A Member of Parliament is not a small god

Ugandans were shocked to the core on Saturday, June 22, 2024 when Members of Parliament (MPs) Daudi Kabanda, Juliet Kinyamatama and Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, publicly endorsed corruption at an event in Lwengo District, when they defended their colleague, Cissy Namujju, who is currently on remand in Luzira Prison, facing corruption charges along with two male MPs.

Addressing Namujju’s constituents, Among boldly declared, “Honourable Cissy Namujju is going to be your Woman MP forever! You are better off having a child, even if she goes and eats something, so long as she brings it back home!”

Video clips of the lawmakers’ utterances went viral on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), because quite frankly Ugandans are fed up with the never-ending corruption scandals that have plagued this country! To the chagrin of anti-corruption crusaders, the IGG estimates that every year Uganda loses about Shs.10 trillion to corruption. What a waste!

Rampant corruption not only undermines service delivery, but also diminishes the confidence of foreign investors to invest in a country. Corruption should not be trivialised or normalised in people’s minds. A ‘stealing and sharing’ mentality should not be promoted in society. The Bible says, in Zechariah 5:1-4, that there is a curse in the house of every thief.

A few days later, when Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja visited the area, as if completely disregarding the corruption charges Cissy is facing, some of Lwengo’s local leaders and constituents pleaded with Nabbanja to convey their message to President Museveni, requesting that Cissy be ‘forgiven’ and be given amnesty. These political mind games must stop! This backward way of thinking portrays shallow narrow-mindedness! Justice must take its course, without external interference.

An MP is not a small god. You should not idolise your MP. An MP must not take God’s place in your life. After all, if your MP (so-called son or daughter) is imprisoned for a crime, someone else will serve. There will be a by-election and another MP will be sworn in. An MP is voted in or voted out. No one is an MP forever.

The four roles of an MP are clearly stated on Parliament of Uganda’s website: legislation, budget approval/appropriation, oversight and holding consultative meetings with their constituents. The website adds, ‘MPs do not construct or repair roads and bridges in their constituencies. They also do not build hospitals or schools. Additionally, MPs do not have an obligation to contribute to voters’ weddings and similar activities; or to pay school fees for children or students in their constituencies.’

Therefore, let it be understood that improved service delivery or socioeconomic transformation is supposed to be delivered to citizens through government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Overreliance on a particular MP can be detrimental.

After losing a parliamentary election in 2018, a Ugandan MP dismantled all the boreholes he had previously sunk in his constituency to provide water. 

Similarly, after an election loss in 2021, a female MP withdrew an ambulance she had donated during her campaigns, accusing voters of ingratitude. To top it all off, with 557 overpaid MPs we are currently grappling with over-representation in the 11th Parliament!

Josepha Jabo