President Yoweri Museveni has rejected a proposal by some members of Parliament who want their salaries increased in the next financial year.
The legal and parliamentary affairs committee needs an additional Shs43 billion up from last year’s Shs19 billion to foot the wage bill.
The MPs say the additional money is to cater for new parliamentary staff and increasing the members’ gratuity and pension.
If granted, the MPs will be getting Shs10 million gratuity annually down from Shs6 million and Shs120 million as pension from the current Shs75 million.
Currently, each MP receives a salary of Shs3 million taxed per month, plus additional allowances.
Early this year, the Clerk to Parliament , Ms Jane Kibirige wrote to the Ministry of Finance requesting the MPs salaries be increased saying it is not enough.
She said the extra money is needed because Parliament will start consolidating MPs’ pay in the new financial year.
In the new arrangement, both salaries and allowances for the 386 MPs will be paid at once unlike the current system where the remittances are done separately.
However, the Ministry of Finance says the extra Shs43 billion to boost MPs pay in the 2014/15 budget is outside the government priorities.
