Politicians Benefits Bill delayed

Senators on Wednesday voted in favour of a motion to return to the senatorial committee in charge of social affairs a draft law determining allowances and benefits for top politicians, for further scrutiny. The motion was moved by Senator Henriette Umulisa saying the committee had not satisfactorily reviewed the legislation, a position that was later backed by the upper house.Umulisa’s position was that because other legislative duties coincided with the committee’s previous sessions, they were not able to make their additions to the important bill.She noted that it was not clear how families of deceased MPs are treated especially when vehicles they owned are confiscated upon death, a concern that had been raised the time the draft law was before the Chamber of Deputies.“We have seen cases where a top politician passes away, the vehicle he owned is immediately taken away. We want to see clarity on this because I think the families should also have a right to retain the vehicle.”Umulisa also had issues with the lack of clarity on the fate of deceased politicians’ children [below 18 years] as the bill only has a provision seeking support only for a deceased’s spouse. She further noted that there were contradictions and vagueness in other clauses that cannot be passed without further deliberation. Explanations by heads of the Committee on Social affairs, Human Rights and Petitions were partly rejected.At one point, Gallican Niyongana, the Vice-Chairperson of the committee, noted that children were not included because there was need to set limits so as not to put a heavy burden on the government.This explanation was not well received by his colleagues.“There are things that should not be left to just pass like that and one would even request that the committee takes back the bill so we get time to ably make contributions. Let the committee take it back so that we correct things,” Umulisa said before the motion was brought to the floor. “The bill is a very important instrument that comes to rectify the problem of inequality and I really request that we get enough time to discuss these things,” said Sen. Jean Damascene Bizimana.“I request the committee to understand us as I have the impression that they are merely going on the defensive and not welcoming the views we are giving them here. I don’t agree with the notion that children should not be considered yet they are really on the same level as their parents.”After the vote, the President of the Senate, Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo, requested the Minister of Public Service and Labour, Anastase Murekezi, to participate in the committee sessions when the draft law goes for further scrutiny.The bill was taken to the Senate after the Chamber of Deputies rejected the idea of unwarranted extravagance, especially lump sum allowances for some top politicians.The bill puts senior political leaders in four categories.The first category comprises of the Head of State while the Prime Minister; the President of Senate and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies are clustered in the second category.The third category comprises Ministers; Vice Presidents of Senate; Deputy Speakers, State Ministers; Provincial Governors and the Mayor of the City of Kigali. Senators and Deputies are in the fourth category.

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Politicians Benefits Bill delayed