Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has advised government to revise its policy on benefits to Members of Parliament (MP) and other government officials.
The party Spokesperson, Ibrahim Semujju Nganda told the media on Monday that the recent incidences that have seen a lot of criticism to Parliament over extravagant spending can only be addressed by a change to policies that more friendly to the tax payer.
“There have been a lot of media reports about Parliament especially regarding the expenditure of the house from issues of vehicles, burials, travels. I think as a party, we have noted repeatedly that this country doesn’t deserve a bigger parliament of 427 MPs with the extravagancy of the MPs and people that are working in Government,” Nganda said.
“If you read reports of the auditor general, in the last two years, as a country we spend Sh200bn on fuel. If you look at the budget, we spend more Sh100bn on vehicle maintenance.
“As a country we need to revisit the policy on provision of vehicles of people working in government from Ministers to Members of Parliament,” Nganda said.
“For example, at Parliament we would give the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of Opposition and the Clerk. Even senior staff of Parliament would be helped to go and borrow vehicles including us the MPs and that should be extended to each and every government department.”
“The public debt as I speak now is more than Sh14tn nearer half of the country’s GDP and we are borrowing everyday; you can’t be a country that is borrowing and at the same time being extravagant.”
“We can stop MPs from getting vehicles and personally am preparing to move a motion in Parliament to deal with the issue of transporting people who are working in public offices.
Nganda revealed that the party will on Tuesday hold a high level meeting to discuss the party’s position on the exorbitant offers in the house.