Struggling with funds, but remaining extravagant in some sectors, government has revised downwards the budget for procurement of new vehicles for Members of the 11th Parliament by Shs.121 million for each legislator. They will now get Shs. 200 million.
The change is comprised in the Shs.3.48 trillion additional budget that the Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija presented before Parliament’s Budget Committee on Monday. This additional budget increases the proposed National Budget from 41.29 trillion initially presented by the Minister last week to 44.77 trillion.
Out of the 3.48 trillion additional budget, government has allocated more Shs.133.6 billion to the Parliamentary Commission as funding for vehicles for MPs (110 billion), funding for office space rent (13.61 billion) and funding for the Parliamentary Institute (10 billion). The total number of legislators in the 11th Parliament is 529 MPs and these are set to be sworn in from 17th to 20th May.
This additional allocation to the Parliamentary Commission has seen an increase in the institution’s budget from 698.3 billion to 831.9 billion.
Kenneth Mugabe, the Director Budget in the Ministry of Finance says that this additional allocation to Parliament means that there will not be any budget shortfall in the Institution for the coming financial year 2021/2022.
Amos Lugoloobi, the Budget Committee Chairperson said that a similar policy for all public servants regarding purchase of cars should be developed. Lugoloobi’s position was supported by Charles Illukor, the Kumi County MP.
Minister Kasaija said that his Ministry will need Parliament’s support to ensure that a similar policy on vehicles is adopted.
Other Allocations in the Additional Budget
Besides Parliament, government has also allocated additional funding to the Judiciary totaling 152 billion Shillings for recruitment, roll out of the Electronic Court Case Management Information System and purchase of transport equipment for Judicial Officers.
Also provided is 60 billion to the Electoral Commission (EC) to facilitate the relocation of its Head Quarters, 2.07 billion for the census under the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), 4.5 billion under the Ministry of Public Service to cater for payment of emoluments to former leaders, 7.6 billion under the Ministry of Finance for Subscriptions to African Development Bank (ADB) and Islamic Development Bank and 2.59 billion to the Leadership Code Tribunal.
The increase in the budget is also on account of External Financing increase of 2.88 trillion (including purchase of COVID-19 Vaccines worth 480 billion), increase in Interest Payments worth 143.4 billion, shortfalls on Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment- SAGE 57.8 billion, support to Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) 22 billion and others.
Minister Kasaija says that the revised budget amounting to 44.78 trillion is to be financed by Domestic Revenue projected at 22.43 trillion, Petroleum Fund 200 billion, Budget Support 3.58 billion, Domestic Financing 2.94 billion and others.
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