Parliament has passed a supplementary budget expenditure worth Shs1.050 trillion to cater for completion of the Lubowa Specialised Hospital, State House classified expenditure, and rehabilitation of the Tororo-Gulu Metre Gauge Railway among others.

The supplementary budget, according to the State Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Hon. Henry Musasizi, is aimed to relieve government of its commitments which cannot wait for the next financial year’s budget.

"The supplementary was raised to cater for shortfalls in wages and salaries, government policy commitments that cannot be postponed, expenditure on peace and security and international commitments," said Musasizi

Musasizi presented the request on Thursday, 23 January 2025 during the plenary sitting chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa.

In the supplementary budget presented by the Deputy Chairperson of the Budget Committee, Hon. Remigio Achia, State House takes the lion's share of Shs234.75 billion, followed by Lubowa Specialised International Hospital at Shs 53.11 billion while Shs50 billion will support rehabilitation the Tororo-Gulu Metre Gauge Railway.

The committee report shows that additional Shs7.36 billion will go to Kampala Capital City Authority, to facilitate operations and coordination of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Project.

Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, the national broadcaster, according to the report will receive Shs11.33 billion to bridge gaps in wage and salaries.

Achia said that the budget will be financed through non-tax revenue, additional external financing, local revenue generated by local governments, budget repurposing across government ministries and departments.

A minority report presented by Kira Municipality MP, Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju differed from Achia's report rejecting the vote towards State House and Lubowa hospital.

"Last financial year, State House was given a total Shs256 billion from three supplementary budgets, bigger than its actual budget, there is no doubt in our minds that this budget is going towards elections and for personal use," Ssemujju said adding that the budget for security should be requested for by only the Ministry of Defence and Veteran affairs.

He warned against misuse of the provision of a supplementary budget whose intent is to cater for unforeseeable issues at the time of budgeting and unavoidable matters that may arise in a financial year.

"There are many items that do not qualify to be in a supplementary; the Teso festivities, Commonwealth obligations, Lubowa hospital. As Parliament, we have the duty to curtail this insatiable appetite for supplementary budget," he said.

Hon. Peter Okot (DP, Tochi County) questioned Shs12.102 billion for construction of a home for entities under Justice, Law and order Services in Naguru, a Kampala suburb, observant of an earlier plan to have all government entities in need of office space to move to Bwebajja along the Entebbe Highway.

“We need to clarify and explain if government has abandoned its mega plan to have all ministries, departments and agencies in Entebbe. We need to know why are they allocating money for offices in Naguru,” Okot said.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, in support of the minority report remarked that some items do not qualify to be in the supplementary and instead proposed that the budget is utilised to clear outstanding arrears estimated at Shs13 trillion.

“We have so many Ugandans who have accorded services to government, why can’t we use the supplementary to support our people whose businesses are closing? They have acquired loans, their buildings have been sold, people are dying of pressure,” Ssenyonyi said.

The main committee report carried the day and was adopted by the House when the Deputy Speaker put the question to pass the supplementary expenditure.  

The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, defended the money ear marked for Lubowa hospital saying it is close to completion.

"I can confidently say that as of now the hospital is 61.8 percent complete. I have been there; they are working day and night. I request that we give them this money so that we have our hospital in April 2025," Nabbanja said.

She added, "I am reliably informed that all the equipment supposed to be used in the hospital is already procured. The staff supposed to work at the hospital are under training in Italy”.

Her testimony resonated with that of the Deputy Speaker who also attested to have found impressive progress during his previous two visits to Lubowa.

"I interacted with 700 people who are working there, they even work on Sundays, and the contractor told me by end of April they will have completed all structural works," Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa asked the premier to organise a trip to Lubowa for Ssenyonyi who had questioned whether the above testimonies can be trusted considering previous failed attempts to access the site by MPs, the health minister and other government officials.

The joint visit has been scheduled for Tuesday, 28 January 2025.