“MPs Get Only Shs 50,000 For Committee Sittings , Don’t Scare Us” MP Sebamala Tells Speaker Among

Bukoto Central Member of Parliament, Richard Ssebamala, has strongly criticized the Speaker of Parliament, accusing her of undermining opposition members by imposing restrictions on their involvement in committees, foreign trips, and even access to the parliamentary canteen.

During an interview on NBS TV’s Morning Breeze, Ssebamala asserted that the core issue revolves around the unaccounted-for disappearance of Ugandans, and diverting attention with minor penalties only hampers their cause.

Ssebamala emphasized that the sitting allowances for committees, amounting to Shs50,000, are insignificant and not sufficient to influence any self-respecting Member of Parliament. He suggested willingly forfeiting such allowances, considering the infrequency of committee sessions.

“The committee allowances are Shs50,000, we can sincerely forfeit them, how many times do we even sit, it could be once or twice in a month!” he said.

“How much is on trips, you are in the UK and getting $720 per day and using half of that to sleep and eat, you will return here with Shs7m in a week. This is money you can earn as an MP from other businesses in Uganda. So if there is an MP who can not earn that, then they can not teach people how to make money,” he added.

Addressing the issue of foreign trips, Ssebamala argued that the monetary gains, particularly from trips to the UK, where MPs receive $720 per day, are substantial. He pointed out that even after covering expenses, MPs can return with significant earnings within a week, which could also be earned through alternative businesses in Uganda.

According to Ssebamala, reducing the argument to matters like the canteen diminishes the significance of the protest.

“That is belittling the argument into canteen, trips, and committees. The focus is that people were bundled and taken by government agencies and we need them back, that is the argument,” he said.

Ssebamala’s remarks coincided with the removal of fellow legislator Robert Ssekitoleko (Bamunanika County) from a legal and parliamentary affairs committee.

Committee Chairperson Fox Odoi cited the Speaker’s directive to opposition legislators, instructing them to abstain from parliamentary activities to reinforce their protest.

Ssekitoleko, however, maintained that the Leader of the Opposition had not directed opposition MPs to withdraw from committee duties and insisted that he was duly invited for the session.