KAMPALA, Uganda| The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has petitioned the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe, to urgently investigate what he described as the illegal disbursement of Shs100 million to Members of Parliament.

Ssenyonyi expressed alarm over what he called a matter of “significant public interest and concern”, following a wave of reports and now admissions about a controversial cash payment allegedly received by several legislators.

This payment has been awash within the media,” Ssenyonyi wrote, noting that although the leadership of Parliament initially denied the allegations, a number of MPs have since confirmed receiving the funds.

Ssenyonyi demanded clarity on which government ministry, department, or agency disbursed the money and whether there was any formal budgetary allocation for the expenditure. He questioned the manner in which the funds were distributed, including the timing, location, and use of cash, describing it as “something completely illegal and an act of grand corruption”.

Ssenyonyi asked the IGG to establish whether proper approvals were obtained and whether the payments complied with Uganda’s financial laws. He also called for an audit of the number of MPs who received the funds, warning that the secretive and irregular nature of the disbursement, including reports that the money was distributed at night, underscored the need for “immediate and transparent scrutiny”.

“This warrants immediate scrutiny to ensure accountability, prevent potential misuse of resources, and uphold public trust in the integrity of our governance institutions.” Ssenyonyi wrote