LoP Ssenyonyi Responds to Shs354m Budget Claims
In a statement, Mr Ssenyonyi acknowledged public frustration, saying, “This is a legitimate concern, especially because it involves taxpayers’ money.” However, he emphasized that the LoP’s budget caters to the entire opposition in Parliament, not to him as an individual.
Joel SsenyonyiUganda’s Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), , has addressed growing public concern over reports that his office receives Shs354 million per month, clarifying that he does not control the budget and that the funds are not for personal use.
The debate was sparked by activist Gordon Toko, who criticised the allocation on social media, describing it as a "gross abuse of taxpayers’ money". He noted that the annual LoP budget stands at Shs4.243 billion, comparing it to the 2021 Speaker's budget of Shs4.432 billion, which the late Jacob Oulanyah had once described as excessive.
Toko further alleged that under the current parliamentary leadership, budget allocations have seen steep increases: 37% for the LoP, 384% for the Speaker, and over 400% for the Deputy Speaker. He accused Parliament of using budget increases as a way of silencing dissent, stating: “Parliament is the bribe.”
In a statement, Mr Ssenyonyi acknowledged public frustration, saying, “This is a legitimate concern, especially because it involves taxpayers’ money.” However, he emphasized that the LoP’s budget caters to the entire opposition in Parliament, not to him as an individual.
“Unlike the Speaker or Deputy Speaker, the LoP oversees opposition MPs and their staff, and that’s what this budget supports,” he said.
Mr Ssenyonyi also revealed that all expenditure must be cleared by the Speaker's office, and in some cases, funds allocated to opposition activities have been redirected without his knowledge.
“I don’t even have control over that budget. The Speaker has to clear any activities we propose. Sometimes, even when money is budgeted for, it’s not made available,” he explained.
He cited a recent case where opposition activities were cancelled due to a lack of funds, despite allocations existing on paper. The Clerk to Parliament later informed him that the Speaker had redirected the funds to other parliamentary uses.
Mr Ssenyonyi said he has raised these issues repeatedly, warning that they undermine both transparency and the functioning of the opposition in Uganda’s legislative process.
His remarks come amid growing public scrutiny of government spending, especially as poverty levels remain high, with an estimated 42% of Ugandans surviving on less than Shs220,000 a month.
