nngu007
JF-Expert Member
- Aug 2, 2010
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The May 12 presidential swearing-in ceremony will cost Ugandan taxpayers at least $12.5 million (Sh30 billion), according to a supplementary budget tabled in Parliament.
The money for the one-day event is part of the $61.2 million (Shs151.6 billion) needed by the government in both recurrent, statutory and development expenditures to meet unexpected spending pressures.
Tabled by the State minister for Finance Thursday, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, the supplementary budget will cater for the office of the President, the ministry of Public Service and the ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.
The supplementary budget comes only two months after the Parliament passed a $250 million (Sh600 billion) budget which opposition politicians suspected was for funding the President's NRM campaigns.
It also comes ahead of another awaited supplementary budget for financing the purchase of fighter jets and other military hardware estimated at $740 million.
The new supplementary budget comes after Parliament controversially approved another budget in the middle of preparations for the February 18 General Election.
The opposition and civil society condemned the act, alleging that the money would be used to campaign for President Museveni and bribe voters. The ruling NRM party has since denied the allegations.
There was no debate on the new supplementary budget. Speaker Edward Ssekandi forwarded the matter to the Budget Committee where MPs will decide on whether to accept or reject the new government request for additional resources.
