Beyond populism: What State House actually does

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OPINION

By Mohanned Bagonza

For years, Hon Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the Member of Parliament for Kiira Municipality, has been a relentless critic of President Yoweri Museveni and his family.

He frequently criticises the President during parliamentary sessions, on television and radio programmes, and at rallies, although what he says is inaccurate.

He has famously claimed that the President spends one million shillings daily on clothing and that State House gulps down sh2.8 billion every single day. In his words, “President Museveni has turned State House into an enterprise for himself and family”.

Such provocative statements draw attention, make headlines and stir public frustration.

However, they also require careful examination, especially when they risk misrepresenting facts and distorting the purpose of a constitutional institution that is central to Uganda’s executive functions.

To provide some context, claiming that the President spends one million shillings daily on clothing amounts to sh365m annually.

This figure is misrepresented as personal shopping for the President, but it actually reflects the annual clothing budget, which covers institutional attire, including ceremonial uniforms and staff protocol wear.

The claim that State House spends sh2.8b daily is unrealistic, because that would mean an annual expenditure of around shillings one trillion, which exceeds the institution’s total annual budget. Such an assertion is unreasonable.

Ssemujju’s rhetoric suggests that the President has direct access to the Government’s treasury, which is not true. Like any other MDA, the President, through the State House, receives a portion of the budget that is reviewed and approved by Parliament.

Even in cases where a supplementary request is made, it must go through the proper channels before the funds are approved.

For the financial year 2025/2026, State House has been allocated about sh507b. While this amount may appear substantial at first glance, it is essential to consider it in the context of Uganda’s total National Budget of sh72 trillion.

In fact, State House accounts for less than 1% of the overall budget.

Despite its crucial oversight role and a staff of over 1,000, the budget for State House is just a fraction of the budgets allocated to various ministries. For instance, in this financial year, the education ministry has been allocated sh5.04 trillion, the Ministry of Defence and Security, sh9.9 trillion; the Ministry of Health, sh5.87 trillion; the agriculture ministry, sh1.86 trillion; Ministry of Works and Transport, sh6.92 trillion and the energy ministry, sh1.04 trillion, among others.

The funds received by State House are not spent on luxuries. Similar to other high-impact institutions, like the defence and finance ministries, the budget is allocated effectively to ensure that State House can fulfil its co-ordination and oversight responsibilities. Therefore, Ssemujju’s claims regarding State House expenditure are not intellectually honest.

State House is not a family residence with an inflated budget; it is the central hub of Uganda’s presidency. From here, the President co-ordinates inter-ministerial activities, oversees sector implementation, and monitors service delivery.

State House also serves as a venue for the President to host bilateral and multilateral engagements that lead to real investments, security partnerships and strengthening of relations with other countries.

Additionally, it implements several national initiatives such as the youth skilling programme, the model villages project and various public health campaigns through the Health Monitoring Unit.

Presidential initiatives, such as youth skilling through the presidential industrial hubs, target underserved urban and rural communities that have not been reached by other government programmes. These initiatives serve as strategic interventions that complement, rather than duplicate, government efforts.

Over 16,000 youths have graduated from the 19 regional presidential industrial hubs, where they have been equipped with various skills, including building and construction, metal fabrication, carpentry and joinery, hairdressing, leather design and shoemaking, bakery, and tailoring.

These hubs are located throughout the country and accommodate 240 students per intake. They are supported by a staff of over 600, including managers who oversee the welfare and skill development of these young people at no cost to them. For each intake, State House invests over sh10b to help these individuals acquire skills that provide them with new opportunities in life.

Also, under State House, in 2021, the President launched the Kawumu Leather Industry in Luwero district to add value to hides and skins by transforming them into quality leather and leather products for import substitution and export. The factory has already created employment for approximately 120 workers, including experts and casual labourers, and it is projected to employ over 1,000 workers within the next five years.

State House deserves praise, not criticism, for its significant role in improving government efficiency. For example, since the President established the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), it has been actively combating corruption. SHACU is part of a larger government strategy aimed at strengthening anti-corruption efforts under the direct oversight of the presidency.

The State House Diaspora Unit continues to play a vital role in mobilising Ugandans abroad for national development, co-ordinating diaspora services, engaging diaspora leaders and associations across continents, facilitating policy dialogue with missions, and representing Uganda at high-level conventions to promote investment, education, culture and unity among Ugandans living overseas.

State House is a crucial part of the Executive, playing a vital role that should not be disregarded. Populism should never replace precision, and scrutiny should not be substituted with sarcasm. When the public is misled into believing that the State House is merely a luxury, we lose the chance to hold the Government accountable for the issues that matter most.

In any democracy, criticism is necessary, but it must be rooted in truth, not theatrics. While Ssemujju Nganda’s commentary on State House expenditures may resonate with sections of the public, it falls short of the accuracy that accountability demands.

He should instead be giving accountability for Parliament where he originates from.

However, this financial year, Parliament has been allocated 1.03 trillion, which doubles that of State House. The reality is that State House, like every other public institution, operates within the law, under Parliament’s oversight, and in service of national objectives.

The writer is a senior presidential adviser/head of diaspora Unit State House