Richard Kawere, Principal at Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, appearing before Parliament’s Tourism Committee
Lawmakers on the Parliament’s Tourism Committee have questioned officials from Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute on demands for extra Shs8.9Bn yet at the moment, all the money the Institute collects is spent at source and none comes to the consolidated fund.
This followed a plea made by Richard Kawere, Principal at Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, during the presentation of the 2024/25 ministerial policy statement where he highlighted that if the Institute’s current budget estimates are approved in their current form, the entity will operate with a shortfall of Shs8.9Bn.
Kawere said, “With the current approved staff structure of 165staff there is a deficit of 62 staff of which 45v are academic staff. Therefore, in a bid to bridge the gap given that the institute is planning to increase its students enrollment from the current 750 to 1,200 next year, there is need to recruit additional staff 19 teaching staff in 2024/25 at a cost of Shs927,852,332. Shs2.8Bn is needed to commence construction of girls’ hostel and estimated cost of construction is Shs12.3Bn.”
He also said that the Institute is in need of Shs400M for payment of medical insurance for staff, Shs550M students’ food and practical materials.
During the meeting, Kawere also revealed that as at 18th March 2024, the Institute had collected revenue to a tune of Shs4.959Bn and this is spent at source, prompting Mwine Mpaka, Chairperson Tourism Committee to ask, “If the Ministry is going to facilitate your budget and at the same time, you are going to spend at source, why should we even give you that money. Why should this Parliament appropriate more money?”
Kawere replied, “With the gross plan of the institution, the revenue generated at source aren’t adequate to run the institution. With the new mandate that has been given to us. Also, some of the revenue generating avenues at the school are down because of construction so it is imperative that the Committee continues to appropriate to us funds so that we can achieve the set target of the institution and maybe at the future time when the institution stabilizes.”
The MPs also faulted officials from Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute for drawing Shs2.8Bn for the construction of the girls’ hostel after Ministry of Finance failed to provide the Shs2.8Bn that was passed in the supplementary budget.
Mwine said, “Parliament passes supplementary, giving you Shs2.8Bn, Parlaiment has appropriated, it hasn’t told you to go to your account and get Shs2.8Bn, now we want you to give us evidence, in between at what point did direct you to go and touch your non-tax revenue because at the beginning you told us that you got the money but it has now come to our knowledge that you didn’t receive this money , you have just instructed yourselves to get it from the revenue account .”
Kawere in response said, “We didn’t receive the money, but we have authority from Secretary to Treasury communicating the approval of the supplementary and allowing us to spend the money.”
However, Elijah Mushemeza (Sheema South) described the actions of Ministry of Finance failing to honour its promise as cheating the Institute stating, “When Parliament was appropriating that money, it was under the understanding that you need more resources not in consideration of what you already have because that is unfair on your side.”
The Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute is the only Government owned institution specialized in hotel and tourism training and it was established in 1980 and in 2024/25, the Institute has projected to collect revenue to a tune of Shs4.889Bn of which Shs2Bn will be garnered from hotel income, while Shs2.889Bn will be generated from students’ tuition and in the coming Financial year, the Institute has projected to spend Shs7.731Bn.
Among the items the Institute plans to spend on include HIV/AIDS programme where the Institute is seeking to increase awareness on reduced stigma and improved prevention practices among staff, students and guests and these activities will cost Shs10M, while gender balance activities that will involve improved fender balance in leadership positions, community outreaches to support the elderly and disabled, reduced gender discrimination and in creased job satisfaction are allocated Shs10M.
The Institute has also set aside Shs5Bn for climate change activities that seek to implement energy efficient practices, waste reduction strategies and promote eco-friendly initiatives such as using renewable energy sources and recycling and while Covid-19 activities aimed at reducing transmission and ensure zero cases of covid-19 are reported have been allocated Shs5M.
