Uganda Approves 1.1 Trillion Shilling Supplementary Budget Amid Opposition Concerns

Mintesinot Niggusie

Parliament of Uganda has approved a 1.1 trillion Ugandan shilling supplementary budget for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, allocating funds for presidential inauguration events, early preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, and local council elections, despite pushback from opposition lawmakers over the classification of the spending.

The additional expenditure, presented on Tuesday by Henry Musasizi, was passed after lawmakers suspended procedural rules that would typically require scrutiny by the Budget Committee and sectoral committees.

The approved package directs 56 billion shillings to local governments to conduct council elections, 29 billion shillings to sports authorities for AFCON 2027 preparations, and three billion shillings to the presidency for the swearing-in of Yoweri Museveni. A further 46 billion shillings has been earmarked to cover public sector wage shortfalls.

Government officials argued the expenditures were necessary to meet urgent obligations before the close of the fiscal year. These include road works in Kira Municipality, upgrades at Kadiba Stadium, and urban improvements in host areas such as Hoima and Masindi.

However, opposition lawmakers questioned the urgency of the spending. Ibrahim Ssemujju argued that the expenditures did not meet the legal threshold for supplementary budgets under the Public Finance Management Act, which requires costs to be unforeseen or unavoidable.

Lawmakers also raised concerns over accountability, with Jonathan Odur calling for detailed disclosure of villages set to participate in local council elections.