A section of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs led by Lwemiyaga County legislator Theodore Ssekikubo have joined their counterparts in the opposition, demanding the immediate recall of Parliament from recess.
The development follows social media activists led by Dr. Spire Ssentengo and the journalist Agatha Atuhaire, who leaked documents showing the alleged exorbitant sums of months pocketed by the speaker, Anita Among, in the name of per diem, cooperation, social responsibility, and others.
The funds were being deposited in various accounts of the parliamentary staff. The exhibition revealed that several MPs claimed per diem for the same activity from Parliament and the National Council of Sports.
It further showed that the Speaker received over Shs2.4 billion in a space of 39 days. The money that was received by Daniel Adilo and Emmanuel Okwi Emuron was reportedly meant to cater to field mobilization activities, her outreach activities, community consultation activities, and others.
It also showed that she pocketed, per diem, Shs2.6 billion for the eight trips she made out of the country between September 2023 and January 2024. She also received a per diem of Shs646 million between July 2022 and July 2023.
In a period of four days from October 11, 2023, to October 16, 2023, Shs2,673,000,000 was put into a personal bank account, which included that of Chris Obore, the head of communications at parliament.
Ssekikuubo said that following allegations made in public that the members of the Parliamentary Commission distributed amongst themselves funds in the name of service awards, some commissioners have gone into hiding.
“Even the commissioners themselves are in hiding. We are here; we are loitering around the corridors of Parliament, and we can’t see anybody. These are very disturbing issues, and we are calling on the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Clerk to live up to their calling to restore Parliament. Parliament is being run down.”
“We can’t now walk with our heads high on the streets of Kampala; we smuggle ourselves and bold out. It isn’t the best time to be identified as an MP. We are all bundled up; nobody is giving answers. Should we all go by roll call, not me? We are all being castigated, and we look bad in the eyes of the public,” Ssekikubo said.
