Soroti | The Soroti City West Division Member of Parliament has expressed disappointment with President Yoweri Museveni’s NRM government for allegedly passing the budget for the fiscal year 2024/2025.
According to Ebwalu, the national budget has ignored the majority of the Teso subregion’s key development projects.
Ebwalu adds that the recently passed budget does not include funds for cattle compensation for Teso war claimants, the upgrade of Soroti Regional Hospital, or the upgrade of Soroti Flying School.
“There is no money even as we expected to elevate Soroti Flying School to an International airport. There is no money for the elevation of Soroti Referral Hospital which is the hub of Teso to a National referral hospital and a teaching hospital,” the FDC MP observes.
According to Ebwalu, despite the fact that the above-mentioned projects were recommended by sectoral committees, the government discarded them, resulting in a budget that is a bad deal for Teso.
On Friday, April 12, the controversial legislator threatened to boycott the budget vote unless funds for Teso war victims’ compensation were allocated.
When asked why he did not raise his concerns and participate in budgetary allocation as an MP who sits and appropriate resources, he stated that “I was overpowered because numbers matter and work in Parliament.”
Parliament recently approved a total budget of shs72 trillion, with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) providing the majority of the funding.
The tax collector is expected to collect shs 31.9 trillion. The country expects donations from friends, with the remaining funds estimated at shs40.1 trillion coming from borrowing and loans.
The budget has seen the allocation of funds for expenditure. Loan repayment is shs34 trillion, while salaries and wages are shs8 trillion.
Meanwhile, the Auditor General and the World Bank report that shs10 trillion was lost due to corruption.
The total expenditure comes to shs52 trillion, leaving only shs20 trillion for capital development and service delivery.
The budget also has an impact on key sectors, with cuts in education, health, and agriculture.
The education budget has decreased from 10.4% to 9.6%, health from 5.9% to 5.1%, and agriculture from 4.4% to 3.6%.
Ebwalu urges the people of the region, regardless of party or religion, to completely reject the NRM government because they cannot continue to support a government that does not care about its citizens.
“I therefore want to call on our people in the region, regardless of the party you support or the religion you subscribe to, to come together and completely reject the NRM government because there is no way we will continue to support such a government that does not care about us.
“That is what I have called you to share with you, and I must emphasise that Mr. Museveni’s current position is gambling with our country’s future,” he tells tndNews.
By Robert Edwomu
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