet their standards as members of Parliament . The story of the 10th parliament is different as the new legislators now want this fee almost doubled. They are now asking for 200 million shillings and if approved then the government will have to part with a total of 85.4 billion shillings for the vehicles alone. They argue that given the state of economy and the new taxes that were imposed on Vehicles, this increment is justified. The new legislators also demand for the reinstatement of the Constituency Development fund that were scrapped in the 9th Parliament. Before scrapping of the fund each legislator was being given 10 million shillings cash annually for the development of his constituency. The legislators also demand for an increment in their monthly emoluments from 26 to 50 million shillings. If Parliament is to pay 50 million shillings per legislator, the Parliamentary commission will then be mandated to spend 21.3 billion shillings on the emoluments of the 427 legislators per month. So before the new legislators can have even their first sitting, these are the demands and before we know it, they will definitely be more than this” (NBS TV Uganda, 2016)