Museveni signs Appropriation Bill into law

President Museveni has signed the Appropriation Act, 2024 into law, two days after parliament bowed to his directive for reinstatement of Shs750billion reallocated in the FY2024-25 budget, the presidency has said.

"H.E Kaguta Museveni has this evening signed into law the Appropriation Act, 2024(Reconsidered)," Senior Presidential Press Secretary Sandor Lyle said on X, formerly Twitter. 

The newly signed legislation indicates the amount of money to be spent by each government ministry, department and local government.

The law, among other things, authorizes withdrawal of funds from the Consolidated Fund by government authorities.

Before the Bill was reconsidered -with the reinstatement- by parliament on Tuesday, the Ugandan leader had declined to assent, accusing lawmakers of sabotaging government priorities by reallocating funds from key areas.

“There are three mistakes involved here. These are indiscipline in budgeting, sabotaging the national priorities and now the suspicion of massive corruption. I am, therefore, writing to request that this practice stops accordingly,” Museveni wrote in a June 22 letter. 

He added: "I decline to assent to Appropriation Bill 2024 and return it to Parliament and request that no reshuffling of the Budget should ever happen again without an input of the Executive." 

While reconsidering the law, the House counter-accused the Executive of trying to usurp its powers, which Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja rebutted. 

“I want Members [of Parliament] to appreciate that the President respects this House. That is why he sent back this Bill for reconsideration. If he was not respecting us, he has other options, he can warrant. But he decided to bring it back because he respects this House,” she said.