The heated debate in the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday highlighted serious concerns about financial management within the Ministry of Finance, specifically directed towards Permanent Secretary Ramathan Ggoobi.

Following the release of the 2023/25 Auditor General’s report, the committee raised alarm over substantial financial irregularities, including the unexplained expenditure of 1.6 trillion shillings from a budget of 47.1 trillion.

Further complicating the situation, there are invoices totaling 11 trillion shillings that have not been accounted for, which has sparked profound worries regarding transparency and accountability in the execution of the national budget.

In addition, the committee noted the misuse of 3% of supplementary funds, which had not received the necessary parliamentary approval as stipulated under the Public Finance Management Act.

This action was viewed as a direct violation of legal protocols and indicative of broader institutional indiscipline.

Chaired by Muwanga Kivumbi, the committee’s members underscored that the Ministry’s actions not only contravened financial governance norms but also set a concerning precedent by overspending under the provision of the 3% contingency funds.

In response, Ggoobi defended the Ministry’s actions, arguing that some financial decisions were made in response to urgent unforeseen circumstances, including the deaths of prominent public figures, which necessitated swift action to ensure the continuity of government operations and ceremonies.

Despite his explanations, the committee’s dissatisfaction with the ministry’s approach was evident, raising important questions about the need for stricter adherence to budgetary processes and greater accountability in government spending.

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