parliament 28 September 2026 Parliament of Uganda
Ministry of Local Government Officials Falter Under MP Scrutiny
Officials from the Ministry of Local Government were dismissed by the Public Accounts Committee after failing to provide satisfactory answers to basic audit queries regarding budget overspending and non-tax revenue transfers. Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/index.php/news/4633/local-government-ministry-officials-fail-answer-mps-queries
Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC-Central Government) expressed significant frustration on Monday, September 28, 2026, as officials from the Ministry of Local Government proved unable to address straightforward audit questions. The committee, chaired by Hon. Patrick Oshabe, had summoned the ministry’s representatives, led by Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya, to discuss findings from the Auditor General’s Report for the fiscal year 2024/2025.
At the heart of the committee’s concerns was a reported expenditure exceeding the ministry’s allocated budget. The Auditor General’s report indicated that the ministry spent Shs13 billion against a received Shs12 billion, raising immediate questions about the source of the additional Shs1 billion.
Further scrutiny focused on a Shs7.5 million charge incurred during the transfer of Shs56 million in non-tax revenue to the Consolidated Fund. MPs deemed this query relatively simple, yet the ministry officials, including a senior accountant, could not provide a clear explanation.
“How can we proceed when you have failed the easiest questions?” questioned Hon. Oshabe, emphasizing the lack of preparedness. He described the situation as regrettable and warned that future appearances would be more public if accountability does not improve. The committee stressed the importance of accounting officers being ready to defend their budgets and expenditures.
In response to the lack of preparedness, Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya explained that a key official familiar with the financial details was on leave and requested more time to compile accurate responses. The committee, however, dismissed the officials, directing them to return with the relevant project heads and other knowledgeable staff to account for the questioned expenditures. MPs voiced disappointment, particularly given the ministry’s political leadership’s public stance against corruption.