By Our Reporter
Parliament - Ibrahim Ssemujju, Member of Parliament for Kira Municipality and Shadow Finance Minister, has called on Parliament to reject the proposed Budget Framework Paper for the upcoming financial year, citing concerns over the government’s plan to borrow an additional Shs24 billion amidst Uganda’s soaring public debt, which has reached Shs109.8 trillion.
In his minority report presented to Parliament, Ssemujju criticized the government’s spending priorities, highlighting what he termed as “misplaced allocations” while critical sectors remain underfunded. He revealed that the government plans to spend Shs298.525 billion on special meals, Shs132.251 billion on bed sheets and shoes for top officials, and Shs237.021 billion on workshops and meetings in the next financial year.
“While the government owes ordinary people Shs14 trillion in domestic arrears, including Shs250 billion in unpaid gratuity and pension, only Shs200 billion has been allocated to address these arrears,” Ssemujju said. “You have seen elderly people shedding tears on television because of unpaid pensions, yet the government prioritizes luxury spending over their welfare.”
Ssemujju also raised alarm over the discrepancies in the budget figures, noting that while documents submitted to Parliament indicate Shs20.726 trillion allocated for debt servicing, the Ministry of Finance’s website shows Shs21.612 trillion, creating a variance of Shs886.2 billion. “This inconsistency raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in our budgeting process,” he remarked.
The Shadow Finance Minister further criticized the government’s failure to allocate Shs7 billion to the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) for preparing the Senior 5 curriculum, while Shs80 billion was allocated to President Museveni for donations. “To the NRM government, popularizing an 80-year-old man who has been in power for 39 years is more important than preparing a curriculum for our children,” Ssemujju stated.
Ssemujju warned that approving the Budget Framework Paper would give the government a “green light” to continue borrowing excessively. He noted that nearly half of the proposed Shs57.440 trillion budget will go toward debt servicing, with Shs20.726 trillion (35%) allocated for this purpose.
“By approving this budget, you are endorsing a cycle of unsustainable borrowing,” Ssemujju said. “The Finance Ministry’s tactics, such as excluding undisbursed loans from public debt calculations, are misleading. We cannot continue to ignore the growing debt burden that future generations will have to bear.”
The Kira Municipality MP urged Parliament to prioritize the needs of ordinary Ugandans, particularly the elderly, pensioners, and students, over what he described as “wasteful and extravagant spending.” He called for a more transparent and accountable budgeting process that addresses the country’s pressing needs.
As the debate over the Budget Framework Paper continues, Ssemujju’s remarks have sparked a broader conversation about Uganda’s fiscal priorities and the need for responsible governance in the face of rising public debt.
Torch Media Africa
