By Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has accused four Parliamentary Commissioners of irregularly awarding themselves a second “service award” of Shs400 million each, money he described as illegal and given under the table.
Speaking during a press briefing at Parliament on Tuesday, Ssenyonyi claimed that the payments were made a few weeks ago through the Parliamentary SACCO to avoid leaving a paper trail. He named the beneficiaries as Hon. Solomon Silwanyi, Hon. Esther Afoyo-Chan, Hon. Mathias Mpuuga, and Hon. Prossy Akampurira (Rwakayija).
“I have been reliably informed that some weeks back, the four commissioners of Parliament received a second service award of Shs400 million each,” Ssenyonyi said.
“This money was apparently intended to see them through the campaigns, and to avoid a paper trail, it was received through the Parliamentary SACCO,” he added.
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The revelation has reignited the public debate around accountability and transparency in Parliament, following an earlier scandal in 2024 when a similar “service award” payment to commissioners sparked public outrage.
That earlier payout amounting to Shs500 million for then-Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga and Shs400 million for each of the other commissioners became one of the biggest corruption controversies in recent parliamentary history. It triggered internal friction within the National Unity Platform (NUP) after party leaders demanded that Mpuuga apologize and step down from the Parliamentary Commission.
Mpuuga, however, rejected the demand, insisting that the payment was a legitimate “gratuity” approved by the Commission. The standoff created a sharp split within NUP, with party president Robert Kyagulanyi accusing Mpuuga of moral corruption, while Mpuuga accused his party of political persecution. The fallout has since remained unresolved, and the new allegations are expected to further strain relations between the opposition and the legislature’s top leadership.
Ssenyonyi also dismissed social media claims that he had received a similar payout, saying the allegations were part of a propaganda campaign to cover up the new round of payments.
“Some of these commissioners, through their agents, have been spreading propaganda that I also received a service award. This is completely false and meant to cover up the second service award they gave themselves,” he stated.
“Even if such money were to be sent to my account, I would immediately instruct my bank to return it. Such under-the-table money is illegal and irregular.”
He urged that if the commissioners or any parliamentary leaders believe they are entitled to post-service benefits, they should seek a legal amendment rather than taking funds without parliamentary approval.
“If any of these commissioners want to receive benefits, let them bring an amendment to the Presidential, Vice Presidential, and Prime Minister’s Emoluments and Benefits Act. Let’s debate it publicly instead of doing things surreptitiously and under the table,” Ssenyonyi said.
However, the Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Parliament, Chris Obore, dismissed the allegations as baseless and challenged Ssenyonyi to produce evidence.
“Let Mr. Ssenyonyi confirm his assertions using pay slips or documentation showing that the commissioners cashed out the said service award money,” Obore said.
Obore added that Parliament operates under strict financial regulations and that any disbursements to legislators are processed transparently and in accordance with approved entitlements.
The controversy comes at a politically sensitive time, as Parliament faces increasing scrutiny over public spending and internal accountability, especially following the earlier fallout over the Shs500 million service award granted to former Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga, which triggered friction within the National Unity Platform (NUP).
As of press time, none of the accused commissioners had publicly responded to Ssenyonyi’s latest claims, while civil society watchdogs have called for a full investigation into the alleged payments.
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