Parliament (Remuneration of Members) Act
Chapter 259
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Commenced on 1 July 1981
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[This is the version of this document at 31 December 2000.]
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[Note: The version of the Act as at 31 December 2000 was revised and consolidated by the Law Reform Commission of Uganda. All subsequent amendments have been researched and applied by Laws.Africa for ULII.]
An Act to consolidate the law relating to the remuneration of members of Parliament; to make provision for the remuneration of past Presidents and Vice Presidents and for other purposes connected therewith.
1. Remuneration, etc. of members of Parliament
(1)There shall be paid to a member of Parliament in respect of his or her office as a member, or such other office which he or she holds by virtue of being such member, the salary and gratuity specified in the Schedule to this Act.
(2)Notwithstanding subsection (1), where a member of Parliament is also a member of the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces and earns a salary by virtue of being a member of the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces, that member of Parliament shall—
(a)be paid the salary differential if his or her salary earned as a member of the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces is less than the salary specified for the member of Parliament in the Schedule;
(b)be paid no salary by virtue of being a member of Parliament if he or she earns a salary in the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces equal to or more than the salary specified for the member of Parliament in the Schedule.
2. Right to gratuity
(1)A gratuity under this Act shall be paid—
(a)at the end of each period of twelve months' service in office or at such period as the member of Parliament concerned may desire; and
(b)on the death or retirement of a member of Parliament entitled to the gratuity, otherwise than at the end of the periods mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(2)Where a member of Parliament entitled to a gratuity under this Act vacated his or her seat by reason of a dissolution and was returned as a member of Parliament in the following general election, and appointed to an office which entitled him or her to a gratuity under this Act, he or she shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act to have continued to be entitled to the gratuity during the intervening period.
(3)For the purpose of this section, "retirement" includes resignation and cessation to hold office for any cause.
(4)The gratuity payable on the death of a member of Parliament entitled to it shall be the sum amounting to one year's basic salary payable to the member of Parliament in respect of the office he or she was holding at the time of his or her death.
3. Remuneration of past Presidents and Vice Presidents
(1)Parliament may, by a resolution supported by the votes of not less than half of all the members of Parliament, authorise the payment to a former holder of the office of President or of Vice President of an allowance not less than two-thirds of the salary of the President or of the Vice President, respectively.
(2)Every resolution under subsection (1) shall—
(a)state the name and particulars of the person to whom payment shall be made;
(b)be laid before Parliament prior to the approval of the annual estimates.
(3)For the avoidance of doubt, unless special provision to the contrary is made in any Appropriation Act, every appropriation by Parliament of public monies for the purposes of this section shall lapse and cease to have any effect at the close of that financial year.
(4)Notwithstanding section 1(1), a member of Parliament who is entitled to an allowance under this section and such amenities as may be prescribed by the Minister under section 4(1)(b) shall be paid in respect of his or her office as a member or such other office which he or she holds by virtue of being such member, a salary of an amount equal to one-third the amount of the salary he or she would have been paid but for this subsection.
(5)Parliament may, by resolution supported by not less than one-half of all members of Parliament, review an allowance granted under subsection (1) having regard to the prevailing cost of living.
(6)Notwithstanding anything in this section, no former President or Vice President shall be entitled to any allowance under this section if he or she would have been disqualified from being granted benefits under section 3 of the Presidential Emoluments and Benefits Act if he or she had served as President under the Constitution.
4. Regulations
(1)The Minister may, by statutory instrument, make regulations, in respect of—
(a)the allowances and amenities of members of Parliament, except as otherwise provided in this Act;
(b)amenities for past Presidents and Vice Presidents;
(c)generally for carrying into effect the provisions and purposes of this Act.
(2)The powers of the Minister under subsection (1)(a) shall not derogate from the powers of a committee of Parliament to determine allowances payable to members of Parliament.
(3)For the purposes of this section—
(a)"amenities" includes housing, transport, medical attention, domestic servants, security guards and secretarial services;
(b)"Minister" means the Minister responsible for public service and Cabinet affairs.
5. Amendment of Schedule
Parliament may, from time to time, by resolution, amend the Schedule to this Act.
Schedule (Section 1)
Salaries and gratuities for members of Parliament
| Office |
Salary per year
(shs.) |
Percentage of annual salary payable as gratuity |
| Prime Minister |
158,400 |
30% |
| Leader of the Opposition |
132,960 |
30% |
| Speaker |
132,960 |
30% |
| Minister |
132,960 |
30% |
| Minister of State |
132,960 |
30% |
| Government Chief Whip |
132,960 |
30% |
| Deputy Speaker |
107,520 |
30% |
| Deputy Minister |
107,520 |
30% |
| Opposition Chief Whip |
84,000 |
30% |
| Member of Parliament |
70,080 |
30% |