Hon Rebecca Kadaga, Speaker of Parliament has promised to stop the parliament’s Contract Committee resolution to have taxpayers’ pay for their OTT service and internet data.
Stating that she is not aware of the Contract made between parliament and MTN Uganda, to give free OTT and internet services to legislators monthly.
Kadaga made the remarks earlier on Thursday 16 of May 2019 while speaking to Journalists at parliament.
She said that the move by the parliament’s Contract Committee to award MTN the contract of supplying parliamentarians free data and OTT services will have to be reviewed.
Kadaga says legislators are able to pay for those services and it’s their duty to pay their own taxes not tax payers.
Additionally, Kadaga said that Contract Committee of parliament made the decision not the Parliamentary Commission.
“I am glad you are saying it is Contacts Committee. I haven’t seen the agreement but I don’t believe that the public should pay OTT for MPs. I don’t support it,” Ms Kadaga said.
Kadaga continued to state that; “I don’t agree with that decision and I am going to investigate who took that decision and if there is a contract, we will have to scrutinise it because I don’t believe tax payers should pay MPs taxes, that is our duty because we are carrying out our duties,”
The swift turn of event followed the Wednesday decision taken by parliament’s Contract Committee to spend 198m Uganda shillings tax payers’ money on OTT and internet data services for 458 legislators who make up the 10th parliament.
The contract was given to MTN Uganda after winning the bid against its rivals Airtel Uganda and Africell. MTN expect to seal the deal before May closes.
The news of Legislators wanting tax payers pay for their internet and OTT services received a wild reception from the public, with many critics describing legislators of being selfish seeking satisfaction of their selfish desires at the expense of tax payers hard work.
