Makana Kennedy
The Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, Hon. Anita Annet Among, has come under fire after revelations emerged that she received a staggering sum of 500,000,000/= ($4,000 per day) as per diem for a 30-day leave in January, during which she travelled to Nairobi with her husband, Hon. Moses Magogo. This revelation has reignited concerns about excessive spending and lack of accountability within the country’s parliamentary system.
The astronomical per diem allowance, which amounts to $120,000 for the Speaker’s month-long leave, has drawn widespread condemnation from citizens and civil society organizations alike. Many have questioned the justification for such exorbitant allowances, particularly at a time when millions of Ugandans continue to grapple with poverty and economic hardship.
The controversy surrounding the Speaker’s per diem allowance is further compounded by the revelation that a Parliamentary Commission decision, enacted around 2022, entitled the Speaker, her deputy, and their spouses to 60 days of paid leave per year. This decision, which effectively doubled the entitlement for leave allowances, has raised eyebrows and fueled accusations of fiscal irresponsibility and misuse of public funds.
Critics argue that the decision to increase leave entitlements and per diem allowances for parliamentary officials represents a gross misallocation of resources, particularly in a country where essential services such as healthcare and education remain underfunded and inaccessible to many. Moreover, the lack of transparency surrounding the decision-making process and the absence of accountability mechanisms only serve to exacerbate public frustration and disillusionment with the political establishment.
The revelation of the Speaker’s lavish per diem allowance also highlights broader issues of corruption, nepotism, and cronyism within Uganda’s political elite. Many view the entitlement of such generous allowances as symptomatic of a culture of entitlement and impunity that pervades the highest echelons of government, further eroding public trust in the integrity of parliamentary institutions.
Calls for accountability and transparency have intensified in the wake of this scandal, with citizens demanding a thorough investigation into the decision-making process behind the increased leave entitlements and per diem allowances for parliamentary officials. It is imperative for parliamentary authorities to uphold the principles of fiscal responsibility and ethical governance, ensuring that public funds are used judiciously and in the best interests of all Ugandans.
As Uganda grapples with the fallout from this latest scandal, the need for robust oversight and accountability mechanisms within the country’s parliamentary system has never been more pressing. Only through transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public resources can Uganda move towards a more equitable and prosperous future for all its citizens.
