Prime
MPs’ actual roles will change when voters’ incomes improve
Kaboggoza Kibudde
What you need to know:
- ‘‘One way of de-commercialising parliamentary politics is by growing the economy.”
Last week’s article argued that MP’s need for ‘big’ cars even during a global pandemic is sadly in line with Ugandan values.
The purpose of that article was to explain, not excuse, MPs’ behaviour. At the same time, it was to empathise with the problematic position MPs find themselves in, a position not entirely of their own making.
Whatever the Constitution may say about MPs’ ‘true’ role, voters have their expectations, which have to be prioritised since the voter is the appointing authority, and the boss is always right. That’s one side of the argument.
The other side is MPs, being leaders, should lead voters to more enlightened thinking and not simply bend to voters’ wishes.
However, the latter is easier said than done. First, to acquire influence in voters’ minds, MPs must come off as being one of them; otherwise, the people will not feel represented or understood.
But integrating with people often requires buying into their way of thinking, at least in the short-term.
It’s when you gain considerable influence that you can lead them in a different direction.
Evidently, that requires far more time than is provided for by our short election cycles.
Moreover, one must also contend with rivals who gladly tell the voters whatever they love to hear. To win, one may quickly find themselves reverting to short-term tactics such as voter bribery.
So, when one Twitter user disapprovingly asked Kasambya County MP David Kabanda why they invest so much in campaigns, he aptly told him, “contest and see.” Mr Kabanda knows, from first-hand experience, that being a Ugandan MP is not just a contestation of ideas.
It’s mostly a contestation of executive capacity, that is, the ability to solve immediate problems of voters. Consequently, it costs hundreds of millions, sometimes billions, to get elected into Parliament and billions more to serve the five-year term ‘well.’
For sure, those praising Kawempe North MP Muhammad Ssegirinya aren’t praising him for exceptional legislative work.
They praise him for executive work such as rehabilitation of hospitals and providing relief to people put out of work by the lockdown.
And as government struggles to deliver aid to affected persons, we can easily see them flocking to lawmakers’ homes, which are more accessible. Indeed, both NRM and Opposition MPs agree that this is the worst time to be an MP.
But that is something we downplay when attacking MPs. We solely focus on the rewards and incentives of their job and ignore the immense responsibilities that come with it.
For instance, during this lockdown, we focused on the Shs200m car allowance and ignored (or underplayed) the hundreds of millions they spent (and continue to spend), alleviating the pain of helpless people camped in their compounds. Perhaps, we shouldn’t be so harsh on them.
Nonetheless, it’s equally valid that we can’t go on like this forever. A time must come when the actual roles of an MP align with those intended by the Constitution. The question is – when?
Currently, not all Ugandans seek help for daily concerns from their MPs - it’s the very poor who do so. Ugandans who are liquid enough to fend for themselves are more interested in public goods such as public infrastructure, the rule of law, and law enforcement, which is our dream for every citizen.
So, one way of de-commercialising parliamentary politics is by growing the economy and pulling more people out of poverty.
At that point, it will even be fair to reduce MPs’ rewards and incentives.
Mr Kibudde is a socio-political thinker
[email protected] Twitter: @kkaboggoza
