Overview:
The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggoobi, exposed deep-rooted corruption risks within the budget process itself. He noted that the Ministry had identified troubling “budget games” being played by some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The government has issued a stern warning to all public sector Accounting Officers against budget manipulation, corruption, and financial indiscipline as it prepares to implement the FY2025/26 national budget.
During a high-level meeting held at Speke Resort Munyonyo, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development convened Accounting Officers from Central Government ministries, Local Governments, Uganda’s Missions Abroad, Regional Referral Hospitals, and Public Universities to align them on budget execution priorities.
The meeting was chaired by Lucy Nakyobe, Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, who emphasized that officers must uphold discipline, integrity, efficiency, accountability, and transparency in all government operations.
“You must deliver services equitably and on time. Guard against committing government without adequate resources. There must be zero tolerance for the creation of domestic arrears. Do not commit beyond cash limits,” Nakyobe said.
She also called on Accounting Officers to accelerate project implementation, streamline procurement processes, and publish service delivery standards to improve citizen trust in government.
The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggoobi, exposed deep-rooted corruption risks within the budget process itself. He noted that the Ministry had identified troubling “budget games” being played by some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Among the games flagged:
- “Padding Play” — where MDAs request more funds than needed.
- “Crisis Card” — where agencies raise alarmist claims of catastrophic consequences if additional resources aren’t allocated.
“These games are a gateway to corruption. Procurement officers, HR officers, and accountants are particularly under scrutiny. Budget Analysts at MoFPED have now been tasked to deepen budget analysis and root out these practices,” Ggoobi said.
Local Government representatives raised concerns over poor coordination with central ministries, delays in service delivery, and a shortage of wage allocations necessary to recruit additional staff.
This meeting comes at a critical time as government ramps up implementation of a Shs72 trillion budget for FY2025/26, with public scrutiny intensifying over value for money, service delivery bottlenecks, and persistent arrears.
As Uganda’s public finance watchdog intensifies its oversight, Accounting Officers have been put on notice: deliver results or risk sanctions.