New MPs to get tea, lunch and housing allowance

In Summary

However, Ministry of finance says there is no money for tea, lunch and Housing allowances and advised Parliament to respect the President’s guidance.

Authorities in parliament have approved new allowances for tea, lunch and housing for new MPs in the 10th parliament even as some MPs opposed the move as “unnecessary”.

“A provision has been made to cater for MPs tea, lunch and housing allowances as approved by the parliamentary commission,” the parliamentary policy statement presented by Mr Okello Obabaru, the deputy clerk in charge of finance and administration reads in part.

The new allowances approved by the Parliamentary Commission, were yesterday presented to Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee amid opposition from some MPs led by Ms Sarah Mpabwa (army) and Ms Monica Amoding (Youth Female). The Commission was appearing before the committee to present its Shs651.9 billion for 10th parliament.

“What kind of tea are you talking about which is different from the usual one we normally take in the committees? Then, you talk about lunch and housing allowances, what malady are you trying to cure?” Ms Mpabwa tasked members of the Parliamentary Commission led by Mr William Nokrach (PWD Northern), a parliamentary commissioner.

Ms Amoding said: “The image of Parliament has not improved at all, we are about to see the members of public coming here to slaughter MPs because of the benefits of Members of Parliament.”

In order to ease the work of MPs, the Parliamentary Commission wanted to serve MPs tea in plenary in addition to lunch and paying rent for MPs. However, Mr Nokrach said: “The proposal [for tea, lunch and housing allowances] has not been put well. I suggest you ignore it for the time being, we will come back to you.”

When contacted after the meeting for further clarification, Mr Nokrach attributed the increase in the budget to a bloated parliament, adding that “democracy is expensive.
” On the allowances for tea, lunch and housing he said: “We should ignore it, it came on the paper by mistake.”

Although Mr William Nokrach, the head of the delegation later asked the committee to consider withdrawing the new proposals, committee members told journalists that the authorities had proposed to increasing the vehicle grant for new MPs from Shs103m to Shs130m, tea and lunch allowance of Shs2 million and housing allowance of Shs3m per month for each of the 458 MPs expected in 10th parliament.

The 2016/17 budget for Parliament has increased from Shs371.3 billion in 2015/15 financial year to Shs651.9 billion. However, ministry of finance has only allocated parliament Shs318.9b, leaving a funding gap of Shs333.1billion. The committee chairperson Stephen Tashobya asked the commission to be realistic in budgeting upon realising that the funding gap is almost the same as the allocated resources in the budget.

The allocation for support services comprising of employee salaries, Office of the Speaker and Office of Deputy Speaker, commission secretariat, members Ipads, vehicles for members, travel abroad and other departments has a funding gap of more than Shs100billion. Under this item, Ministry finance has allocated only Shs75.4billion.

Some of the emerging issues and spending pressures cited by parliament include; the need to cater for the increase in salaries emoluments and associated benefits (pension, gratuity, iPad, motor vehicle grant, among others, arising from the additional members of parliament expected in 10th parliament.

The budget for emoluments of new MPs has a funding gap of Shs141.4billion. Ministry of finance provided only Shs203.3billion. The Commission has appealed to the committee to ensure that Parliament gets the money as requested in the request to Ministry of finance.

On taxing MPs, Mr Nokrach also informed the committee that the commission through the legal department had made an application to stay the execution and appealed the court judgement on the matter. “We are making all efforts to protect members’ money,” Mr Nokrach told members.

He was responding to members’ complaints that their salaries were being cut by Shs8million and that the salaries of the new MPs will be reduced by Shs10m to cater for Pay and You Earn. The clerk to Parliament Jane Kibirige had proposed that the MPs “seal the issue” in the amendments to the finance bill but Mr Abdul Katuntu advised that the matter be left to the courts of law to handle.

MPs earn a monthly salary of about Shs2.6m, mileage allowance (calculated per kilometre) town-running allowance, medical allowance, gratuity, committee sitting allowance and plenary sitting allowance (consolidated). If Parliament approved the new allowances, they will be entitled to housing tea and lunch allowances.
Ministry of finance spokesperson, Mr Jim Mugunga yesterday reminded MPs that President appealed to the new MPs at Kyankwanzi recently to stay their claim for enhanced benefits until such a time when the budget can support their demands.

“There are no resources to cushion demands for new MPs. We are aware the budget for 10th parliament has increased but it does not add up for parliament to add to avoidable demands on the taxpayers,” Mr Mugunga said.