Ugandans who were still agonizing about the decision by the Parliamentary Commission to increase MPs’ allowances starting July 2022 might be in for more shock after it emerged that Speaker Anita Annet Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa have procured two Mercedes Benz S500 cars at a cost of almost Shs3bn.
Parliament has procured the two Mercedes Benz S500 vehicles from the United Kingdom (UK). One of the vehicles is already in the country while another would be delivered before the end of this week.
The vehicles will cost up to Shs2.88bn, meaning that each will cost tax payers Shs1.44bn. Reports indicate that there are issues with the procurement of the two posh vehicles.
The justification for the purchase, according to a letter written by Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige to Benson Turamye, the Executive Director of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), on April 04, 2022, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker do not have vehicles for ceremonial events and national functions such as the State of the Nation Address and the Budget Speech.
Mwesige told Turamye that the available which were used by the 10th Parliament, led by Rebecca Kadaga and Jacob Oulanyah, are in “a mechanically unsound state” after being used for 10 years.
The revelation comes days after it emerged that the Parliamentary Commission, which is led by Among, Tayebwa and includes Mathias Mpuuga, the leader of the opposition in Parliament, had increased allowances for MPs. (Read Story Here).
Ugandans have criticized both moves (allowances increment and speakers’ luxury cars) as inconsiderate given the fact that citizens are shouldering the burden of high commodity prices and cost of living.
Both President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni and the opposition have told Ugandans they have no solution to the cost of living.
President Museveni told Ugandans to eat cassava if they cannot afford bread while Mathias Mpuuga told Ugandans that they should stop bothering Principal Bobi Wine to join Besigye protests against high commodity prices, suggesting that they are on their own. (Read Stories HERE and THERE).
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