President Museveni signs the Appropriation Act 2024 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.

Last week, President Museveni declined to assent to the Bill accusing the MPs of altering his government’s priorities by reallocating Shs 750 billion.

On Tuesday, amid controversy, Members of Parliament in spite of resistance amended the Bill to take care of the President’s interests.

A statement from the Presidential Press Unit, notes that Museveni has signed the bill.

 “PPU wishes to inform the general public that the President…has signed the Appropriation Bill, 2024 (reconsidered) into law. The President assented to the bill today, Thursday, 4th July 2024,” the short statement reads.

There were worries that the country had entered a new financial year that began on July 1 without an approved budget.

In the 2024/2025 Budget passed earlier, legislators had allocated the Shs750 billion to areas that they described as critical to include among others procurement of ambulances, maintenance of bridges, construction of sub-county headquarters and support to families with income generating projects among others.

At a sitting of the House on Tuesday, 02 July 2024, the Speaker Anita Among read the President’s letter which highlighted the reasons for his rejection of the bill.   

Museveni cited what he described as indiscipline in budgeting, sabotage of national priorities and corruption among lawmakers.