Parliament budget to increase by Shs219 billion

Finance minister Matia Kasaija

What you need to know:

  • The MPs also tasked the commission to explain why more than 80 of their colleagues do not have office space.

Parliament. The budget for Parliament for the 2019/2020 Financial Year is expected to increase by Shs219b, a policy statement presented by the Parliamentary Commission yesterday indicates.
While presenting the statement to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, this newspaper established that the approved budget for the 2018/2019 FY is Shs497.8b whereas the proposed budget for the coming FY is Shs716.8b.

Parliament proposed to spend Shs93.3b on wages, Shs540.9b on non-wage expenditures and Shs82.5b on development.
The commission presented 10 issues that need to be handled in the coming financial year to justify the increased budget.
These include catering for the new MPs expected to join the House when the new districts elect their woman representatives “in terms of emoluments, gratuity, medical insurance and motor vehicle facilitation, as communicated in the second Budget Call Circular of FY 2019/20.”

Others are hosting the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s international conference this year, enhance committee oversight activities and benchmark various pieces of legislation, provide for East African Community annual parliamentary sports and enhance ICT infrastructure in Parliament to increase efficiency.
During the committee meeting, the members heard that the commission is also planning to re-introduce the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
The fund of Shs10m advanced to every MP annually was scrapped off in 2011, six years after President Museveni introduced it.
It became controversial in the Eighth Parliament due to lack of accountability by the MPs.

Mr Peter Ogwang (Usuku County), who chairs the Finance sub-committee of the Parliamentary Commission, said they are planning to return the Fund in the 11th Parliament.
“The commission is coming up with a policy and we are moving on well. The plan is that CDF will be re-introduced in the 11th Parliament. We now need a legal regime to regulate that money,” Mr Ogwang said.
He was responding to a question raised by Mr Paul Mwiru (Jinja East) who asked what the commission is doing to ensure that MPs are given funds to spend in their constituencies.
Mr Oboth Oboth, the committee chairperson, agreed saying MPs have been spending a lot in their constituencies, especially by contributing to burial expenses.

“The MPs have become chief mourners and you are rated on how many burials you have attended,” he said.
The legislators also tasked the commission to explain why they are not getting trips abroad to benchmark most of the legislations.
Mr Hamson Obua (Ajuri County) tasked the commission to provide a full list of travels accorded to members and parliamentary staff.
The commission had reported that most of the activities are not being held due to funding gaps. Mr Ogwang said the commission has a funding gap of Shs101b.

The MPs also tasked the commission to explain why more than 80 of their colleagues do not have office space.
There are 459 MPs and those who have offices are at some times asked to share with their colleagues.
Mr Ogwang said the commission has been discussing with the Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, to ensure that the Ministry of Lands, and Prisons are shifted for the House to occupy the buildings for office space.