KAMPALA, UGANDA: Parliament has approved a supplementary request of Shs4.4 trillion requested by the government to cover additional expenses in the 2021/2022 fiscal year.
On 10 May, the finance ministry presented a Supplementary Appropriation Bill to Parliament, seeking an extra Shs4.4 trillion to address unforeseen expenses in the fiscal year during which Speaker Anita Among referred the request to the Budget Committee for peruse and report back to the House within an agreed time frame.
With the clock ticking to the finish of the budget process, the Deputy Chairperson of the Budget Committee, Hon. Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi, during plenary on Tuesday, 16 May 2023 recommended the approval of the supplementary request.
The approval was contained in the committee’s report he presented to the House chaired by Speaker Anita Among, reassuring MPs that the supplementary request aligns with Parliament’s resolutions on the supplementary expenditure schedules 1 and 2.
“The committee noted that the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2023, captured a total of Shs4.4 trillion, with Shs2.5 trillion allocated to recurrent expenditure and Shs1.9 trillion for Development Expenditure,” Mudimi, also Elgon County MP, stated.
Despite an attempt by the minority report authored by Hon. Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, the Butambala MP, to reduce the budget by Shs108 billion allocated to the trade ministry (vote 105), the House did not approve the proposed reduction.
The allocated funds are intended for the purchase of equipment to be leased to Atiak Sugar Works.
“The Ministry of Finance should provide a share certificate for the acquisition of equity shares in Atiak Sugar factory worth Shs108 billion on behalf of Uganda,” read the minority report.
The appropriation request indicates that the funds will be sourced from the Consolidated Fund under the Public Finance Management Act 2015. These funds are designated for use during the first and second quarters of the fiscal year.
Under the recurrent expenditure category, the defence ministry, the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (land and air forces) will receive Shs620 billion. State House will be allocated Shs193 billion for salaries, wages, and other expenditures.
The education ministry will receive Shs50 billion for salaries, while the health ministry will be allocated Shs134 billion. Additionally, the Electoral Commission will receive Shs35 billion for salaries, and Treasury Operations will receive Shs228 billion for salaries, wages, and other expenses.
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