Members of Parliament on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have urged the State House to streamline its activities, focusing strictly on its primary role of supporting the Presidency. This call for rationalisation emerged during an interface with State House officials, who were summoned to address concerns highlighted in the December 2023 Auditor General’s report.
The lawmakers voiced their displeasure with the State House’s participation in many initiatives that conflict with the duties of other governmental organisations. The Members of Parliament questioned the State House’s involvement in programmes for youth skill development, agricultural mechanisation, and muchaka muchaka training—tasks that are typically handled by specialised ministries and organisations.
The head of the PAC and a member of Butambala County, Muwanga Kivumbi, expressed disapproval of the duplication of government functions. He cited examples where the State House duplicated government efforts by establishing hubs and buying equipment intended for technical institutions. “After calling the caucus, President Museveni delivered a speech emphasising that rationalisation must begin at home. Kivumbi said, “He runs things smartly, skins his State House to its core mandate, and rationalises it.” He raised additional concerns about the legitimacy of the credentials granted under the Muchaka Muchaka programme, highlighting the absence of a standardised curriculum.
These opinions were also expressed by Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimire. He underlined that the President and his personal family’s well-being should come first at the State House, not programmes related to agriculture, education, or health. Tinkasimire said, “If you start being everywhere, you are going to be nowhere.”
State House Comptroller Jane Barekye responded by defending the organization’s range of initiatives. She maintained that the goal of any project run by the State House is to make it easier for the President to carry out his constitutional obligations. “My job is to make it easier for the President to carry out his constitutionally mandated tasks. Barekye said, “All I am doing is helping him; I am not training the youths under the President’s house; they are in the districts and throughout the regions.” She emphasised that the President decided to move forward with these projects to provide comprehensive services to Ugandans.
The PAC also brought up concerns about the State House’s financial management. The failure to collect Shs120 million in revenue in the 2022–2023 fiscal year was questioned by MPs. Even with Shs835 billion for its operations, the State House failed to generate the expected amount of money. Barekye clarified that by the end of the fiscal year, the anticipated Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) from the sale of bid documents, agricultural produce, and asset disposal had not been realised. No NTR collections were made as a result.
The examination of the PAC and its recommendations that followed draw attention to a larger problem of overlapping roles in government agencies. The legislators hope to increase efficiency and decrease resource waste by pressuring the State House to concentrate on its primary mission. President Museveni’s rationalisation plan aims to reduce red tape in government operations by making sure that every agency fulfils its assigned responsibilities without needless overlap.
In order to guarantee that the State House and other institutions function under their established mandates, this session emphasises the necessity of a clear division of duties among government bodies. The adoption of these ideas will be essential to developing a more focused and efficient government structure as the rationalisation debate progresses.
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