The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) has announced that the party will deduct a minimum of Shs 10 million from each party MP’s Shs200 million received from government to buy brand new vehicles.
Speaking to local newspaper – Daily Monitor in an interview, the opposition Chief Whip in Parliament who is also the MP for Manjiya County, Mr. John Baptist Nambeshe said the money will be used to facilitate a string of services which include the construction of party offices.
Nambeshe clarified that the NUP lawmakers had voluntarily resolved to commit at least Shs10m to finance party activities.
“The members themselves so wished that as a party that is leading in Parliament and is hardly a year-old in Parliament, we need to demonstrate maturity by acquiring our own property. And for that reason we resolved that this fundraising be done,” Mr. Nambeshe said.
He added: “It has nothing to do with the superior of the party [Mr. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine] compelling one to pay a certain amount. By the way on this same money, if it comes through, I may even give Shs100 million or more because of the love of my party.”
Mr Nambeshe declined to divulge details of the structure to be built and only said “we shall cross the bridge when we come to it.”
The NUP party which currently comprises the majority of opposition MPs in parliament has its offices headquartered at Mr Kyagulanyi’s premises in Kamwokya. This, according to Mr Nambeshe is unfair to Bobi Wine since the premises that house the party offices are personal structures that would be used to generate personal incomes.
“Do you know that he has sacrificed more than any other person by giving that party premises at Kamwokya which is our party offices which is fully fledged. If it were rent in Kampala Capital city it would have been tough and expensive on the party,” Mr Nambeshe said.
“So for us to appreciate him and become independent, we have to start by contributing towards relocation offices that will liberate that property for his daily income. So the earlier we do it, the better for him,” he further explained.
Mr Nambeshe, also said that the part of the money would be committed towards caring for orphans of party’s loyal members whose lives were lost in the course of recently concluded Presidential campaigns and in other political fronts that NUP has been engaged in.
“You know we have lost lives at this struggle. We have orphans and windows. We have many who were tortured and maimed who are still sick and need humanitarian attention. We have those who are still in jail whose families need to be catered for. So that is where part of the money will go,” Mr Nambeshe said.
Much as the opposition Chief whip insisted that NUP MPs agreed to commit at least Shs1 Million and or devote extra money depending their interest, other MPs that spoke on condition of anonymity said that the party leadership resolved that Shs10 million would be committed to the said cause.
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