2 Billion Shillings facilitation by for the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and a delegation of legislators attending the 28th Uganda North America Convention - UNAA, in the United States has raised a public outcry.
UNAA the largest community organization for the Ugandan Diaspora is used as a platform to stimulate fellowship among members in North America, Europe and Uganda.
It was founded in 1988 and boasts of over 120,000 members. These meet every year to discuss business, politics, and have fun.
This year’s event runs from September 2 tomorrow to September 4 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts featuring networking, business and education forums and political governance debates while over 50 traders will also exhibit items portraying Ugandan culture, produce, art crafts, cuisine and textiles.
That aside, what has however surprised most Ugandans is the 2 Billion parliament is spending on facilitation of its members who have left for the event.
The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga and her Deputy Jacob Oulanyah have travelled alongside a team of 78 members of Parliament and several parliamentary staff.
According to reports from parliament, each air ticket for the MPs who are all traveling Business Emirates Airlines was quoted at 5,700 US Dollars, approximately 19,015,400 Shillings. This brings the total cost on tickets is 456,000 US Dollars (over 1.5 billion Shillings).
Now, each speaker is entitled to per diem of 720 US Dollars or 2,401,950 Shillings per day while the Members of Parliament are entitled to 520 US Dollars (1,734,740 Shillings) per day. This brings the total per diem cost for both Speakers to 1,440 US Dollars (4,803,900 Shillings) per day totaling to 8,640 US Dollars (over 28 million Shillings) for the six days of the trip.
Meanwhile, MPs will receive allowances per day of 41,600 US Dollars (over 138 million Shillings), amounting to 249,600 (over 832 million Shillings) for the six days.
Some of the MPs on the delegation are Kato Lubwama, Mohammed Nsereko, Zaake Francis, Lyandro Komakech, Peter Ogwang, Felix Okot Ogong, Cissy Namujju, Johnson Muyanja Senyonga, Tusiime Michael, Alex Ruhunda and Godfrey Katushabe.
But Chris Obore, parliaments' director of communications says parliament is facilitating only seven legislators while all the others are meeting the cost of their travel and accommodation while in the United States.
He argues that three others legislators; Peter Ogwang, Arinaitwe Rwakajara and Robinah Nabbanja, traveled in a separate capacity as Parliamentary Commissioners and are facilitated by the Parliamentary Commission, Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa is traveling to the same event as part of government delegation while the Clerk to Parliament Jane Kibirige is leading a team of six technical staff mainly from the PR Department to run a stall at the convention and one legal person, to explain legal issues in parliament.
The technical staffs include Chris Obore, Hellen Kaweesa, Mohammed Katamba, Charles Bukuwa, Agnes Nabasumba and Guma Jackie.
