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Members of parliament who sit on the Public Service and Local Government Committee have punched holes in a budget proposal by the Ministry of public service to purchase brand-new luxurious vehicles for former presidents, vice presidents and prime minister.
Bardege-Layibi Division MP Martin Ojara Mapenduzi who heads the committee raised the issues while receiving the budget frame work early this week by the ministry’s permanent secretary Ms. Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwire. The paper revealed a government’s intention to spend about Shs7.2 billion on this initiative, considering these vehicles as part of the former leader’s emoluments and benefits.
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Sitting on the same committee with Mapenduzi, MPs Patrick Isingoma of Hoima City East, Stephen Mugole of Kabweri county all deemed this provision a “double entitlement” for former leaders more so former speaker and former vice president Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi who is swimming in cash drawn from several retirement benefits.
The committee chairperson Mapenduzi urged that those already receiving emoluments, including those serving as presidential advisors, should wait and emphasized the need for a more equitable distribution of resources.
The Permanent Secretary of Public Service Bitarakwate acknowledged the issue of double entitlements, attributing it to conflicting laws, such as the President’s, Prime Minister and Emoluments Act 2010 and the Administration of Parliament Act.
Towards Christmas of 2023, former Speakers of Parliament; Al Hajji Moses Kigongo, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga and Prof Edward Rugumayo received brand new vehicles handed over to them by speaker Anita Among.
Parliament is said to have spend over Shs2billion in purchasing the monster rides whose maintenance, fuel and the burden of paying drivers to chauffeur them lies on the tax payer. The are also to be replaced every after five year.
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