Kampala, Uganda - June 22, 2024: President Yoweri Museveni has vehemently criticized Members of Parliament (MPs) for what he describes as sabotage and interference in the constitutional mandate of budgeting for Uganda. In a strongly worded letter accompanying the returned Appropriation Bill 2024, the President accused the MPs of reallocating over Shs3 trillion in the past four financial years, a move he says undermines the country’s economic priorities.

“The recent case of the Members of Parliament that were arrested for some alleged offenses has again highlighted the mistake the MPs interfering with the Constitutional mandate of the President, of budgeting for the country by reallocating monies budgeted for, the core sectors of the economy. In the past four financial years, the MPs have reallocated Shs3.1Trn. This is a real sabotage,” Museveni stated.

Drawing comparisons to vital infrastructure projects, the President highlighted the gravity of the reallocations. “When we reconstructed Kampala-Masaka Road, we used Shs440Bn, therefore, diverting the Shs3.1Trn, in four years, is equivalent to aborting 9 big roads of the Kampala-Masaka type or a much larger number of the smaller roads,” he noted.

The President cited the success of several road projects such as the Tirinyi-Pallisa-Kumi Road, the Musiita-Mayuge-Namayingo-Busia Road, and the Mukono-Katosi-Nkonkonjeru-Njebga Road, emphasizing how these projects have significantly benefited local communities. He lamented that similar projects, such as the Kumi-Ngora-Serere Road and the Soroti-Amuria-Abim Road, could have been completed with the funds reallocated by Parliament.

Museveni likened Parliament’s actions to “indiscipline in budgeting, sabotaging the national priorities, and suspicion of massive corruption.” Despite guidance from the Attorney General and rulings from courts of law, the practice of reallocating funds persisted, prompting the President to demand an immediate halt to such actions.

“I have written this letter, the Attorney General has guided on this matter, the court has guided, yet the practice goes on. There are three mistakes involved here these are; indiscipline in budgeting, sabotaging the national priorities and now, the suspicion of massive corruption. I am therefore writing to request that this practice stops accordingly,” Museveni asserted.

The President warned MPs against reallocating funds proposed in the budget, arguing that such actions disrupt national focus and hinder progress on essential projects. He stressed that attempts to “sprinkle money on projects to benefit their constituencies” would divert attention from core national priorities.

“As per article 91(3)(c) of the Constitution of 1995, I decline to assent to the Appropriation Bill 2024 and return it to Parliament and request that no reshuffling of the budget should ever happen again without the input of the Executive. Apart from the legality and the constitutionality of the issues involved, there is common sense. Sprinkling money by MPs to get cheap popularity in their constituencies will make us lose focus on the core items. How can patriots be part of these mistakes?” Museveni questioned.

The President’s letter marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between the Executive and Parliament over budgetary control, setting the stage for a potential constitutional and political showdown in the coming weeks.