The Government of Uganda recently submitted a supplementary budget request totaling sh288.624 billion to Parliament. This request was presented by the State Minister of Finance, Henry Musasizi, during a session with the House Committee on Budget on May 15, 2024.
The proposed allocation includes sh132.634 billion designated for the purchase of shares in the East African Oil Pipeline (EACOP) by the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC). Additionally, sh152 billion is earmarked for the construction of the Hoima City Stadium by the National Council of Sports, in preparation for the 2027 African Cup of Nations.
Furthermore, the government is seeking sh1.490 billion for post-NAM Summit activities, and sh2.5 billion for the Uganda Blood Transfusion services to address operational budget shortfalls for blood collection, processing, and distribution.
Ibrahim Ssemujju, Member of Parliament for Kira Municipality, expressed strong skepticism towards the supplementary proposal. He labeled it as fraudulent and questioned the feasibility of entities absorbing the additional funds within the limited timeframe of 20 days, with the financial year closing in June 2024.
Ssemujju emphasized the challenges posed by government procedures intended to safeguard taxpayers’ money. He argued that the stringent procedural requirements within the remaining timeframe would hinder the effective utilization of the allocated funds.
Patrick Isiagi, Chairperson of the Budget Committee, echoed Ssemujju’s concerns and rejected the supplementary request. Isiagi deemed the request illegal as it circumvented the standard procedure of tabling it before Parliament prior to its consideration by the Budget Committee. He emphasized the necessity for parliamentary approval before any further processing could occur.
