{{The Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) Margaret Zziwa ({above}) Friday lashed out at her opponents for seeking to overthrow her because they saw her as an obstacle to their quest to raise their salaries.}}
Speaking against a backdrop of rising tension and a censure motion, Ms Zziwa said some members had set up a demand for a 100 per cent pay rise, which would double their monthly pay to $10,000.
“Some members feel that they should be better remunerated and I have failed to do that,” she told media. “Now they have found someone who says she can grant them a 200% increment if she is elected the Speaker.”
But she dismissed her rival’s promise as “pure lies” and pointed out that the Speaker is not responsible for raising the salaries of MPs. “Only heads of state have the power to do so,” Ms Zziwa added.
Her detractors accuse her of being incompetent and arrogant. But Zziwa told reporters that she lost popularity after she decided to bring to heel MPs who collect allowances only to disappear without attending scheduled sessions.
She added: “I can assure you that the whole censure motion is because of welfare…where does the arrogance or misconduct come from? No one has ever proved to me or to the members of East African Community that I am arrogant or incompetent.”
Some members from Tanzania and Kenya reportedly went as far as to intimidate those who did not support the censure motion. Tensions were so high, according to Ms Zziwa, that one Tanzanian MP called the Kenyan high commissioner seeking protection after she was allegedly threatened by her counterpart from that country.
The Eala session was adjourned indefinitely on Tuesday after a motion to throw out the Speaker backfired.
The Ugandan national, who took over the position in June 2012 as the first female Speaker, has been at loggerheads with a number of Eala members and stands accused of incompetence, poor leadership, dictatorship and playing favourites.
Ms Zziwa eventually allowed the motion to be tabled after lengthy consultations with the EAC Lawyer Wilbert Kaahwa and the Clerk to the Assembly Kenneth Madete.
Ugandan Eala member Suzan Nakawuki told media; “The first reason for the censure motion is money. The second is money. And the third is money.”
According to Ms Nakawuki, those calling for the removal of Ms Zziwa were furious with her after she turned down the 100% salary rise the MPs asked for at the end of last year.
Eala members earn $5,000 net salary per month plus an allowance of $400 a day when attending sessions.
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