As parliamentary spending rises alongside public debt, questions are growing over whether Uganda’s legislature delivers economic value proportional to its cost.
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As Uganda’s national budget balloons amid rising debt, inflationary pressures and persistent public service shortages, scrutiny is increasingly turning toward the institution mandated to protect the taxpayer: the Parliament of Uganda itself.
The debate has intensified following the swearing-in of Speaker Jacob Oboth Oboth and his deputy in the newly constituted 12th Parliament, at a time when many Ugandans are questioning whether Parliament’s growing expenditure translates into meaningful economic returns for citizens.
In his maiden speech this week, Oboth-Oboth pledged “a corruption-free, transparent and accountable Parliament,” while promising stronger oversight of government spending and “results-driven legislation and budgeting.”
His remarks appeared aimed at addressing growing public dissatisfaction over the perception that Parliament has increasingly become associated with high consumption expenditure rather than transformative lawmaking.
The Rising Cost to Tax Payers
Uganda’s national budget has expanded sharply in recent years. Parliament approved a Shs72.4 trillion budget for FY2025/26 before endorsing an even larger Shs84.3 trillion expenditure plan for FY2026/27.
Yet as overall public spending rises, so too has criticism of Parliament’s own operational costs — including MPs’ allowances, foreign travel, committee facilitation, vehicle allocations and supplementary budget approvals.
National Budget Growth
| Financial Year | National Budget |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | ~Shs52 trillion |
| 2024/25 | ~Shs72.1 trillion |
| 2025/26 | Shs72.4 trillion |
| 2026/27 | Shs84.3 trillion |
For every Shs100 collected by government through taxes and borrowing, an increasing portion is now consumed by debt servicing, administration and recurrent expenditure before reaching hospitals, schools, roads or agriculture.
Parliament bears a significant responsibility because it approves supplementary budgets and expenditure reallocations that shape national priorities.
In March this year, government sought an additional Shs6 trillion supplementary budget, which Parliament processed amid concerns over expanding fiscal pressure.
Meanwhile, Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee recently grilled finance officials over domestic arrears now estimated at Shs9.6 trillion — a debt burden owed to suppliers and contractors across the economy.
Productivity Per Shilling
The central question remains: what measurable economic value does Parliament deliver for the taxpayer?
Supporters argue Parliament performs critical constitutional functions including:Passing laws,Budget scrutiny, Executive oversight, Representation and Public accountability.
Recent legislation such as amendments in financial regulation, microfinance oversight and trade-related laws have supported broader economic governance.
However, critics contend many parliamentary outputs generate limited direct economic productivity relative to cost.
Several bills passed over recent years have been politically contentious but economically ambiguous in value creation. Others have imposed administrative costs without clear evidence of improved household welfare, investment growth or employment generation.
Economists and governance observers have increasingly questioned whether Uganda’s legislative process sufficiently prioritises:Private sector growth, Tax efficiency, Debt sustainability, Industrialisation and Public expenditure discipline.
Instead, parliamentary debates are frequently dominated by supplementary appropriations, political disputes and recurrent expenditure approvals.
Oversight or Rubber Stamp?
One of Parliament’s most important economic functions is oversight of public finance.
Yet Uganda’s public debt continues to rise while supplementary budgets have become routine. This is as Uganda plans significant domestic borrowing even as it attempts to contain debt pressures ahead of expected oil revenues.
Critics argue Parliament often approves large expenditure requests with insufficient scrutiny, reducing its effectiveness as a guardian of the public purse.
The issue has become politically sensitive because many Ugandans compare parliamentary expenditure against struggling public services.
For example, one high-level parliamentary retreat can cost billions of shillings, some regional referral hospitals continue to face medicine shortages, public schools remain understaffed and Local governments struggle with delayed funding.
This growing disconnect has fueled public frustration over what citizens describe as “high-cost governance.”
A test for the New Leadership
Oboth-Oboth’s early rhetoric suggests awareness of the institution’s credibility problem.
“The Speaker’s chair is not a throne,” he said in remarks interpreted as a signal toward institutional reform and tighter accountability.
Whether the 12th Parliament can reverse public skepticism may ultimately depend not on speeches, but on measurable fiscal discipline and economically impactful legislation.