The National Budget for the 2026/27 financial year has been revised to Shs84.39 trillion following a last-minute adjustment presented by the Minister of State for Finance for General Duties, Henry Musasizi.
The revised figure marks an increase from the earlier Shs84.2 trillion, after government introduced an additional Shs97 billion through a formal corrigendum aimed at correcting budgeting errors identified across various government entities.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the bulk of the budget will be financed through domestic revenue projected at Shs57.84 trillion.
This will be supplemented by Shs13.97 trillion in domestic debt refinancing and Shs11.97 trillion in domestic borrowing.
Additional inflows are expected from Shs1.44 trillion in petroleum revenues and Shs 10 billion from local government collections.
Musasizi explained that the adjustment was necessary to realign allocations with urgent national priorities after discrepancies emerged during the planning phase.
The corrigendum effectively reshuffles funds across sectors ahead of the final approval of the budget estimates.
Among the key changes is a decision by the Office of the Prime Minister to redirect Shs20 billion that had initially been earmarked for flood compensation in Kampala.
At the same time, additional funding has been allocated to infrastructure and national events, including Shs1.2 billion for road maintenance and Shs4.2 billion to facilitate the coordination of Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations.
The Ministry also trimmed Shs 400 million from staff allowances to address administrative gaps and strengthen internal planning functions.
However, the revisions have drawn criticism from some legislators, who argue that such changes undermine the integrity of the budget process.
Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda questioned the timing and substance of the corrigendum, saying it effectively invalidates the previously issued certificate of compliance.
Ssemujju also raised concerns about inflated expenditure lines in some government departments, particularly on routine items such as printing and stationery.
Despite the pushback, the government has defended the revisions as routine and necessary.
MP Paul Omara argued that the changes are not fundamental alterations but rather a practical effort to ensure the budget remains accurate and responsive to current economic realities.
The revised estimates are expected to be tabled and passed by Parliament later this week.
