Museveni Confirms Shs100 Million Payout to MPs, Sparks Public Outcry

Kampala, Uganda – President Yoweri Museveni has confirmed that Members of Parliament each received Shs100 million through classified funding, days after Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa dismissed the reports as unfounded "street talk."

In a statement issued on Friday, the President defended the payout, stating the funds were intended to “promote activities that help in defeating enemy schemes in Uganda” and protect the country’s sovereignty. 

He emphasized that the money served a patriotic function and was not a bonus or handout.

“Regarding the classified funds, they have two purposes: to buy classified equipment and also to promote activities that help in defeating the enemy schemes in Uganda and keep the peace of the People of Uganda,” Museveni stated.

The confirmation follows mounting public scrutiny and accusations from opposition figures who have questioned the transparency of the disbursement, first reported by Nile Post earlier this week.

Museveni drew historical parallels with the FRONASA and NRA liberation struggles, saying, “We, the FRONASA-NRA combatants, fought from 1971 to 1987, i.e. 17 years, without pay. Therefore, with FRONASA-NRA-UPDF, the motivation for contribution is patriotism, Pan-Africanism, etc.

”While the President attempted to frame the classified funding as a necessary and patriotic internal operation, critics say the move undermines public trust. 

The statement did not specify which MPs received the funds, what activities they were expected to carry out, or how the funds were distributed.

Opposition politicians, led by Shadow Finance Minister Muhammad Kivumbi, have demanded a probe into the secretive payout. The National Unity Platform (NUP) called the transaction “morally reprehensible” and instructed its MPs to return the funds. NUP has accused the government of using classified funds as a tool of political patronage.

Museveni lashed out at opposition figures and media outlets, notably the Daily Monitor, accusing them of aligning with foreign interests. He questioned why there has been no scrutiny of foreign funds allegedly influencing Ugandan politics, labeling such funding as not only corrupt but “traitorous.”The controversy echoes a similar incident in 2021 when MPs received Shs200 million each as a car grant during the COVID-19 pandemic, sparking public backlash.As public pressure mounts, some MPs have reportedly returned the cash, while others remain silent. The Ministry of Defence, reportedly the source of the funds, has not commented on the matter.The scandal adds to growing concerns over transparency and accountability in public spending, especially amid economic hardship for ordinary Ugandans.