By Morrison Rwakakamba
While appearing on Next Radio in Kamapala, Hon. Odonga Otto called for establishment of a Parliamentary Remuneration Board. Hon. Odonga Otto echoed what Rt. Hon. Moses Kigongo proposed in the early 2000’s that Members of Parliament should not be paid anything beyond 2 million Uganda shillings (salary + allowances). In Uganda, Members of Parliament determine their own pay! Someone joked that this practice is the singular most consensus point between ruling and opposition Members of Parliament in the House!
In most democracies, the remuneration of parliamentarians—encompassing base salaries, allowances, pensions, and other benefits—is typically handled through transparent, independent mechanisms to mitigate conflicts of interest, ensure accountability, and align with public sector or national wage trends.
This often involves independent authorities, committees, or statutory bodies that review and recommend adjustments, sometimes linking pay to inflation, average public earnings, or economic indicators. Parliaments themselves are not supposed to set their own pay directly to avoid perceptions of self-enrichment.
In the UK, MPs’ pay is determined by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). In the US, Congressional salaries are set through federal legislation passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, requiring presidential approval. In Australia, the independent Remuneration Tribunal determines federal MPs’ base salaries and allowances, reviewing them annually based on factors like wage growth, economic conditions, and comparisons with public and private sectors. In Germany, Bundestag members’ salaries are adjusted annually on July 1, based on the nominal wage index provided by the Federal Statistical Office to the Bundestag President by March 31 each year. In South Africa, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers (established 1997), sets parliamentary salaries and recommends annual adjustments based on inflation, GDP, and affordability. In Ghana, the remuneration for Members of Parliament is governed by Article 71 of the Constitution, with an independent Emoluments Committee.
Clearly, Uganda’s Parliament will not sit and waylay itself out of power to pay itself! If they do, it will be a pleasant surprise for the Republic of Uganda! This leaves H.E Yoweri Kaguta, as president to pull all strings and levers of Presidential power and establish a Parliamentary remuneration Board — which should cascade down to establishment of Districts and Municipal Boards with similar mandate.
But, will rationalized Salaries reduce the deepening political transnationalism in Uganda? It may have some positive but not transformative impact. Why? Because recently, I know of someone who sold land at around 60 million shillings to contest for the position of district councilor where the earning per month is around 170, 000 Uganda Shillings. There is something more in current ruthless quest for leadership positions. I will engage this subject at a later time.
Morrison Rwakakamba is a Coffee farmer based in Rukungiri.
