Outrage as Anita Among Others Dishes Out New Cars to Previous Parliament Speakers
The former August House presiding officers received five new fleets from Speaker of the House Anita Among, who also thanked them for their significant contributions to the establishment of Parliament.
Speaker Among did, however, also note that the previous Parliamentary leadership had not made it a priority to honor the former presiding officers who gave their lives while in charge of the executive branch.
She praised the outstanding work of the former Ugandan Parliament officers, claiming they laid a solid basis for the August House.
Former Speakers of Parliament with Speaker Anita
Al Haji Moses Kigongo, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, Rebecca Kadaga, and Prof. Edward Rugumayo are among the former Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliament who received the new cars.
Among disclosed during the vehicle handover that Ugandan taxpayers will cover the cost of petrol, maintenance, and driver costs. The former Speakers will receive new automobiles from Parliament every five years.
You will need to bring your own transportation, which Parliament will pay for. We will hire a driver for you. The Ugandan government still owns the vehicle. Parliament will pay for the automobiles’ upkeep and fuel. However, you will receive a new car from Parliament every five years. Alternatively, you can bring the automobile back to us and we’ll give you a new one if something goes wrong in between. You belong to the Ugandan government, thus we have a duty to take care of you,” Among remarked.
Additionally, she pointed out that the recently passed Parliamentary Pensions Act broadened the beneficiaries to include all Speakers who have served Uganda since 1979. As a result, the following Speakers are now eligible for these cars every five years: President Museveni, who served as NRC Chairman from 1896 to 1996; Edward Rugumayo, who was Speaker and Chairman of NCC from 1979 to 1980; Francis Butagira, who served as NCC Chairman from 1980 to 1985; Al Haji Moses Kigongo, who served as Vice Chairman of NRC 1986–1996; Edward Ssekandi, the Deputy Speaker of the 7th and 8th Parliament, from 1998 to 2001.
“It is always beneficial to show appreciation for someone while they are still living; you have contributed greatly to this country and will continue to do so.” You’ve made significant contributions to our nation. We wish to avoid the moment when you are no longer with us and everyone is praising and extolling your virtues. We felt it prudent to honor you while you are still living as the 11th Parliament,” the statement continued.
Professor Edward Rugumayo served as Speaker of the National Consultative Council, the country’s third parliament following independence; Speaker of the Fourth Parliament was Rt. Hon. Amb. Francis Butagira; Deputy Speaker of the Fifth Parliament was Rt. Hon. Alhaji Moses Kigongo; and Speaker of the Seventh and Eighth Parliaments, as well as a former vice president of Uganda, was Rt. Hon. HE Edward Ssekandi.
“All of our former Speakers would have been welcome, but some passed away while still in office, while some passed away in retirement. 2007 saw the Ugandan Parliament approve the Parliamentary Pensions Act, which granted former Speakers certain retirement benefits beginning on the Act’s assent date. The retiring Speakers had the following benefits: medical care, security, medical insurance, pension, gratuity, and domestic help. But absented were the Speakers and Deputy Speakers of the Parliaments before 2007. Among remarked, “This was unfair to past Speakers who had served the nation before 2007.”
“In my opinion, the generation of Speakers who served the country following the Liberation wars in 1979 and 1986 worked under the most trying circumstances,” she continued. Despite these obstacles, they were able to lay the groundwork for the vibrant democracy that we all enjoy today. This is why the Parliamentary Commission, which I have the honor to chair, decided to change the Parliamentary Pensions Act 2022 in a daring way, bringing pension benefits to all of our retired speakers going back to 1980.
The action has drawn criticism from some sections of the public, who call it a “wastage of public resources given the issues we are experiencing as a country.”
Herbert Anderson Burora, the deputy resident city commissioner (RCC) for Rubaga Division, stated on X, “@GovUganda can’t be asking Parliament to borrow 2.7bn to Supervise a Hospital and the same @pwatchug is spending 3.5Bn on Non-Performing Officers whose emoluments were met at the time and Pensions are still running.”
“How do we convince taxpayers that they lack services, which is why they can’t afford nice roads with such conceited law that condones this kind of vulgarity?” he continued. Why would a former speaker receive such a car as payment for doing what, without any commitment to the country?
