Speaker and deputy to get new benefits

Kampala

If a new Bill tabled by the public service minister is approved, the Speaker of Parliament upon death, will receive a 17-gun salute at burial and a day of national mourning declared. The proposals also include access to a four-wheel chauffeur-driven car, Shs650,000 monthly for utilities, two security guards and domestic staff. The Speaker and deputy will also get 60 per cent of their salary upon retirement.

The government intends to upgrade the benefits of the office of the Speaker after service to include burial benefits and a state funeral, according to a government Bill. The Parliamentary Pensions (Amendment) (No 2) Bill tabled by the Public Service Minister, Mr Henry Kajura, scraps the current deductions made from the Speaker and Deputy Speaker to the Parliamentary Pensions Scheme.

Once passed, Mr Edward Ssekandi and Ms Rebecca Kadaga will get refunds of their contributions to the current scheme over the time. Parliamentary Commissioner Ekwabi Ibo (Kaberamaido, Women) said she had seen the Bill but was yet to read the content. Another Commissioner Guma Gumisiriza (Ibanda North) said he could not speculate because he had not seen the Bill.

The Bill, published in the Uganda Gazette on May 7, which amends the 2007 Parliamentary Pensions Act, proposes that the Speaker and his deputy after service be given 60 per cent of the salary they have been earning during service.

Other benefits include a four-wheel chauffeur driven car, two security guards, two domestic staff, medical care to include spouse(s) and Shs650,000 monthly for utilities for a retired speaker.

A retired Deputy Speaker would get a four-wheel chauffeur driven car, one security guard, one domestic staff and medical care to include spouse(s) and Shs630,000 monthly for utilities. Spouses of those who hold the two offices are also to benefit. The Bill entitles the spouse(s) after death of a Speaker and Deputy Speaker to receive a monthly salary equivalent to 60 per cent of office holder’s salary. Other benefits to a spouse(s) of a Speaker include a four-wheel chauffeur driven car, two security guards, two domestic staff, and a monthly health insurance premium of Shs280,000.

Should you be spouse to the Deputy Speaker, upon his or her death, you would in addition to 60 per cent of the office holder’s salary, be entitled to a four-wheel chauffeur driven car, one domestic staff and medical care.

It was not possible to estimate how much the current holders earn as salary but sources in the Parliamentary Commission said the Speaker is most probably paid as an ordinary MP (Shs1.5 million basic salary) plus other allowances in honoraria.

The holders of the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker are according to the Bill entitled to a state funeral, 30 per cent of the gross annual salary in funeral expenses, an official government statement in the media, a period of national mourning, martial music on national media, national flags at half-mast and national flag colours for the casket.

Others include; the body of the deceased to lie in state, a condolence book to be signed by leaders and dignitaries, tribute by Parliament, a funeral service in a place designated by Cabinet and a hearse to transport the casket to the burial ground.

Public holiday
A 17-gun salute and a public holiday are also to grace the burial. Parliamentary Commission sources said the commission had drawn its own Bill but felt the costs the Bill addresses were so high and would better be handled by the government. “We decided to push it to Public Service, which handles other senior leaders like the President, the Vice President and the Chief Justice,” the source said.