Massive inequalities in government pay

Here's a piece from your's truly about glaring inequities in government pay

Emmanuel Gyezaho


The lack of an independent body to set public pay has contributed to glaring inequalities in salaries paid to government employees, an investigation by this newspaper shows.

Renewed demands by teachers and health workers for higher pay have revealed the massive discrepancies between what government pays its professionals and technocrats, and what it pays politicians and political appointees, some of whom, like MPs, determine their own pay.

“For everybody to feel safe, we should have an independent commission. This business of saying I determine my own benefits is a disaster,” says Mr Keith Muhakanizi, the deputy secretary to the Treasury.

“A permanent secretary earns about Shs2.5 million every month and yet a minister pockets Shs20 million per month. That is a matter of concern. We all get our money from the Consolidated Fund. We work in the same ministries but why do they [ministers] earn more?”

An analysis of the 2010/11 Financial Year salary structure for public servants reveals that politicians are at the top of the salary tree followed by technocrats with the lower cadres, such as teachers, medical workers, police and army earning several times less at the bottom of the pyramid.

Although government instituted an across-the-board pay raise for its civil servants by allocating Shs240 billion and an additional Shs18 billion to enhance the salaries of scientists, our investigations reveal that this has made no dent in the inequalities.

For instance, although the basic pay for a newly-recruited doctor rose by Shs120,000 to Shs751,833, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) continue to earn more than double this figure, pocketing a gross monthly salary of Shs2,205,000, upped a year ago by Shs100,000.

Daily Monitor analysis also shows that the skewed government salary structure does not effectively reward qualifications. While a doctor will spend approximately 19 years in training, sitting a series of rigorous examinations to qualify for practice, RDCs only need to have an A-Level certificate or its equivalent.

Our analysis further shows that the public pay system does not reward hard work or risk, either. For instance, for putting their lives on the line in defence of the country and working very long hours in hostile conditions, the lowest soldiers are paid about Shs280,000 per month. By comparison, presidential advisers, assistants and special envoys earn an average basic salary of Shs2.2 million – despite some of the advisers not seeing or offering any advice to the President in months or years.

Primary school teachers are paid Shs273,000, secondary school teachers Shs500,000 while police constables and prison warders are paid Shs261,000 per month. While the army, police and prisons officers are exempt from Pay As You Earn tax and receive food and housing, teachers’ pay is taxable and few receive food or housing. The scrapping of Parents Teachers Associations, which often provided a top-up allowance to teachers, has also left them very vulnerable to the rising cost of living.

Politicians on top
Officials from the Public Service Ministry, which determines pay for civil servants, declined several requests for information about how the pay scales are developed. The pay structure, however, shows that politicians who have the authority to make policies or determine their own pay are among the highest paid, with Members of Parliament and ministers earning between Shs15m and Shs20m per month. That figure shoots above the Shs20 million mark depending on which constituency an MP is from and what sort of leadership responsibilities they hold in the House.

While the payroll structure shows that Cabinet ministers are paid as Members of Parliament, these political appointees enjoy extra perks such as free housing, chauffeur-driven vehicles, bodyguards, domestic workers and juicy allowances.

For instance, ministers and MPs receive $620 (Shs1.6 million) per day as night allowance whenever they travel abroad – enough to pay the monthly salaries of about seven teachers – on top of business-class travel.
Ugandan ministers are frequent travellers and go on trips abroad that range from a couple of days to several weeks, picking up considerable allowances in the process. Tomorrow: We reveal the best paid public servants, show the controversy over their pay and explain why the system must be reformed.

egyezaho@ug.nationmedia.com

The Past Week

We received disparaging news that MPs had failed to account for more than Shs 3.2billion handed out to them last year as the government’s contribution to their constituency development fund.

This is a fund that has been perennially plagued by poor accountability since it’s inception in 2005; a fund where a measly Shs 10million is banked into the personal accounts of our lawmakers every year. This latest episode precipitates fresh debate on the effectiveness of the fund.

In the past, MPs have rightly argued that the money is not enough to serve its original purpose which is to help finance small scale development projects in their constituencies. Now, if Shs 10million is not enough, there are two ways to go about this-either suspend the fund and leave development work for the government or increase it to substantial amounts.

But because government appears unable to increase the amount, scrapping the fund would be the most logical option.

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The Ministry of Finance was in the hot seat last week, as it emerged that the government had paid out close to Shs 300million to a U.S firm owned by Rosa Whitaker to write President Museveni’s speeches, among other assignments.

Budadiri MP Nandala Mafabi brought a cheeky spin to the curious payments after he described invoices presented by the finance chiefs accounting for the deal as documents similar to love letters.

“We cannot accept this nonsense,” Mr Mafabi said, adding, “They are not even signed yet public monies were paid.” While the revelation was both startling as it was hilarious, it only spoke volumes about the style of management of public funds by the Museveni administration.

Before seeking external help on speech drafting, had all the internal options been weighed? Lets not forget who received this money; yes, it is the same Rosa Whitaker of the Agoa fame. Remember what happened to Apparel Tri-Star and billions of our hard earned money? Same system, same characters, same script!

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If there is any public official who needs all our praise and support, it is John Muwanga the astute Auditor General. This guy has done an excellent job auditing government accounts and has unearthed scandal after scandal.

Parliament heard last week that a whooping Shs 159billion went squandered from the accounts of local governments across the country for the financial year 2007/2008 either through misuse, waste in expenditure or outright theft.

It is just foolhardy that such scandalous stats do not seem to provoke the amount of outrage that would be the impetus for stern action against corruption and waste of public money. The recommendations of the AG’s report should be upheld by government and Parliament must exert pressure on the state to take heed.

The government has laboured to create the impression that it is fixing this mess, but what we have been fed on is nothing but lip service. The conviction of Mr Teddy Ssezi Cheeye will now be the new cliché song about the NRM regime’s supposed zero tolerance of corruption campaign, but make no mistakes, these same vices will continue.

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Lawmakers on the Budget Committee handed out a stern warning to State House over its penchant for spending beyond its means, although I doubt such admonition will be heeded. Discussing supplementary budget reports for the different government sectors, MPs singled out State House for over shooting its budget.

Recently, State House asked for an additional Shs 21.3billion after revealing that it had spent within the first three months, all the Shs 66b allocated to it for this current financial year. And guess what, after blowing that money, the current supplementary seeks to cover travel expenses, fuel, and medical treatment for traditional and religious leaders, progressive farmers and donations to senior citizens.

For Christ sake who the heck are these people? Does the ambiguity of these allocations not leave a sour taste? Well, it certainly does and also brings it sharp focus the cost of running the presidency and state house. These are matters for which Parliament needs to express deep reservation with stern action.
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Tales of Indignity engulf the House

It happens to be a very good time to be a politics columnist.

Over the past few weeks, a lot of mayhem has been going on in the political realm in Uganda, shared evenly between the Presidency and Parliament; confusion that had gotten me somewhat despondent.

But I have shrugged off my gloom to open a whole new chapter of insight into the intricate, weird and questionable operations of our political elite. In this homecoming edition of “The Parliamentary Insider", we are greeted by tales of indignity, whose origin, fortunately, can be trailed through some dubious Executive decisions.

“God’s Warrior” Faith Mwondha, the Inspector General of Government on rampage, is one such beneficiary of curious executive action.

Last week, President Museveni chose to turn tables on Parliament and formalised her reappointment as the IGG.

That decision will go along way in betraying his weakness for taking decisions for political expedience rather than what is just.

Apparently, the President’s PPS Ms Amelia Kyambadde, who happens to be a close friend and ally of the Lady Justice, delivered her instrument of reappointment on Tuesday last week. Problem is, the letter of her reappointment is the same contentious document of February 12, which the Head of Public Service Mr John Mitala advised cannot be sanctioned without Parliament formally vetting the IGG for reappointment.

President Museveni subsequently forwarded both Justice Mwondha’s names and her deputy Raphael Baku to Parliament for approval after legal counsel from his Attorney General Prof. Khiddu Makubuya. Mr Baku went, Mwondha didn’t. Museveni met NRM MPs who sit on the Appointments Committee, tried to cajole them into changing their opinion of the woman who has turned out to be such a P.R disaster but hit a hard rock.

But alas, the decision was his, and a wrong one, I reckon. While I have nothing but contempt for Mwondha’s work ethic, style and total disregard for institutions, I must say I got no personal beef against the woman. She has had her days in the sun and basked in some glory courtesy of her positive efforts in the fight against corruption. But she has stretched her influence and importance, creating a larger than life image of herself.

It is now no secret that Mwondha is bigger than the office of the IGG, and has shown just how expendable she is not. Beyond just setting yet another terrible example, what the President has done is simply show Parliament the middle finger-a phrase aptly coined by my good friend Jo- and literary pissed on them. By scorning Parliament, he has shown MPs that they are simply nothing.

The question still begs, why the heck did Parliament waste taxpayers money, go through the whole process of vetting the IGG, make its recommendations, only for that effort to be rendered useless?

But more importantly, what does Parliament have to do to survive this overbearing influence of the Executive? For standing firm on the IGG, however, we must commend our lawmakers although I still think the House is in dire need of patriots who will have the courage to stand up and throw back the middle finger at the government and say, enough is enough!

When emotions override all reason

PRIME Minister Apolo Nsibambi will surely not love this. For one man that represents utmost temperance in all of President Museveni’s cabinet, his latest shenanigans will do so much to injure that reputation.

I was having a chat with Deputy Speaker Rebecca Kadaga last week at the opposition snubbed European Union funded democracy workshop at Speke Resort Munyonyo, when Prof. Nsibambi did the unthinkable. Looking crisp in a grey suit, he walked hurriedly towards us. I humbled myself, bowed courteously and extended my hand to greet him. Prudence always dictates that you compose yourself in respect and honour, in the presence of a ‘big man.’

He grabbed my hand and I said, “Good morning Hon. Prime Minister.” I suspect he didn’t hear me greet him. In a burning fit of rage, Prof. Nsibambi quickly went on to unleash a tirade of obscene proportion.
Still holding my hand and turning to Ms Kadaga, he barked; “This man is very foolish. You are very foolish young man. Foolish!” I stood and watched in consternation. He still held onto my hand and we walked in the same stride, towards the conference hall. “How could you write and create the impression that [Nandala] Mafabi and I are enemies. We are not. In fact I have always supported him because he is doing an excellent job. No, no, that was a bad article,” he said.
“Did you read the article?” he asked Ms Kadaga, and she nodded in the affirmative.
“You are a hopeless man and I will never talk to you again,” he said. Ms Kadaga looked at me sheepishly.
It was the perfect anti-climax. Moments earlier, she had agreed to grant me an interview- one that I had been chasing for weeks, and when it all seemed perfect, Prof. Nsibambi turned up and spoilt the party. I was pretty certain that the Kadaga interview was now gone with the wind, in the same vein Prof. Nsibambi would have expected his tirade.

Before he let go of my hand, I collected myself, took a deep breath, already embarrased by the verbal attack on my person and reputation, and told Prof. Nsibambi; “Hon. Prime Minister, I honestly think that is below the belt. You are accusing me falsely and that is not what my article said.”

But he would have none of it and simply walked on with Ms Kadaga, talking about the story.
“Oh I read it and I think it was....,” she said, but her voice drowned with the sound of chattering from other guests who were returning to their seats after the 11:00AM coffee break. I quickly lost my appetite for the coffee but a colleague insisted we get a cup nonetheless. He too was taken aback by Prof. Nsibambi ranting. “I didn’t read the story but you must have annoyed the Professor,” he said.

But it was written in plain English and the article spoke about the character of Mr Mafabi, the bold chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. And do you know what pissed off Prof. Nsibambi? Well, I quoted snippets from the Parliament Hansard of 2004 in which Mr Mafabi verbally clashed with the Leader of Government Business. Mafabi had called Nsibambi a liar, citing court proceedings. But I rightly pointed out that the FDC MP was forced to recant his statement. Now that was fact and not a painting of my imagination.

Two hours later, I bumped into the usually jolly good professor, but this time in the gents. He picked up from where he had stopped. “You are a foolish man,” he said. “Young man you cannot make a whole professor of political science look foolish in your writings. That is not acceptable.”
I told him there are always two sides of the story and it is only necessary not to dwell on the negatives.

He still wasn’t convinced and marched out of the loo wearing a vexed look.
I was troubled and disappointed. But to overtly hurl insults at a reporter was in many ways dishonourable behaviour. That morning I was pretty certain Prof. Nsibambi had forgone his honour. Forget that I have always had much respect for him. It didn’t matter then and it doesn’t now.

As I resigned to my humble abode that evening, it had never occurred to me that much that intelligence is a gift from God and surely isn’t picked up from books.

Drawing parallels between that bizarre episode and the decision by the five represented opposition parties in Parliament to boycott the EU workshop, it also had never been clearer that politicians often let their emotions override all reason.

Prof. Ogenga Latigo, the Leader of the Opposition will surely have a difficult time convincing me why the opposition snubbed the do. That Speaker Edward Ssekandi invited the other obscure or if you like ‘ghost’ opposition parties to the discussions, was never good reason to warrant a boycott. What would the opposition lose by sitting on the same table with the reportedly briefcase parties, often described as appendages of President Museveni’s NRM? This wasn’t Parliament, and no decision reached at would be binding, in any case.

I thought I would share my trials and tribulations about last week’s quizzing by the Criminal Investigations Department but since I am making another visit this morning, I will save that for next week. Press freedom is still under attack.

The Insider

Chogm: You must account for our money

As you read this, I'll probably be rubbing shoulders with inquisitors at the Criminal Investigation's Department. It turns out that a story I wrote in August about a salary scandal implicating the IGG has rubbed this stone-faced, stone-cold and stone hearted woman the wrong way. But after four years exposing government excesses, it has been a call a little too late. But alas, it has come.
Well, expect every single detail of the quizzing. ..........
Chogm is around the corner; billions have been spent but we shall demand accountability.
Enjoy today's episode of The Insider's exploits. .......................



THE House is still closed and it is has everything to do with my current state of mind. But the rest of the country is basking in the Chogm frenzy. Why, can you blame them? The prospect of playing host is one many relish and one whose benefits the ideal bloke in down town Kampala is waiting reverently in earnest to enjoy. Will he?

The city has been much of a construction site the last couple of months, and by the look of things it will until the eve of the summit; perhaps even after the summit has ended. All this across-the-board preparation for the Kampala Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, however, has not spared Parliament either; although it must be said, it has turned out a blessing in disguise. I

t is no secret the Parliamentary Building has been bleeding for attention the last couple of years; bullet hole ridden, brownish coatings on the wall and leaking roofs. And because the structure of the National Parliament is perhaps the most prominent symbol of government, it was all the necessary that this five-decade-old building got a quick facelift.

But we can all attest to the weeks of inconvenience we have been subjected to as we access the precincts of Parliament.
The main entrance to the House remains closed, with visitors and everybody else including Parliamentary Commission staff and MPs using the entrance the south side of the building. For close to a month, the Speaker’s parking lot has been the front desk of Parliament with a makeshift reception curved out of three chairs and wide rectangular table.

And what seemed like an emergency exit, or perhaps the Speaker’s back door exit, turned out the “main” entrance into the House. Now take a stroll down Parliamentary Avenue and a pretty sight will greet you. All of a sudden, the House has been given a fresh berth of life. Although Roko Construction has pulled off a mean fete, the other Chogm contractors are facing serious credibility issues.

If you live in Kampala, you can easily tell that the country’s readiness for Chogm is in serious doubt. Will the opening up of manholes and digging of pavements continue until the last minute? Some of the works, in all honesty are ridiculous. For instance take a close look at the new pavements in along Acacia Avenue, right up to inlet to Kira Road. A thin layer of cement is what holds the single concrete blocks together.

A friend recently quipped that one single hailstorm would come uproot and wash away these “laser thin” held blocks into the golf course. It has been a quick fix job; patch up and move. But we have sunk billions of shillings into the Chogm project. Aren’t we entitled to value for money? We all knew about Chogm four years ago didn’t we; why this frenzy two weeks to the summit? By the end of 2006, Parliament had approved [and government had spent] amounts in excess of Shs 110billion in preparations to host 53 heads of state and government.

This year alone, another Shs 153billion has been approved and we are made to believe, will be spent entirely on the summit. Have you forgotten what strain the government went through to raise this money? Government departments and ministries are cash strapped courtesy of an across-the-board slash of their budgets and have been left with money to cater for salaries, fuel and occasional breakfasts at the office.

But when the dust finally settles and we look back at our performance on the global stage, we shall ask, how did you spend our money? Were all the laid down procedures of public procurement followed? It will be necessary for Parliament to institute a special audit for the entire Chogm accounts. It has also been said people are making a killing out of the project in dubious closed door deals and inflated budgets. This audit will provide necessary answers.

But outside Chogm, MPs converge today at the Speke Resort Munyonyo for a two day residential conference on the political path our country is taking and one that is expected to generate a roadmap to initiate electoral reforms. Speaker Edward Ssekandi spoke last week with a lot of enthusiasm about the conference saying it is the perfect opportunity for all MPs, despite the different political shades to dialogue with civil society actors and strengthen the country’s budding multiparty democracy ahead of the 2011 general elections.

But we all know what comes of such gatherings; usually the findings and agreements remain in the conference hall. The opposition, however, is not taking anything to chance. “If we could get reform, sleeping in Munyonyo before the heads of government come to sleep there,” said Prof. Ogenga Latigo the Leader of the Opposition, “that would be the greatest thing; because the other way of getting reform is to go to the streets and get beaten and suffer tear gas. People think we go there because we enjoy, no we don’t.”

I won’t attend the opening session, much as I would have loved to because I have been invited by the Criminal Investigations Directorate “to assist in providing valuable information” over a story I published in August about the IGG’s salary scandal. Well it’s just a beautiful way of saying I am being summoned for interrogation. Press freedom is under attack, but we shall weather the storm.
Until then...

Here's the best of Amama Mbabazi

If there is one guy that really intrigues me, it is Security Minister Amama Mbabazi. Oh yeah, he is back at his usual best unleashing tonnes of snobbery.

But I will reserve his latest antics at the NRM MPs retreat in Kampala, for another time. But let us relive the true character of a man who projects himself as President Museveni’s successor. This article was published in the Daily Monitor, and is reprinted here. Cheers.
The Insider.

This is the Amama Mbabazi show

Lights, camera and action, welcome to the Amama Mbabazi show.
He is a star student of his boss and without doubt a man of considerable intellect and work ethic. Highly talented, I must add.

But for all the tutoring and mentoring, he is yet to put up a good performance at the big stage. His boss, the NRM leader Yoweri Museveni, has projected charm by investing in exaggerated mannerisms like rolling his eyes wide open, and will say the occasional “bambi ” or “oooh, oohh” when scoffing at his political opponents; actions that have endeared him to many. But for all the political charm he tries to demonstrate, Security Minister Mbabazi is no Museveni.

Last week Mr Mbabazi put up a dismal performance on the floor of Parliament during the tense debate on the closure of Nation TV. It was like one of comical shows acted by the Theatre Factory at the National Theatre. The Government had defied a parliamentary directive to have NTV switched back on air and was struggling to calm enraged MPs.

Information Minister Kirunda Kivejinja had stunned the House with a statement that only offered desperate explanations as why the multimillion dollar TV investment couldn’t reopen—yet again. As expected, MPs immediately threw out his explanations. They said he was employing another dilly-dallying tactic.

Sensing the amount of hostility Mr Kivejinja was stocking up, Mr Mbabazi impulsively, seized the opportunity to unleash his antics and took on the role of information minister. I pitied Mr Kivejinja. He sat there staring blankly as his power was usurped by a man who in all rank and file is simply junior to the third deputy prime minister.

But Mr Kivejinja never complained.
Mr Mbabazi started by lecturing MPs on the procedure of licensing a television station and only provoked fury. He was soon gesturing in an animated manner; hands open eyes even wider. His gesticulating hand and arms had made words almost unnecessary as he toyed with MPs patience. They heckled and continuously interrupted him with points of order, procedure, clarification and information as they demanded that Mr Kivejinja, the line minister, assumes his place.

“Yesterday [Tuesday] the Prime Minister told us that nobody else would debate these [NTV] things and that the only competent person was the minister of information. Is it right for us to continue listening to a long preamble when the Speaker has asked a straight forward question,” complained NRM MP Kasule Lumumba.

“I would not like my government to change goal posts all the time whenever it is cornered,” bellowed Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM Lwemiyaga). “Why should we be subjected to posturing and gesticulations when the matter is simple?”

Many more expressed their lack of confidence in Mr Mbabazi demanding that Kivejinja rises up and does his job. “Could we request that the minister of information answers us because he holds that portfolio,” Mary Mungyenyi (NRM Ntungamo) demanded.
“I move a motion under rule 66 that we don’t hear the minister for security because he is wasting our time,” Odonga Otto (FDC Aruu) cheekily said.

Defiantly, Mr Mbabazi declined to budge. He stood up sluggishly, poured himself a glass of water, took a sip and then said, “I am a minister in this government…for Otto to ask me to sit down is a clear indication of lack of knowledge of government work.”

Blame Apolo Nsibambi, the leader of government business who supported Mbabazi. Somebody whispered that Mr Mbabazi would put up a good act in one of NTV’s premier soap operas Camilla, as the villain who sabotaged a blossoming love affair. I didn’t disagree entirely. His performance that hot afternoon was very unconvincing. I understood that it is his lack of charm that is his biggest political shortcoming. As long as he operates in the backroom, he remains relevant but when he comes into the fore, the theatre empties.

Watching from the press gallery as the bespectacled Mbabazi kept his nose in the air-- a mannerism not identified with modesty--my memory quickly flashed to the NRM National Executive Committee meeting in January at Munyonyo, when calls were very apparent for his resignation as NRM Secretary General.

A source that attended the meeting said delegates had expressed anger that the party is losing ground to the opposition because "Mr Mbabazi is so sophisticated which makes him a bad mobiliser. The stature of the secretary general is supposed to be someone who is down to earth.
Mr Mbabazi could be a good and experienced public administrator, which is good for diplomacy, but not for mobilisation purposes.”

If anyone was ever in doubt as to why party members accuse Mr Mbabazi of arrogance, his “stellar” performance relieves them of the burden. Oh boy, you should have seen him, the security minister! And yet this is not Jerry Springer.
The Insider

The Beginning

I am cringing in my seat as I write this, because I am embarrassed that three years after the world was (is) getting crazy with blogging, I am only embracing it right now. Where the hell have I been?

Oh, now I remember, I was locked down in the corridors of Parliament, chasing political gossip and watching with gawking eyes, every move our so called venerable legislators make.

I have been, admittedly, divorced from reality for sometime now; shut away in the small cocoon that the Daily Monitor newsroom is - which is quite awkward for a media practitioner.
But it’s never too late to gatecrash the party, init?

I am in, finally, to share the life and times of the Parliamentary Insider from Uganda’s banana republic.

So sit back and enjoy this roller-coaster-ride of all the untold stories, news and commentary from Parliament as seen by The Insider.

Cheers