In a yet another item that will drain the taxpayers, parliament is set to give brand new vehicles to its former speakers after every five years.
The development was announced by the current Speaker, Anita Among as she handed over four vehicles for former speakers.
“You will be required to bring your own driver, who we will recruit as Parliamentary staff, Parliament will pay that driver of yours. The car remains a property of Government of Uganda. Parliament will maintain and fuel these cars,” Among said.
“Parliament will after every five years be giving you a new car or in between when the car gets a problem, you will bring it back and we give you a new car. You are property of government of Uganda, so we are supposed to look after you.”
She insisted that all expenses including fuel, maintenance and salaries for the drivers of these vehicles will be met by parliament from the Ugandan taxpayers’ money.
Among explained that the recent enactment of the Parliamentary Pensions Act expanded the beneficiaries to include all speakers who served Uganda since 1979 and thus entitling; President Museveni, Chairman of NRC 1896-1996, Edward Rugumayo Speaker and Chairman NCC from 1979-19 80, Francis Butagira 1980-1985, Al Haji Moses Kigongo, Vice Chairman NRC 1986-1996, Edward Ssekandi 1998-2001 Deputy Speaker and Speaker of 7th and 8th Parliament, to these cars every five years.
“It is always good to appreciate people when they are still alive, you did a lot for this country and continuing to do a lot for this country. You have contributed a lot to this country. We don’t want at the time when you are no more, everybody is paying tribute and talking all the good things about you. As the 11th Parliament, we thought it wise to appreciate you when you are still alive,” she said.
The development will not augur well with Ugandans who are already chocking on other expenditures amid the slow economy.
There has been a herald call to government to cut down on its expenditures given the current economic crisis.
