Finance ministry grilled over failure to budget salaries for 10,000 troops

__________________

Budget Committee chairperson Patrick Opolot Isiagi has issued a strong reprimand to Ministry of Finance officials, accusing them of poor planning.

This followed a submission by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) undersecretary Edith Buturo, who told MPs on December 1, 2025, that the ministry urgently required funds to pay salaries for 10,000 troops currently in training and nearing pass-out. The matter arose during scrutiny of requests for supplementary funding.

“You have provided sh24.9 billion out of the sh44.9 billion requirement to cover the six months. This one you have provided is only going to cover three months. So, are you really planning?” Isiagi asked.

He went on to question how such a recurrent expenditure could be excluded from the current financial year’s budget, noting that it was neither unforeseen nor irregular.

“I hope the issue of these soldiers is taken into consideration. Director Budget (Hannington Ashaba), such an item you provide in full. Issues like now medical expenses, we do not expect you next year again to come back saying we needed a supplementary for medical expense, because you have already understood that this is a recurring cost,” Isiagi emphasised.

He added that the Ministry of Finance’s approach resembled practices at the Ministry of Public Service.

“You know very well that this salary has to be there. You work like Public Service... where they even allocate money, then you say do not recruit before Public Service clearance. There are many districts with money, but they say Public Service says do not recruit before we clear. Is this the same Government? That is total miscoordination,” Isiagi said.

Finance responds

In response, acting director of budget Hannington Ashaba said the ministry agreed in principle regarding recurrent expenditure but was constrained.

“Particularly regarding this, we had a meeting with our colleagues from Defence, and we realised their requirement was so huge, close to a trillion,” Ashaba said.

“So, our agreement then was that we prioritise within this money. Some of those aspects which will require money, like indicated wage, I think they can re-prioritise within and cover. And then the other ones, we shall have to budget in the next budget. Otherwise, this is what we could afford,” he explained.

His response prompted further frustration from Otuke County MP Paul Omara, until State Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties) Henry Musasizi intervened.

“Is the Ministry of Finance and also the Ministry of Defence happy to have 10,000 soldiers not paid for three months while they wait for the next financial year budget to cover them? This one covers you for three months up to March. Then April, May, June; 10,000 soldiers are outside in the field without pay. You want to create a crisis or what, Minister?” Omara asked.

“I did not say we are happy. But we said we are happy to provide over Sh500 billion out of the requirement of Sh1 trillion, and we think all the obligations must be paid, the ministry can work within this and pay. This should be able to take us to finish the year, and then we can plan better. We expect them not to get stuck. We expect them to work within and close the year. Then, the next budget we can improve,” Musasizi responded.

Housing needs

Appearing before the committee, defence undersecretary Edith Buturo also highlighted the need for sufficient funding for the ongoing construction of soldiers’ housing.

“This financial year, the ministry requires an additional allocation of Sh50 billion to complete ongoing construction projects. It is important that this phase is completed in this financial year to ensure value for money, to avoid wastage and time delays. Sh10 billion is allocated in schedule one and sh20 billion is planned for schedule three, as more funding is sought this financial year,” she said.

“This is a sh3.5 trillion project, so what you are seeing here is just little drops in the ocean, but we are grateful that we have so far received some funding that has given us a number of housing units under different services,” Buturo added.

UPDF National Referral Hospital

Earlier, while appearing before the budget committee, National Medical Stores (NMS) General Manager Moses Kamabare told MPs that sh8.8 billion is needed to operationalise the supply of medicine and health supplies to the new Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) National Referral Hospital at Mbuya.

However, Tororo North MP Geoffrey Ekanya (FDC) warned that management of this budget could trigger disagreements.

“The UPDF operates their budget independently. Even if we agree here, on the floor there, they will reject. So, Mr Chairman, we need concurrence between UPDF and Ministry of Defence that National Medical Stores should budget and procure for them,” Ekanya argued.

Adding that “this has security issues, classified operations, the type of medication and so on and so forth”.

 “For your information, NMS is the one that provides other than the ones for their special operations and other emergencies, but all the medicines and health supplies that UPDF, Police and Prisons use in all their health facilities come from National Medical Stores. So, we got a blue letter many years ago, and we have been the ones handling that,” he said.