Parliament’s Director of Communication and Public Affairs Chris Obore has castigated the media and Ugandans for questioning a move by MPs to increase their allowances starting July 2022.
The justification for the appropriation of billions of Shillings for legislators’ allowances is the rising cost of living and increased burden on MPs due to increased demands and requests from constituents.
Reports that MPs have set aside Shs193bn for their allowance increment have left some Ugandans expressing their disapproval. Some, like former Vision Group CEO Robert Kabushenga, have argued that this is evidence that Ugandans are on their own.
“Folks, we are broke and on our own. Everyone for themselves. I don’t think even God will be there for us all. There is no help coming, certainly not from the political establishment,” tweeted Kabushenga.
Now, according to Obore, thge media have chosen to only question actions of members of Parliament and its commission, while leaving other civil servants such as ministers to keep spending their allocations without scrutiny. Obore has taken issue with the way the press reports about the budget.
“Reporting on the national budget is a serious weakness on the part of media. So it’s easy to say MPs have increased their allowances. I haven’t read about how the media has reported on how ministries use their budgets. They will again wait for MPs to question ministries,” wrote Obore.
Recent reports indicate that the Parliamentary Commission, chaired by Speaker Anita Annet Among, has set aside Shs193bn to increase MPs’ allowances in the financial year that begins next month. (Read Story Here).
