State Minister for Investment and Privatisation Evelyn Anite has proposed slashing Members of Parliament’s salaries as a radical step toward restoring sanity in the country’s elections.
Anite acknowledged that some people might view her position as ironic, given that she is a minister who has already risen through the ranks.
However, she dismissed such criticism, asserting that her stance has always been consistent and rooted in principle, not personal benefit.
“I said it right from the time I saw my first check. And I have repeatedly said this that I feel it is too much money. That’s why the people fight. That’s why people want to kill each other.”
She likened Uganda’s Parliament to a beehive, sweetened by financial reward.
“So maybe it is time we remove the honey that is attracting everyone to go into parliament. You see the bees get attracted too. So there is something which is the money,” she said.
“If we remove all this from our politics and reduce the amount of money that we pay legislators, I think the appetite for people who have jobs resigning their jobs to go for politics will go down.”
Furthermore, Anite condemned what she described as a dangerous culture of voter bribery, exorbitant campaign financing, and ruthless political competition.
“Because this is not right for a country. It cannot be for the development of the country. Then the issue of use of money. It’s crazy. It’s insane,” Anite said
She added that the financial demands on parliamentary candidates have reached disturbing levels, with sitting MPs reportedly seeking to sell off personal assets just to stay politically afloat.
“Many sitting members of parliament approached me with their well-built houses wanting to sell it just for the sake of getting money to go and give out to voters. So where did this monetisation of politics come from?”
The revelations come amid widespread reports of chaos and irregularities in the NRM primaries, where campaign budgets often soar into hundreds of millions.
Anite recounted her own political beginnings, candidly admitting she entered the arena unaware of how financially brutal it could be.
“From the time I understood the value of money, there’s no way I’m going to throw away money like that. In one day, three days in a month, you’re throwing away Shs500M,” she said.
“Someone yesterday told me on the election day, I spent Shs600M. Did you actually do that? And I said, so did you win? Yes. I did. But, with small margin. So what was that for? It’s too expensive, and that’s why people are desperate. They want to kill for it.”
Her comments echo concerns voiced by civil society groups and some within her own party, who warn that NRM’s internal democracy is being hijacked by wealth rather than ideology or service. Voters have come to expect handouts, and candidates are often judged not by their plans but by their pockets.
