Speaker Threatens to Deduct MPs’ Allowances for Skipping Plenary Sittings

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Anita Among, has revealed that Parliament will consider reinstating the old practice of deducting allowances from Members of Parliament who don’t attend plenary and committee meetings.

Each of the 526 MPs of the 11^th Parliament is entitled to Shs50,000 for every committee and plenary sittings on top of the monthly salary.

While chairing plenary on Wednesday, Among said this will control the wastage of taxpayer’s money that goes towards payment of salaries of MPs, yet some of them abscond from their legislative duties.

“My Sergeant at Arms was telling me that what you were talking about last time of payment and deductions, stopped in the 7th Parliament, but we can still resume it,” she said.

She added: “Let us not waste taxpayers’ money. This is a people’s centred Parliament; we work for humanity and we should be able to do that.”

According to her, some legislators repeatedly dodge plenary sittings without the knowledge and clearance of her office and that of her deputy.

She said the matter will be discussed in parliament before voting on a final decision.

“Members must know that they have to attend House, short of that, we will make a decision as a business committee on what should be done. Let’s not waste taxpayers’ money,” she is quoted telling lawmakers.

In 2014, the same threat was issued by then-Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga.