With a few days left to the inauguration of the next August house members, the Parliamentary commission has decided to sell the iPads to the out going legislators at a cost of UGX 500,000 in order to retain them. This figure represents about 80% depreciation for the original price of these iPads that were bought in 2013. According to the New Vision last week, Parliament will deduct this set amount from the May salaries of each of the 386 MPs, and this also included the II ex officios of the 9th Parliament, because it is the last pay of the MPs, to pave way for MPS to own their iPad 4s irrespective of whether they have lost them or they have mechanical damages.
The decision to sell off the iPads to the MPs was made following the advice of the Government chief valuer from the Ministry of Works, that the iPads’ residual value at April 30 2016 was at UGX 500,000. But, according to sources closer to the matter say that, most MPs have lost iPads, while others have had mechanical damages. While some MPs believed this to be personal property, the contract signed by each MP with Parliament clearly stipulates that the iPads were the property of Parliament, as they are like office equipment, so when on leaves that office, one must hand them over.
Parliament has also confirmed that the next 426 MPs will also get new iPads, but the cost will depend on the market. In 2013, Elite computers (U) Ltd a local firm, won the contract to supply Parliament with iPad 4s with 64 GB memory at a total coast of UGX 976.6 million, which puts each iPad at roughly UGX 2.5 million.
