George Williams, 28th March 2024
The Speaker Anitah Among has protested the move by Ministry of Finance to reduce Parliament’s budget by 50%, with MPs describing the decision as humiliating and demeaning to the Legislature saying, “Our deduction of 50%, shall we be paid salary? You even have the courtesy to put it in bold, on a statutory vote that Parliament shouldn’t get money.” said Speaker Among.
The Speaker’s remarks followed a concern raised by Nathan Byanyima (Bukanga North MP) who wondered what had befallen the Ministry of Finance because in the previous years, the occupants of the office of Secretary to Treasury were people of high caliber and wondered why Ramathan Ggoobi, the current Secretary to Treasury would announce a 50% budget cut to Parliament & also make statements that Parliament has no powers to alter budgets submitted by the Ministry of Finance.
“I have seen a paper that the Parliamentary budget will be cut by 50%. Where does such a person (Ggoobi) get powers? There is a rule that we must respect each other, treat other people the way you want to be treated. We have been demeaned to nothing. But when the Secretary to Treasury goes to a Committee of Parliament and says that we have no role to play in the budget & appropriation, it defeats my understanding, has this country changed? I don’t see why we are wasting our time going into the budget it doesn’t make sense,” said Byanyima.
However Henry Musasizi, the Minister of State for Finance asked Parliament to disregard statements made by Ggoobi about Parliament not having powers of appropriation saying such statements aren’t representative of the Ministry of Finance.
“To the best of my knowledge and experience, appropriation powers rest with Parliament. If the Secretary to Treasury expressed his views and opinions, I am not privy to what the Secretary to Treasury said, but I know but I know the Secretary to Treasury doesn’t have a chance to speak on this microphone. I would like to invite colleagues to disregard what the Secretary to Treasury said we should always take what we say as Ministry of Finance on this microphone. If whatever he said wherever he said offended the Committee of Parliament or Parliament in general, I would like to apologize on his behalf,” said Musasizi.
The development comes at the time Parliament has been in the spotlight over corruption & wasteful expenditures, although, it isn’t known whether Finance’s decision was informed by findings from these social media allegations.
