Parliament of Uganda
Some members of Parliament who lost the 2021 elections have been told to set up businesses and projects with their pensions and gratuity.
With their monthly pay of at least 20 Million coming to an end in May, over 300 MPs who have not made it to the 11th Parliament have been told to engage in economic enterprises and not become beggars.
An MP gets a total gratuity pay of 108 million per year and with an average pension of 5 million monthly, for five years an MP gets at least 300 million shillings.
The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga who was yesterday speaking at the closure of the two day “Life after Parliament” workshop organized by the Institute of Parliamentary studies named after Kadaga asked the MPs to specifically use their money for projects that will sustain them.
At the workshop in Parliament, all MPs were given plaques thanking them for their service as Members of Parliament. Of the 457 MPs in Parliament, 319 were not voted back, while 31 did not contest or chose to run for other offices. Only 107 MPs were able to return.
Majority of the MPs who got up to speak wished that they were constantly reminded of this fact that one day they will vacate Parliament.
Oketayot Lowila, the Woman MP Pader who is one of the persons exiting Parliament says the information they were given is important, but added that MPs need to be given this information regularly, but also at the start of Parliament. She says other leaders outside Parliament also need to be prepared for this life at all levels.
Mwenge South outgoing MP Aston Kajara says that he has learnt that there will be a lot of financial hardships, social hardships, and many people will actually be stressed, but they have been prepared on how to face this.
He also wished that they had known earlier. He says their pension should be amended to include medical insurance. He also wished that this information came earlier probably during the inductions.
Now Kadaga asked the members of Parliament to go and be job creators, entrepreneurs and innovators instead of being needy after Parliament. She says she is glad for the first time such arrangements have been made for MPs to prepare them for their exit. She says sometimes former leaders want to meet the President, but it is not possible because they are no longer MPs.
Kadaga also told the MPs that their exit funds have been improved and it is not as bad as before. She also said that Parliament will also look at the issue of medical insurance of former MPs and work on the network to keep them in touch with Parliament. She says that if the new chambers are complete, a space for former members, the elders lounge can be identified where members visiting can share moments, but also be attended to.
The workshop saw former MPs, financial experts and Entrepreneurs among others engage members of Parliament on facing the reality out of Parliament.
Former Bukedea MP Albert Charles Oduman who is now a consultant asked the MPs to recognize that now they are no longer MPs, but can still be people of influence in the community.
-URN
