Politics 13 March 2026 Parliament of Uganda
Parliament Queries Lands Ministry's Unauthorised Shs950M Spend on Hoima Refinery Master Plan
Uganda's Public Accounts Committee has scrutinised the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development over its Shs950 million expenditure on the Hoima Oil Refinery proximity area master plan without parliamentary approval. MPs highlighted transparency issues, domestic arrears exceeding Shs401 billion, and violations of procurement rules during a meeting with ministry officials. Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/news/4289/lands-ministry-expenditure-shs950-million-master-plan-unauthorised
The Public Accounts Committee (Central Government), chaired by Hon. Gorreth Namugga, questioned Lands Ministry officials led by Permanent Secretary Dorcas Okalany on March 3, 2026. The session reviewed the Auditor General’s report for the 2024/2025 financial year.
Lawmakers flagged the ministry’s multi-year contract worth Shs950 million for the Hoima Oil Refinery proximity master plan, which lacked parliamentary authorisation. This breach risks accumulating domestic arrears when funds are insufficient, as noted in the audit.
Ministry representatives could not specify the full contract value, fueling concerns over accountability. The master plan aims to regulate urban growth near the refinery, but MPs stressed compliance with financial procedures.
Officials admitted the ministry faces over Shs401 billion in domestic arrears, leading to litigation from unpaid suppliers. Namugga criticised the government’s inaction on arrears clearance and urged the Finance Ministry to allocate funds, while proposing surcharges on negligent officers.
Kalungu West MP Hon. Joseph Ssewungu demanded proof of authorisation and highlighted irregular Shs2 billion spending out of Shs14 billion procurements, bypassing the Electronic Government Procurement system.
Commissioner for Physical Planning Emmanuel Kaganzi explained delays by the contractor shifted payments to the next year, classifying them as arrears.