By Mulengera Reporters
Investigations conducted by Mulengera News have established government entities (MDAs) which have a habit of not paying service providers they owe on time and thereby complicating business operations for especially private sector companies for which government is the major client.
In simple terms these are the most indebted ministries in Museveni’s Uganda and their debt obligation (totaling Shs1,299,569,506,888) has been verified and accepted by the PSST Keith Muhakanizi and all government auditors as genuine, credible and due.
Our findings (an outcome of perusing numerous government audit correspondences) show that as of July last year, in total the numerous government entities owed Shs1,299,569,506,888. The breakdown is as follows: over Shs31.9bn in unremitted tax deductions due to URA; Shs328.6bn in unpaid contractors who get hired to construct major GoU projects; Shs133bn in unpaid contributions to international organizations; Shs2.187bn in unsettled compensation claims; Shs575.9bn in unpaid court awards made against GoU and Shs102bn due to suppliers of stationary, fuel, cleaning services and other operational expenses.
There is also another ShsShs7.4bn in unpaid gratuity/pension obligations; Shs32.2bn in salary arrears (mostly due to employees who got promoted but kept earning lower rank salaries); Shs3.7bn in rent arrears (mostly due to private businessmen whose property entities rent) and Shs82.6bn in utility arrears due to both NWSC and UMEME Ltd.
SPECIFIC OBLIGATIONS
Ministry of water’s debt obligation totals to Shs30bn comprising of Shs1.233bn in recurrent expenditures (basically suppliers of operational requirements) and Shs28.779bn in development expenditure (basically private sector contractors who haven’t been paid).
The Finance Ministry’s total debt stands at Shs38.656bn comprising of Shs7bn in taxes and unremitted deductions; Shs29bn in unpaid contributions to international organizations and Shs2.651bn due to UMEME and NWSC for utility supplies.
Uganda Prisons debt totals to Shs25.705bn comprising of Shs807m in development expenditure; Shs1.236bn in recurrent expenditure and Shs23.661bn in unpaid utility obligations.
Sam Kutesa’s Foreign Affairs Ministry debt stands at Shs67.251bn all of which relates to unpaid contributions to international organizations to which Uganda is a member.
The Works Ministry’s Shs1.671bn debt is broken down as follows: Shs1.724bn in recurrent expenditure and Shs2.559m in utility bills.
Justice & Constitutional Affairs Ministry’s total debts stands at Shs575.557bn comprising of Shs575,549bn in unpaid court awards and Shs8.5m in unpaid rent.
The local government ministry is indebted to the tune of Shs44.786bn comprising of Shs42.233bn in development expenditure; Shs1.724bn in recurrent expenditure; Shs812m in rental arrears and Shs15.842m in unpaid utility bills.
The Ministry of East African Affairs debt is Shs15.402bn and the whole of relates to unpaid contributions to international organizations. UNRA has Shs272,909bn comprising of Shs33.940bn in recurrent expenditure and Shs238,968bn in development expenditure (basically unpaid contractors).
Others are Mubende RR Hospital’s 1.543bn; Uganda Cancer Institute Shs101m; Makerere University Shs23.309bn; Uganda Heart Institute Shs129m;Energy Ministry Shs1.616bn; Naguru hospital Shs198m; KCCA Shs39.942bn; MoH Shs7.202bn; Uganda Virus Research Institute Shs4.009bn; Uganda Aids Commission Shs1.9m; Immigration Directorate Shs2.586bn; Mulago National Referral Hospital Shs4.012bn; Uganda Police Force Shs56.866bn; Tourism Ministry Shs3.187bn; Uganda Coffee Development Authority Shs14.091bn and NITA-Uganda Shs11.842bn inclusive of development and recurrent expenditure obligations.
There are more indebted government entities including DPP Shs233m; Kyambogo University Shs14.636bn; NFA Shs3.571bn; OPM Shs283m; Mubs Shs2.340bn; Ministry of Public Service Shs2.340bn; URSB Shs1.616bn; EOC Shs35m; Hoima RR Hospital Shs164m; MoES Shs811m; Office of the Auditor General Shs235m; UIRI Shs832m; Courts of Judicature/basically the Judiciary Shs177m; Masaka RR Hospital Shs157m; MAAIF Shs17.891bn; UHRC Shs4.424bn; Busitema University Shs1.987bn; Gender Ministry Shs5.063bn; Mbarara RR Hospital Shs606m; Jinja RR Hospital Shs365m; Kabale RR Hospital Shs116m; Lira University Shs41mLira RR Hospital Shs143m and Fort Portal RR Hospital Shs159m.
DEBT FREE MDAS
There are also a number of government entities that are totally debt-free with no outstanding payment obligations at all. They include National Medical Stories, Lands Ministry, Electoral Commission, Education Service Commission, Internal Affairs Ministry, NPA, Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, NARO, NAADS, Soroti RR Hospital, Ministry of ICT and Ministry of Trade & Cooperatives. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
