Broke MPs plead with Museveni

ByaseL · 2013-07-25T11:07:41+00:00

President says only 50 MPs can sustain themselves A closed-door meeting between President Museveni and Parliaments Local Government and Public Service committee turned into a begging spree, as MPs lobbied a man they are supposed to hold to account. As individual MPs pleaded and begged for help, completely oblivious of the meetings agenda, it became even more apparent to Museveni that this crop of MPs had chosen a life of debt over frugality and were grappling with financial threats that might destroy their careers. The meeting at State House Entebbe was meant to discuss the creation of new districts, which, experts say, essentially swells public expenditure. But, according to sources present, it turned into something else. Mwenge North MP David Muhumuza set the tone, informing a jovial Museveni: Loans are killing us please help us Mr President. Museveni, who usually likes exploiting financial vulnerabilities of politicians, told his guests that he was well aware of their predicament. My intelligence tells me that it is only 50 MPs who can sustain themselves, the rest are infested with huge debts, Our sources quoted Museveni as having said. There are 374 MPs in Parliament, which means 324 are broke, if the presidents intelligence reports are to be believed. Museveni warned that poor MPs could be a security risk as they can be bribed by oil companies now that we have oil. In future, he said, MPs should not go for big loans. He said government can use the lawmakers as agents of wealth creation. Since financial handouts to constituents are one of the reasons MPs go for loans, they (MPs) can be given money to buy, for example, coffee seedlings and distribute to voters, Museveni said. Florence Kintu (Kalungu Woman MP) and chairperson of the committee asked the president to give her 200,000 coffee seedlings to distribute to her constituents.

Thread starter ByaseL
Start date Jul 25, 2013

ByaseL

JF-Expert Member

Jul 25, 2013

Koba

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