By Jimmy Muhumuza
Parliament
This is as the ministry led by minister Tom Butime and state minister Martin Magara has been appearing before the parliament’s committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry to table the budget framework paper for the next financial year 2023/2024.
The permanent secretary of the Doreen Katusiime has informed the committee that their budget has been reduced from 195 billion in this financial year to 89.2 billion shillings in the next financial year.
Katusiime says that the budget cuts are going to affect the payment of salaries of 3450 staff in the different agencies under the ministry and also affect other activities like marketing and promotion of 80 billion shillings.
Katusiime also says that the budget cuts will affect infrastructure, product development, and conservation which requires 289bn, regulation, and skills development requires 57.2 billion shillings, and asked the committee to assist them to ensure the budget is reinstated.
The executive director of the Uganda Tourism Board Lily Ajarova has informed the committee that in the next financial year, they have been given 4.3 billion shillings which she says is too little as it can’t cover their wage bill of 4.4 billion shillings.
She says that the money in the BFP will not enable them to pay for rent and perform their core function of marketing the country.
The executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority Sam Mwandha informed the committee that in the BFP they have received 21.3 billion shillings and say that the money can’t meet their wage bill of 56 billion.
He says with the projected funding they will not be able to do any activities to conserve the wildlife or set up accommodations for the staff, and says that wildlife rangers are likely to turn into poachers after they have been laid off.
Finance Manager at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre David Kasumba informed MPs that they have been allocated 1.9 billion shillings and said that the funds can’t meet their wage bill of 3.7 billion shillings or meet the cost of feeding animals at 2.5 billion shillings.
The chairperson of the committee Mwine Mpaka informed the agency that they are likely to become food for the animals at this rate.
Elijah Mushemeza urged the MPs to ensure that they assist the agencies to ensure the money is included in the budget.
The Kaberamaido county mp Alfred Edakasi noted that he was frustrated with what he was seeing and noted that the government is operating like a drunkard
