A political storm is brewing in Uganda’s parliament following reports that each member of parliament who supported the controversial Coffee Amendment Bill was given a Shs 100 million payout, allegedly orchestrated by President Yoweri Museveni.
The bill, which effectively mainstreamed the Uganda Coffee Development Authority under the ministry of Agriculture, has now come under scrutiny—not just for its content, but for the money trail it has left behind.
According to Joel Ssenyonyi, the leader of the opposition in parliament, the cash disbursements began on April 7, with envelopes handed out quietly from the office of the government Chief Whip.
Speaking during an opposition caucus meeting, Muwanga Kivumbi, acting leader of opposition, condemned the move, accusing the President of turning money into a tool for political manipulation.
“We’ve come to realize that money can be just as destructive as an AK- 47,” Kivumbi stated. “This isn’t about policymaking anymore. It’s about control—about buying influence, silence and obedience. Parliament is no longer a watchdog of the people but a marketplace of backdoor deals.”
Kivumbi cited previous patterns: Shs 5 million during the term limit lift in 2005, Shs 29 million during the age-limit saga in 2017, and Shs 40 million scandals in subsequent years—all pointing to a trend of using classified state funds to co-opt legislators.
This time, opposition MPs alleged that Shs 100 million was disbursed through a classified State House account, away from public scrutiny or standard budgetary processes, a claim parliament roundly denied.
“This misuse of classified funds is now routine,” one caucus member stated. “Supplementary budgets are passed in a day—not because they are urgent, but because incentives follow in the shadows.”
The opposition now demands transparency. They called on Speaker Anita Among to allow proper scrutiny of classified budgets and supplementary appropriations.
“The Speaker says she chairs the committee on classified expenditures, but we’ve never been summoned to any meeting,” the caucus said.
To demonstrate integrity, opposition MPs passed a resolution requiring each member to sign a declaration that they neither received nor accepted the money. Those who refuse to sign will be presumed complicit. Francis Zaake, MP for Mityana Municipality, added that during a government Chief Whip’s caucus meeting chaired by President Museveni, MPs demanded even more.
“They had been promised Shs 100 million but insisted on pushing it to Shs 200 million during the UPDF Act discussions,” Zaake said.
Chris Obore, director of Communications at parliament, strongly refuted the allegations, calling them unfounded and politically motivated. Speaking in response to a wave of online and media speculation, Obore was unequivocal: “Ignore rumors that MPs have been paid Shs 100 million for passing the Coffee Bill,” he said.
“Anyone making such claims should respect the public by providing evidence rather than spreading propaganda.”
He clarified that all financial transactions involving MPs are handled through formal, accountable channels, emphasizing that payments are processed via the Clerk to Parliament and documented with official payslips.
“These allegations keep coming up, yet they are never backed by any credible proof. This is recycled misinformation,” he added.
CIVIL SOCIETY REACTS
The backlash isn’t limited to the opposition. Bob Kirenga, executive Director of the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders, described the alleged payouts as “a national disgrace”.
“This shows we’ve got our priorities upside down,” Kirenga said. “Imagine what Shs 100 million could do for an entire village under the Parish Development Model. Meanwhile, medical graduates can’t begin internships because the government claims there’s no money.” Kirenga emphasized the hypocrisy of paying already well-compensated MPs while “children in Karamoja learn under trees and Uganda’s youth graduate into unemployment.”
He accused the state of running a “patronage system” that rewards compliance and punishes dissent.
LEGAL EXPERTS WEIGH IN
George Musisi, a human rights lawyer, called the practice “official wastage” of public funds.
“These payments are not just financial mismanagement; they undermine democracy,” he warned. “If lawmakers are voting based on bribes, we’ve replaced legislation with coercion.”
Musisi argued that parliament has been repeatedly complicit in these schemes.
“This is part of a long-running pattern— Shs 40 million in 2022, Shs 29 million in 2017, and so on. These payouts aren’t about service; they are political rent- seeking disguised as governance.”
A CALL FOR REFLECTION
Medard Lubega Sseggona, MP for Busiro East, echoed concerns over the monetization of politics.
“It’s not just Parliament,” he said. “At every level of politics now, money is expected—voters demand it, leaders seek it, and the entire system is warped by it.”
Sseggona criticized the public perception that MPs are cash machines, and leaders, in turn, seek financial favors from the president.
“Where do they think this money comes from? The public purse. And in the process, we weaken the very institutions we rely on.” He concluded with a sobering thought: “We need to ask ourselves where we went wrong—and more importantly, where we want to go as a country.”
As questions around the alleged cash payouts swirl, the bigger concern remains: Can Uganda’s democracy withstand a culture where money—not merit—drives decision-making in its highest legislative office?
Just watching fools who keep voting NRM and they cry every time it backfires