Each MP will get Shs3.5m iPad
The Parliamentary Commission has finalised procurement of iPads for each MP, Deputy Speaker, Anita Among has revealed.
In her communication during Thursday’s plenary sitting, Among said Parliament has procured iPads for all members of parliament to assist them in performing their duties.
The iPads will be gifted to the 529 MPs and ex-officios. The iPads were introduced by parliament as a mechanism to limit the use of stationery during plenary and committee sittings. However, even to date, witnesses appearing before Committees are required to produce 30-40 copies of their presentation while appearing before Committees.
This comes barely a week each MP received Shs200m to purchase vehicles, something that left many Ugandans angry considering the prevailing COVID-19 situation that has battered the economy badly.
In 2019, Parliament contracted MTN to provide internet services to Parliament and according to that contract, tax payers were to part with Shs30,000 to cater for a 5GB monthly bundle and this amount also caters for Value Added Tax as well as Shs6000 OTT tax for each device per month, thus bringing the figure to Shs36,000 per each MP.
However, after public backlash, Parliament dropped the proposal to pay Shs6000 for MPs Over the Top Tax. With this law being dropped in preference for the 12% Excise Duty Tax on internet, Parliament is likely to amend the contract to cater for this fee because the contract with MTN still runs on.
Going by the current contractual rate, if Shs30,000 is to be spent on each MP on data per month, this means taxpayers will pay Shs16,650,000 per month for the 555 MPs and Shs199,800,000 annually.
At the end of the five year term, MPs internet will cost Ugandans around Shs990Million.
Although the Deputy Speaker didn’t divulge into details how much each iPad would cost, sources say each iPad will cost about Shs3.5m. Parliament will spend Shs2bn on iPads. This means MPs will start receiving these iPads next week. At the end of their tenure, MPs are required to return the iPads or pay Shs500,000 to retain them.
However, if the MP passes on without completing their tenure, Parliament acquires a new iPad for the new MP but no claim is made to the deceased’s family to return the iPad, which is a public property.
-Updated
