Hey there, let me explain what has Kampala talking from taxi parks to WhatsApp groups yesterday and today.
It happened Tuesday, April 14. Last day of the Kyankwanzi retreat.
While 350 NRM-leaning MPs and friendly independents were packing bags and waiting for closing remarks, President Museveni surprised them. Not with a speech. With money.
UGX 100 million each. Cash. That’s about $27,100 per MP for attending the retreat.
You didn’t misread that. One hundred million shillings. For a week of singing, clapping, and “ideological training.”
Do the Math — It Hurts
Reports from Parliament corridors say about 350 MPs were there. 350 x 100,000,000 = UGX 35,000,000,000. Thirty-five billion shillings handed out on Tuesday afternoon.
Now walk outside your door,
Your neighbor’s kid is home because school fees hit UGX 1.8M this term or less than 300,000 UGX. Mulago Hospital ran out of gloves again last week. Fuel is UGX 5,800 and boda guys are sleeping at petrol stations. Your landlord added UGX 50,000 to rent because “things are hard.”
Meanwhile, the people we elected to fix these problems walked out of Kyankwanzi as instant millionaires on Tuesday.
The Timing Is a Slap in the Face
Two months ago, the Ministry of Finance told us “there’s no money.” URA is busy arresting kiosk mothers over UGX 50,000 trading licenses.
Teachers were told to be “patient” about salary increments. Nurses in Gulu, Mbale and Mbarara are delivering babies using phone torchlight.
Yet UGX 35 billion was found on Tuesday. Just like that. Like mobile money from a rich uncle.
And Parliament is already whispering: this 100M is “appreciation.” More is coming after the May 12 swearing-in. If that happens, we’re looking at UGX 70 billion+ before these MPs even debate one bill.
“This Term We Fight Corruption”
Here’s the part that makes Ugandans laugh so they don’t cry.
The same week MPs got 100M each, State House doubled down on the message: “This term, we shall crush corruption. No mercy for thieves.”
Hey, how? How do you crush corruption with one hand while handing out brown envelopes with the other?
How do you jail a parish chief for eating UGX 2M of PDM money, but give an MP UGX 100M for sitting in Kyankwanzi? How do you tell police to arrest a head teacher who diverted UGX 500,000, when UGX 35B just disappeared into MP pockets on Tuesday?
Villagers see it. The tomato seller in Nakasero knows her MP can now buy her whole stall 500 times. The boda guy tear-gassed in January knows his MP won’t feel fuel prices anymore.
Why This One Feels Different
Ugandans are used to MPs getting money. We remember the 29M for Age Limit in 2017. We remember the 20M for “COVID cars” in 2021. Each time they said “it’s facilitation to serve you.”
But Tuesday was different for 3 reasons:
1. The amount — 100M is 5x bigger than COVID money. In a worse economy.
2. The surprise — This wasn’t budgeted. It wasn’t debated. Museveni just gave it. That tells people money is there, it’s just reserved for the powerful.
3. The independents — Many voters rejected NRM in 2025 and sent independents. On Tuesday, those same independents lined up for the same 100M. People feel their “protest vote” was stolen.
What UGX 35 Billion Could Have Done
Since we’re talking money, let’s talk alternatives:
1. 70 new classroom blocks at UGX 500M each. That’s 2 per district.
2. 3,500 hospital beds for Mulago, Kiruddu, Kawempe.
3. 35,000 youth funded with UGX 1M PDM cash each.
4. Pay 7,000 teachers UGX 5M bonus for one year.
Instead, it went to 350 people who already earn UGX 25M monthly salary + allowances + cars + fuel cards.
What Happens Next
Ugandans don’t forget. They will clap at rallies, eat the t-shirt, take the 2,000, and go home angry.
Kyankwanzi used to mean “NRM ideology school.” After Tuesday, to most people it means “MP payday.”
Trust is broken. And when trust is broken, even good policies fail. Because people assume you’re lying.
Uganda is not a poor country. Uganda is a badly managed country. And on Tuesday at Kyankwanzi, we all got the receipt.
