The Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) has questioned officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over Shs1.3 billion paid to officials at seven of Uganda’s mission abroad for travel within their countries of posting at rates for travel abroad.
The query was raised during a meeting of the committee chaired by Hon. Patrick Oshabe on Wednesday, 02 September 2026. MPs wondered why officials travelling locally within their countries of posting were paid rates intended for foreign travel.
The Permanent Secretary, Vincent Bagiire said the ministry had sought guidance from the Ministry of Public Service arguing that applying Uganda’s domestic travel rates to major cities abroad was impractical.
“We did write to the Ministry of Public Service to approve rates of travel abroad for capitals such as Washington, D.C.,” Bagiire said.
He said Uganda’s domestic rates would not adequately cover the costs incurred by officials travelling between cities in countries such as the United States.
“It is not practical for us to say we shall use the local travel rates,” he said citing travel from Washington to cities such as Seattle where he added that accommodation and other costs exceed Uganda’s domestic rates.
Bagiire however, noted that the Ministry of Public Service has not responded to their request.
Oshabe directed the ministry to provide documentary evidence that it had formally sought clearance to use the foreign travel rates.
The committee also scrutinised the ministry’s handling of domestic arrears and discrepancies in its financial records.
Samia Bugwe Central County MP, Hon. Richard Wanyama questioned why the Ministry of Defence had made a payment to international organisations on behalf of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Defence paid US$2.76 million towards Uganda’s obligations to the African Union.
Bagiire said the payment was necessary because of Uganda’s participation in the African Union Commission Summit and the ministry’s outstanding obligations.
He said they thought attempts to get a supplementary would delay and that’s how funds came in from defence.
“These international organisations are very critical to the country’s foreign policy framework,” he said.
The committee was also informed that the ministry requires over Shs25 billion annually to meet its subscriptions to international organisations and prevent the accumulation of arrears.
Elgon County MP, Hon. Wamakuyu Mudiimi noted that while the ministry’s financial statements reported Shs81 billion in contributions to international organisations, the Board of Survey indicated Shs83 billion.
The ministry’s Head of Accounts, Mubaraka Nsambas, attributed the difference to verification of the figures.
“The figure we captured in the financial statements is what was verified. What is in the Board of Survey was not verified,” Nsambas said.
The explanation prompted further scrutiny from MPs and the Auditor General’s representative, who told the committee that the Board of Survey was prepared by the Accountant General in collaboration with the ministry.
The post MPs probe use of foreign travel rates for inland trips appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.