Parliament’s Shs100m Easter cash bonanza demonstrates what the Ugandan government’s priorities are – and what they are not.
Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG) Executive Director Dr Sarah Bireete has offered an interesting comparison to help Ugandans understand what such bribery speaks of government’s priorities.
First, Dr Bireete, an articulate commentator on political, constitutional and economic affairs, believes that the Shs100m reportedly given to each MP is a way to say ‘thank you’ to the legislators for passing the controversial coffee bill.
She also believes the money is meant to soften the hearts of the MPs to vote in support of government’s position in the UPDF Amendment Bill 2025.
The bill, through which government hopes to push for the trial of civilians in the military courts, is expected to be tabled next week.
“The 100m to MPs is a bribe for the upcoming dubious amendment of the UPDF Act and an appreciation for the contested Coffee Bill,” Bireete said while appearing on Radio One’s Spectrum Extra on Friday, April 11, 2025 evening.
On the amount given to each MP and how it could have changed the lives of many people in parishes across the country, Bireete juxtaposed the Shs100m reportedly given each MP (for the so-called ‘friendly’ MPs who are said to have been given the money) with the Shs100m for each parish, and the priorities of President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
“The President has been going around inspecting goats, pigs… in Parish Development Model programs. Now the stomachs of MPs have been made equivalent to a mobile Parish worth Shs100m, just like Shs100m for PDM per parish,” she noted.
Bireete has also commented on Museveni’s April 11 statement on the MPs’ bribery scandal, saying it meant that the 80-year-old long serving head of state had acknowledged that he is the hand behind the Easter cash bonanza.
“President Museveni’s letter has confirmed that indeed he is the giver of the Shs100m to MPs,” she said. “He has created a culture of bribing MPs since 2005 [with the removal of term limits].”
You can read President Museveni’s full statement on the Shs100m for each MP Here.
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