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The opposition legislators on the Budget Committee of Parliament have identified Ugx454 billion under the Annual Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2023/2024that they think would be wasteful expenditure by the President in Parliament yesterday 18^th May 2023.

In the budget committee report presented by Chairperson, Hon. Patrick Isiagi Opolot, it has been revealed that public debt is projected to increase by 2.5% in the financial year. Public debt in the first half of 2021/23 FY was Shs 78.7 trillion (USD 20.98B) and in the current FY, it is at Ushs80.7 trillion (USD21.74b)

Out of this, Shs 47.7 trillion (USD12.85 b) is external debt representing 59.1% of the total public debt while 40.9% of the debt is totaling Ushs33 trillion (USD 8.8b) is domestic debt.

They cited the Ugx350 million provided for buying clothes, which they feel is a wasteful expenditure as the President would spend Shs1 million per day on clothes.

“Our president is not a star from Hollywood requiring changing wardrobe every day. He is the president of a poor country. Why buy him clothes worth Shs350 million every year? What happened to the clothes that we bought last year?” MP Ibrahim Ssemujju read the minority report authored by opposition MPs sitting on the Budget Committee.

They also questioned the provision of Shs600 million for furniture in the State House, which is the same amount that was appropriated in the current financial year.

The Minority Report also questions the budget allocations to Presidency and State House. They argue that instead of providing for one residence for the President, the government has allocated money for both Nakasero State Lodge and State House Entebbe.

MP Ibrahim Ssemujju (Kira Municipality) also decried the ‘bloated’ budget for the Presidency and State House. In the proposed budget, the Office of the President has been allocated Shs239bn.

On Wednesday, Parliament failed to approve the Financial Year 2023–2024 Budget after several glitches in the presentation of the final draft budget report, which had twice been rescheduled by House Speaker Anita Among.

The legislators drew attention to other items being funded under State House, including furniture that has been allocated with Shs600 million and veterinary Services (Shs 184 million) among other items. 

“The President has a duty not to abuse State House. But if he chooses to do so, this Parliament is under obligation to stop him,” Mr Ssemujju said. Adding, “President Museveni despised former President Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa for turning State House into what he called clearing house. He has now surpassed him. In fact, Mr Museveni has turned State House into an enterprise for himself and family.” 

Speaker Among informed lawmakers that part of the problem was because of mercenaries that had severally attempted to influence the tweaking of budgetary allocations for government ministries, departments, and agencies.

The committee was thereafter accorded time to complete its report and process a second corrigenda [item to be corrected] from the state minister for Finance (General Duties), Mr. Henry Musasizi, who at the last minute tabled a reconsideration of the budget from possibly Shs 51 trillion to Shs 52 trillion.