A Kampala lawyer has run to court to challenge the move by government to pay shs200 million to each of the Members of Parliament to help them buy brand new vehicles.
In a suit before the civil division of the High Court in Kampala on Monday, lawyer Male Mabirizi said government committed an illegality when it released funds onto individual accounts for Members of Parliament to enable them buy brand new vehicles.
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In the suit where the Attorney General has been listed as a respondent, the lawyer says that it was done illegally for the Parliamentary Commission to pay shs200 million to account for all MPs,, the Vice President and Prime Minister who are also Members of Parliament, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, ex-officio members of Parliament, and Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State who are also Members of Parliament purportedly for motor vehicles.
“I know that there is no law empowering the respondents to pay Members of Parliament money for vehicles thereby making the payment illegal,”Mabirizi says.
According to Mabirizi, the Vice President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, cabinet and ministers of state have vehicles attached to their respective offices cannot lawfully receive the shs200 million meant for vehicles as members of Parliament.
The lawyer also argues that since there is no law allowing them to get money for the purchase of vehicles, all MPs and other beneficiaries of the shs200 million for the purchase of brand new vehicles should be forced to refund the money but also pay general, exemplary and aggravated damages.
“The applicant seeks an order of mandamus compelling the respondents to recover the shs200 million paid to all Members of Parliament, the Vice President and Prime Minister who are also Members of Parliament, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, ex-officio members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State,” the court documents in which the Attorney General and Parliamentary Commission are listed as respondents read in part.
https://nilepost.co.ug/2021/07/22/ugandans-protest-as-mps-get-shs200m-each-for-vehicles/
