By Aggrey Baba
MPs from the opposition side, in their minority report, have come out guns blazing against the proposed UGX 72.376 trillion national budget for the 2025/26 financial year, accusing the government of planning to sink the country deeper into debt while the majority of Ugandans continue to suffer in stinking poverty.
In a minority report submitted to Parliament, on Thursday, the legislators expressed concern that nearly half of the proposed budget (UGX 32 trillion) is set to be borrowed, much of it from commercial banks and foreign lenders, just to finance recurrent expenses and pay interest on old loans.
They wondered how long the country would continue to ‘rob Aggrey to pay John’, saying Uganda is now borrowing to pay debts, fund Museveni’s luxuries and rescue private friends and children of those in power, instead of investing in essential services like health, education and agriculture.
UGX 27 trillion will go to debt servicing, only UGX 6.5 trillion for development. So the poor remain poor while mafias walk away with billions.
The MPs revealed that individuals like Enrica Pinetti, who is behind the controversial Lubowa Hospital, will receive UGX 465 billion more, despite previous resolutions by Parliament not to inject further funds until a value-for-money audit is done.
The report also questions the inclusion of UGX 60 billion to bail out Roko Construction and another UGX 14 billion to help Mufti Mubajje clear a land debt.
“This is taxpayers’ money being used to clean up the messes of well-connected individuals while 14 million Ugandans are still walking barefoot.”
The minority report also poked holes in the Uganda Revenue Authority’s collection target of UGX 34 trillion, calling it unrealistic since the tax body has consistently failed to meet targets for the last five years. “It’s all speculation. Finance is just playing with figures to justify more borrowing.”
The extravagant allocation of taxpayers’ money to State House, which employs 92 cooks, 87 gardeners and 82 cleaners, was also blasted, saying that Mulago National Referral Hospital is operating at 49% staffing, yet State House is fully staffed to prepare pilau, chaps and kashera every day.
The report further pointed out that the Parish Development Model (PDM), meant to help 14.8 million Ugandans transition from subsistence to the money economy, was only given UGX 1 trillion, a mere 1.3% of the total budget.
“After eating their fill, they throw crumbs to the poor and call it empowerment.”
Also revealed is that the government is spending UGX 500 billion on Museveni’s residence and UGX 306 billion on his office, yet the same government claims it lacks funds to finish health centers, fix community roads or equip schools.
“Ugandans are unemployed, hungry, and hopeless. But all we’re doing is borrowing to pay interest, feed the powerful, and protect mafias,” the report said.
Calling on Parliament to reject the budget in its current form until it is restructured to address the real needs of the population, the report said, “let’s stop budgeting for champagne when the country is surviving on porridge.” (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
