Politics 17 April 2026 Parliament of Uganda
MPs Probe Shs30 Billion Operational Costs in SAGE Program
Uganda's Budget Committee has flagged high operational expenses totaling Shs30 billion in the SAGE program, which delivers monthly cash aid to over one million elderly citizens. During parliamentary scrutiny on April 17, 2026, MPs challenged the spending breakdown while the Gender Committee defended the allocations amid calls for better integration and updated data. Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/news/4406/mps-question-shs30-bn-sage-operational-costs
Uganda’s Budget Committee expressed alarm over elevated operational costs in the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) initiative, amounting to around Shs30 billion. SAGE offers Shs25,000 monthly to more than one million seniors nationwide.
The debate unfolded on Friday, April 17, 2026, as lawmakers reviewed committee reports. Hon. Agnes Kunihira, head of the Gender, Labour, and Social Development Committee, justified the budget requests. She noted that full coverage demands Shs373.36 billion yearly, but the government allocates only Shs121 billion, creating a massive shortfall.
Shema Municipality MP Hon. Dicksons Kateshumbwa highlighted the discrepancy: beneficiary payouts total roughly Shs94 billion against Shs121 billion provided, questioning the extra funds’ use. Kunihira clarified these cover ministry operations like mobilization, payments, and fieldwork.
Hon. Maximus Ochai (West Budama County North) pushed for merging SAGE admin costs into the ministry’s core budget to curb inflation from separate systems. Kira Municipality’s Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju criticized static beneficiary figures of 316,000, unchanged annually, and called for fresh registration data.
Kunihira maintained the setup’s necessity but welcomed deeper review, confident ministry experts could address queries. MPs endorsed dropping SAGE eligibility to 65 years for broader reach, though Ssemujju noted many at that age remain productive.
Further examination of SAGE funding awaits as Parliament assesses the ministry’s allocations.
Source: Parliament of Uganda