Kampala: The Parliament of Uganda has approved a supplementary budget exceeding Shs1.2 trillion to facilitate the transfer of funds from rationalised government agencies to their respective receiving institutions.
The approval, made on February 6, 2025, followed the presentation of Supplementary Expenditure Schedule No.2 for the 2024/2025 financial year by the Minister of State for Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (General Duties), Henry Musasizi.
Key Allocations
The Ministry of Works and Transport received the largest share, with Shs934 billion earmarked for development expenditure and Shs246 billion for recurrent expenditure.
According to Minister Musasizi, these funds will help implement the revised structures and operationalise the functions of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and the Uganda Road Fund.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries was allocated Shs32.7 billion for recurrent expenditure and Shs2.6 billion for development projects.
These funds will support critical agricultural programs under the Dairy Development Authority, National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), Cotton Development Organisation, and Uganda Coffee Development Authority.
Additionally, the Uganda Free Zones Authority and the Uganda Export Promotion Board received Shs2.3 billion for development, Shs859 million for statutory allocations covering contract gratuity and National Social Security Fund contributions, and Shs8.8 billion for recurrent expenditure.
Other beneficiaries include the National Planning Authority, the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), and the Ministry of Water and Environment.
Musasizi clarified that the supplementary budget would be funded using unreleased resources that had been appropriated to the rationalised votes.
Suspension of Rule 153 Sparks Debate
To fast-track the approval, Parliament suspended Rule 153, allowing the supplementary request to pass without undergoing the usual scrutiny by the Budget Committee.
Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua, who moved the motion, argued that the Budget Committee had already considered the matter, making further debate unnecessary.
However, some lawmakers strongly opposed the move, citing constitutional concerns. Jonathan Odur (UPC, Erute County South) argued that suspending Rule 153 violated Article 156 of the Constitution, which provides for the approval process of supplementary budgets.
Denis Oguzi Lee (FDC, Maracha County) echoed this sentiment, warning against bypassing constitutional procedures in financial matters.
In response, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa defended the decision, emphasizing that the funds in question had already been appropriated and that Parliament was merely finalising the rationalisation process.
He noted that unnecessary delays in approving the budget could disrupt government planning and service delivery.
Implementation of Government Rationalisation Policy
The approval of this supplementary budget aligns with the government’s ongoing Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditures (RAPEX) policy, which seeks to streamline public institutions, eliminate redundancies, and improve efficiency in service delivery. Parliament had previously passed several bills to merge government agencies as part of this initiative.
With the funds now approved, attention shifts to the implementation phase, where receiving institutions will be expected to utilise the resources efficiently in line with the government’s rationalisation framework.
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