Grand theft of public resources and breach of the social contract

The recent revelations through the online campaign, the Uganda Parliamentary Exhibition continues to steer debate. The most painful part is the response that has been given by parliament through its director of communications. While justifying what I would term as nugatory expenditures, he accuses the public of blindly attacking the Speaker while forgetting those that have reportedly stolen more than what she has taken!  Two wrongs don’t make a right!

One of the items spent by Parliament through the office of the Speaker is donations. My view is that the duty of parliament is to appropriate adequate resources to ensure that the needs of taxpayers are fully met because donation is driven by those unmet needs. However much a donation is justifiable, any leader worth their name at any level should donate from their pockets and not from the consolidated fund. The idea is that you are privileged and better paid and must pick from your deep pockets. Taking away from taxpayers with one hand and giving back in the guise of caring is corruption.

How does parliament begin making donations when often many entities do not receive adequate funding through the national budget?  So we have many unfunded priorities and “the people’s representatives “are busy allocating funds for donations and exorbitant allowances as if we have an excess National budget? What if the money you are spending as you wish sometimes for political expediency is actually borrowed money for budget support? Isn’t this double tragedy for taxpayers who have to repay the debt while foregoing critical services?  So Parliament is excited to hear that expectant mothers are dying due to lack of Mama Kits, blood and other important consumables because of the limited funding to the ministry of health? What about children who are studying under trees and on empty stomachs? Do you care or are you using your privileged positions to send yours to expensive schools here and abroad?

 Despite many scandals that have hit our country, many Ugandans do not follow the doctrine of the social contract.  You pay taxes and must receive quality services. That is the social contract you enter in with those in power to pay taxes.

Unfortunately most Ugandans think that the money being stolen belongs to an individual or entity called the Government. Yet this is their painfully paid taxes that should address the lack of quality health care, quality education, roads and other services.

The initiators of the online exhibition campaign have single handedly exposed one of the biggest scandals. Your role is to defend them and to demand an accountable parliament. You can also expose corrupt leaders who are putting up those expensive buildings, buying huge chunks so suddenly! This can begin as a mere petition or complaint to the IGG.  Our servants who prefer calling themselves leaders should not continue this impunity.

There is need to set up an entity that should determine emoluments of all public servants and elected leaders. In 2009, the United Kingdom was hit by the parliamentary expenses scandal and the response was the formation of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority which now smoothly determines the emoluments of all parliamentary staff and Mps.

There has been the long standing demand for a salary review commission or board to rationalize payment of salaries. It’s now more urgent to look into this matter.

Mr Kenneth Lukwago Anderson is a journalist and media consultant.

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