MPs Warn Domestic Arrears Fuel Government Corruption Amid Budget Discrepancies

Members of Parliament have raised serious concerns over domestic arrears, describing them as the ‘sitting room of corruption’ in government. During a session reviewing the Finance, Planning and Economic Development Committee’s report, Budget Committee Chairperson Hon. Patrick Isiagi Opolot warned that these unpaid obligations enable widespread malpractice.

Isiagi Opolot slammed the disregard for commitment control systems, which are meant to prevent spending without available funds. ‘You do not commit government where there are no funds,’ he stated, adding that bypassing these rules amounts to corruption. He also cautioned against endless verification exercises that only perpetuate the issue.

Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju (FDC, Kira Municipality) pointed to flawed spending practices like ‘expenditure limiting,’ where officials allow spending beyond available resources. Hon. Dennis Nyangweso (Indep., Samia Bugwe Central) noted that past allocations of Shs200 billion were insufficient, potentially taking 37 years to clear the backlog. The committee now proposes Shs450 billion but demands proof of government progress.

Lawmakers also flagged inconsistencies in budget documents, with Ssemujju highlighting varying figures for the petroleum fund (Shs1.4 trillion vs. Shs1.8 trillion), domestic financing (Shs11.9 trillion vs. Shs11.2 trillion), and total resource envelope (Shs84.2 trillion vs. Shs84.5 trillion). He urged updates to reflect supplementary budgets accurately.

Isiagi Opolot affirmed that all adjustments must be incorporated into final approved figures. The Budget Committee plans to seek clarifications from the Ministry of Finance when it appears before them.

Source: Parliament of Uganda