People are Fighting to Come to Parliament Because of Fat Salaries-Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has said that the recent ugly incidences of violence that marred NRM Primaries have been caused by peoples’ greed to come to Parliament to enjoy ‘fat’ salaries.

He added that Parliament disregarded his warning against increasing MPs’ salaries, a decision that has increased bloodshed during campaigns and elections as people fight to go to Parliament.

Museveni made the remarks while meeting the aggrieved parliamentary aspirants in Mbarara and Sembabule districts, where he met NRM parliamentary aspirants and other officials from the Isingiro, Kirihura and Kazo. Museveni is visiting all districts that were marred with violence in the recently concluded NRM primaries.

“It is important for those seeking leadership positions in the NRM to appreciate our ideology. People are fighting hard to go to Parliament because MPs unilaterally increased their salaries. They earn more than our scientists and other critical professionals. I tried to discourage them but they insisted,” Museveni tweeted.

He added, “This should not be the motivation to seek parliamentary seats, it should be about serving their people.”

According to reports from the Parliamentary Commission, an MP in the 10th Parliament takes home a basic salary of Shs11.18m after taxes and a stream of allowances, making a total pay package of about Shs25 million per month. The package of allowances includes; Shs4.5m that is paid as town running allowance, gratuity (Shs1M) and medical allowance (Shs 500,000).

For each Committee sitting, an MP is paid (Shs 50,000) while plenary sitting allowance accounts for Shs150,000, as well as travels abroad $520 per day (Shs1.75 million) while inland travel, sees each MP get Shs150,000 per night/day. The MPs also got Shs120M as car allowance and iPad which cost Shs2M each. Each Legislator is paid Shs4.5 million as constituency facilitation (Shs3.2 million), lunch and tea Shs3 million.