Uganda: Government Tables Shs4.8 Trillion Supplementary Appropriation Bill

Government has tabled before Parliament the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2025, aimed at allocating up to Shs4.8 trillion to critical priorities including defence, security and infrastructure.

The Minister of State for Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (General Duties), Henry Musasizi, tabled the Bill on behalf of government during a plenary sitting chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on Thursday, 27 March 2025.

According to the breakdown, the biggest portion of the funding goes to; State House with Shs374 billion in recurrent allocations, Shs189 billion for Ministry of Defense, Shs137 billion for security, Shs16 billion for foreign missions and Shs152 billion for National Council of Sports.

National Identity and Registration Authority (NIRA) gets Shs208 billion for identity card upgrades and Shs1.2 trillion for local governments. Others are; Shs246 billion for Ministry of Energy, and Shs60 billion for Kampala Capital City Authority.

The Minister has also tabled several key tax bills aimed at enhancing revenue collection and streamlining tax administration. These include the Tax Procedures Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Excise Duty (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2025, and the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2025.

The Excise Duty (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2025, introduces revisions in tax rates for various goods and services, including cigarettes, beer, fruit juice, motor fuel, and plastic products. A key provision allows businesses to recover excise duty on damaged, expired, or obsolete goods.

Among the notable proposed changes is the tax on locally manufactured soft cap cigarettes being revised to Shs65,000 per 1,000 sticks, while imported brands will attract Shs150,000 per 1,000 sticks. The excise duty on gasoline is set at Shs1,650 per litre, while diesel will be taxed at Shs1,380 per litre. Plastic bags and sacks under specified tariff codes will attract a duty of 2.5 per cent or US$ 70 per tonne, whichever is higher.

The Tax Procedures Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to enhance tax administration by imposing stricter compliance measures and improving tax enforcement mechanisms.

“The amendments will streamline revenue collection and reduce tax evasion, ensuring that every taxpayer contributes fairly to national development,” the Bill document states.

Deputy Speaker, Tayebwa referred the various bills to the committees on Budget and Finance for scrutiny. The Committee on the Budget is expected to report back to the House on the Supplementary Appropriation Bill by 1 May 2025.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.