Media Wire Express Correspondent
A quiet but controversial cash payout has sparked whispers across Uganda’s political landscape, following claims that dozens of Members of Parliament recently received a hefty financial gift directly from President Yoweri Museveni.
According to sources with knowledge of the transaction, the money—reported to be UGX 100 million per MP, the equivalent of about 70 million Tanzanian shillings—was handed out on the evening of April 7. The recipients are said to include MPs from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), as well as a few independents and members of the opposition.
While the government has yet to offer an official statement, those close to Parliament say some MPs picked up their share at the Office of the Government Chief Whip between 8pm and 9pm. Others reportedly received the money from the residence of Speaker Anita Among, located in the upscale Nakasero neighborhood of Kampala.
The motivation behind the disbursement, according to insiders, was to thank MPs for their “good conduct” and to lend a financial helping hand to those feeling the squeeze of economic pressure—especially as Uganda continues to face high inflation and a widening wealth gap.
When asked about the reports, Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Faruk Kirunda neither confirmed nor denied them. Instead, he pointed journalists toward the NRM Parliamentary Caucus for comment. Meanwhile, Parliament’s own administration has distanced itself from the matter, saying it had no involvement in any such payments.
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The allegations have reignited an old debate in Uganda—one that revolves around ethics, governance, and the use of public funds. This wouldn’t be the first time MPs have been accused of receiving undisclosed cash payments. In 2022 and again in 2023, similar stories made headlines, with opposition figures and watchdog groups sounding the alarm over what they saw as bribery and misuse of public resources.
Civil society leaders argue that these payments erode public trust in democratic institutions. “You can’t be handing out millions to lawmakers while schools lack basic supplies and hospitals go underfunded,” one Kampala-based activist said under condition of anonymity.
Critics also question where the money came from. Was it a personal gesture from the president? Or did it come from the national treasury? Without transparency, it’s hard to know for sure.
Several MPs have refused to speak on the record, while others have simply denied receiving any cash. Still, the buzz around Parliament suggests something did indeed take place behind closed doors.
