Museveni lashes out at MPs over salary increment

Wakiso. President Museveni has lashed out at Members of Parliament for increasing their salaries, but at the same time refuse to allocate funds to projects that are important to national development.

President Museveni made the remarks while launching a book Achievement of YK Museveni to the Muslim Community written by the chairperson of Imams, Sheikh Suleiman Lubega, at Kasangati Town in Wakiso District yesterday.

“What you need to do is to check MPs to see that they support projects that relieve people from poverty in the rural areas. This should be done before thinking about salaries and travels,” President Museveni said.

Members of Parliament have increased their allowances by 39 per cent and that of parliamentary staff by 15 per cent, citing rising cost of living.
Each of the 459 legislators earns anywhere between Shs15m to Shs30m every month, depending on how far their constituency is from Parliament.

The new allowances will cost taxpayers an additional Shs63.46b in the 2019/2020 budget, increasing the House budget from the current Shs497.8b to Shs561.3b.
President Museveni cited instability through unlawful demonstrations and salary increment by MPs and civil servants as two major problems that the country is faced with right now.

He said when MPs and civil servants have depleted the state coffers after getting salary increments, they then go out to incite the public that he [Museveni] should work on major services.

“MPs should stop asking for salary increment. Let us work on our [national] priorities first,” he said.
He said his hands are tied because Uganda is a democratic country, where he has to ask for funds to work on major projects from Parliament.

When local politicians reminded him of his unfulfilled promise of constructing a tarmac road from Kira Towns to Matugga, President Museveni accused them of electing MPs such as Kyadondo East legislator Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, and Forum for Democratic Change spokesman Ibrahim Ssemujju, whom he said do not push his infrastructural development programme.

About the Opposition
He said there are elements in the Opposition that want to destabilise the country through illegal processions, adding that he would to allow them to execute their mission, which he described as satanic.
“Whoever is tired of life, destabilise Uganda. They are wasting time. Uganda is stable. It isn’t like Somalia. We have artistes. They should go to Somalia and do concerts there,” he said.

Before travelling to Kasangati, President Museveni issued a statement on public assemblies, saying they are anti-progress and will not be allowed.
“Therefore, if you want to assemble publicly or to procession, it must be for a legitimate reason. If it is to preach hate, to decampaign investments in Uganda etc... then we shall not allow you. Those who have ignored this logic have paid a heavy price,” he said.

Last week, Bobi Wine was arrested by police and charged with disobedience of statutory duty, an offence prosecution says he committed in July 2018.
Mr Museveni said he disapproved of the method the police used to break the glass of Bobi Wine’s car. “They should have towed the vehicle to wherever they wanted him to be. I do not watch television most of the time because of work,” he said.

Police have also been blocking Bobi Wine’s concerts around the country saying they incite hatred and violence. Bobi Wine promoters say police have blocked 130 concerts since 2017.

Salaries. Each of the 459 legislators earns between Shs15m to Shs30m every month, depending on how far their constituency is from Parliament.

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