The High Court has ruled that the UGX500 million service award to the former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga and to three commissioners of Parliament was approved by Parliament and included in the Executive’s budget.
“The vote for Ex-Gratia payments was presented in the Appropriations Bill by the Executive and passed by Parliament. “
“This is common in government agencies and entities whose staff are already highly paid. If this practice continues unchecked, there is a likelihood that our nation’s coffers may be depleted, says Justice Douglas Karekona in his ruling.
For more than four months, the media has been awash with reports and allegations of government agencies and politicians awarding themselves money, a trend that the court says needs to be checked by ensuring that a Salary and Emoluments Review Board Bill, be tabled and passed.
Its main objective would be to review and harmonize emoluments and allowances of government and political leaders to reduce the temptation of leaders adopting unofficial ways of rewarding themselves under the guise of a service award.
The judge has also advised that such matters of the board should be reported directly to the President.
However, the court has ordered the Secretary to the Treasury to begin disciplinary proceedings against the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesigye, for his role in the planning and execution process of the service awards.
Following the ruling, questions are being asked in public fora in regard to when the money was received, and the said budget passed.
Relatedly, queries remain as to whether the budget came after the commission considered the awards or after, in addition to who was responsible for setting the figures that were awarded.