Uganda: State House Raises Eyebrows Over Supplementary Budget

5 December 2023
Nile Post (Kampala)
By Shamim Nabakooza

In a surprising move last week, State Minister for General Duties in the Ministry of Finance, Henry Musasizi, presented a supplementary budget of 3.5 trillion shillings for parliamentary approval.

However, the allocation of funds has sparked concerns as the State House is set to receive a staggering 485 billion shillings, constituting a significant portion of the budget.

Amidst the financial allocation, it has come to light that 100 billion shillings has already been spent by the State House on classified expenditures, shrouded in secrecy and unknown to the public.

This has raised questions about transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.

One notable request in the supplementary budget comes from the State Security Agency, Internal Security Organization (ISO), seeking approval for 39 billion shillings to procure classified security equipment.

The lack of details surrounding such expenditures is heightening scrutiny.

Furthermore, the controversial Lubowa Specialized Hospital has reemerged in the supplementary budget, requesting funds for works that were previously rejected by Members of Parliament.

The government now seeks retrospective approval for the 2.7 billion shillings spent on supervising the construction of the hospital, raising concerns about financial management.

The budget also includes 26.7 billion shillings for preparatory activities ahead of international conferences in Uganda, including the Non-Aligned Movement Summit and G77 plus one, under the Office of the President.

In a bid to renew citizens' identity, the government is seeking up to 300 billion shillings, with 138 billion allocated to the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) for a new national security system facilitating a citizen data system.

Amidst controversies surrounding the National Mosque in Gadaffi, where claims of land purchase have arisen, the government is seeking 2.7 billion shillings for a facelift.

The mosque's fate hangs in the balance over fears that it could be taken over by the alleged buyer from the Supreme Council.

Other notable allocations in the supplementary budget include 13 billion shillings for the Higher Students Financing Board and

144 billion shillings for the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) for preparatory activities related to the population census.

Read the original article on Nile Post.

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