National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has pushed back against media reports that he says distorted his recent remarks on parliamentary attrition, clarifying that he never predicted that half of sitting Members of Parliament would lose their seats in the next General Election.
In a detailed statement, Wetang’ula said sections of the media lifted his comments out of context and framed them as a personal forecast, yet he was citing findings from an independent actuarial analysis based on historical election data.
“The media picked the information and twisted it wrongly. I did not tell members that half will not come back,” Wetang’ula said.
He explained that professional actuaries carried out the assessment, which shows that, historically, nearly half of MPs fail to retain their seats between elections. Based on current trends, projections for the 13th Parliament suggest that up to 56 per cent of legislators may not return after the next polls, a figure he stressed was statistical in nature and not his personal view.
Wetang’ula made the remarks during the 2026 National Assembly Legislative Retreat on Monday, where he urged lawmakers to take pension planning seriously. He warned that many MPs leave Parliament to face sharply reduced incomes, making life after public office financially challenging.
He reiterated the same message on Wednesday during TV47’s Daily Report segment, The Insight, insisting that his focus was on preparing legislators for life beyond politics.
The Speaker said all MPs must actively contribute to the parliamentary pension scheme to secure their financial future after leaving office. He cautioned that lawmakers who serve only one term do not qualify for parliamentary pensions, as current rules require at least two terms of service and a minimum age of 45 to access benefits.
“If you leave Parliament after one term, Parliament will tell you it was a pleasure meeting you, here is your contribution to the pension which does not amount to a pension and off you go,” he said.
Wetang’ula noted that high attrition rates are not new, recalling previous parliaments where electoral outcomes were even harsher.
“I’ve been in Parliament for quite some time. There was a parliament where only 30 per cent came back; 70 per cent were voted out. That is the nature of electoral contests; you win, you lose,” he said.
He added that his remarks aimed to motivate not discourage lawmakers, particularly first-term and younger MPs, to deepen engagement with voters and prepare early for re-election.
“I was actually energizing my members by telling them: they are saying 56 per cent may not come back. Let it not be you,” Wetang’ula said, urging MPs to “up your game, pull up your socks, run like never before and get ready to come back.”
The Speaker also raised concern about the challenges young former MPs face when re-entering the job market after leaving office, warning that early exits from Parliament often come with serious social and economic consequences.
“For young MPs, those are five years thrown away if you are not properly planned,” he said.
Wetang’ula maintained that his message was advisory and protective, aimed at safeguarding lawmakers’ political careers and personal welfare rather than predicting electoral outcomes.
“I was counseling my members, especially the young ones,” he said, insisting that his remarks were misunderstood when reported as definitive statements on who would lose their seats.
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