Ramathan Ggoobi, Secretary to Treasury
Government through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has defended the decision to prioritize the funding of the security and governance sector in the coming 2023/2024 national budget
This followed a concern raised by some lawmakers including Muwanga Kivumbi (Butamblala County), who wondered why the security budget has remained unchanged yet the Shs16Trn funds to procure classified security equipment has been retired.
He said, “Three or four years ago, we were taken to the hotel by the Minister of Planning and requested us to okay the continued defence expenditure annually of Shs1Trn for the acquisition of a special defence equipment which was classified and you know the total over the course of the years has been Shs16Trn. I want the Minister to tell us, what has happened? You told us the defence budget would reduce, now we have overrun it, yet you have exterminated it, but you are increasing the security budget.”
However, Ramathan Ggoobi, Secretary to Treasury pointed out that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework that highlights budget projections indicates that in the coming years, the security budget is going to be reduced following the completion of the controversial classified project.
“It actually shows you that it is reducing because it is going to reduce from Shs7.16Trn to Shs6.8Trn so there is a reduction of that amount and it is because of that project you are talking about. It is being scaled down and the details will be given to you,” said Ggoobi.
While appearing before Parliament’s Budget Committee to present the 2023/2024 National Budget Framework Paper, Henry Musasizi, State Minister of Finance for General Duties revealed that in the coming years, a number of priorities have been set including Peace and Security, maintenance of both tarmac and marram roads, construction of power sub-stations and transmission lines, and rehabilitation of the Meter Gauge Railway and Development of the Standard Gauge Railway.
More focus will be put on irrigation with particular focus on the small-scale solar-powered irrigation under the Agro-Industrialization Program, Support to Medical Schools and Science Based Research and Development as well as Enhancing support to the Parish Development Model and Emyooga under Private Sector Development.
The Budget Estimates for FY 2023/2024 is Shs49.988 Trillion compared to Shs48.131 Trillion in 2022/23.
