The Ministry of Gender is seeking Shs 12.24 billion for the payment of salaries for the 17 gazetted traditional and cultural leaders, with each leader set to earn Shs 60 million per month. The Ministry argues that the allocation of Shs 1.02 billion in next year’s budget will mean each leader would earn Shs 5 million per month, which is less than what they are currently earning.
The request was made by Agnes Kunihira (Workers MP) while presenting the report on the 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper for the Ministry of Gender to the Budget Committee. MPs protested the reduction, saying it would create conflict with their kingdoms.
“Cabinet directed in 2022 that Shs 60 million be paid monthly to each of the 17 gazetted traditional cultural leaders. This was implemented in 2024/25, and this money is being paid. However, in the coming financial year, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) hasn’t provided the same amount. They have reverted back to the earlier amount of Shs 5 million per cultural leader as emoluments, amounting to only Shs 1.02 billion. So we are requesting that the money be reinstated to Shs 12.24 billion. This leaves a gap of Shs 11.4 billion,” remarked Kunihira.
“I don’t know why you raise people’s expectations and then suddenly cut them off right before elections. Could that be a ploy to make some of us unpopular with the kingdoms, especially those of us from popular kingdoms? How will I explain this, considering I sit on the Budget Committee? Now, the same Cabinet has taken the cultural leaders back to Shs 5 million,” said Alex Ruhunda (Fort Portal Central).
In April 2024, Parliament approved a request by the Ministry of Gender for Shs 31.33 billion for the payment of a monthly salary of Shs 60 million to 17 gazetted traditional leaders. An additional Shs 17.2 billion was allocated for the construction of palaces for the Iteso, Tieng Adhola, Buruli, and Rwenzururu kingdoms as per the Presidential directive.
Alex Ruhunda, the Fort Portal Central MP, has also called on the Government to regulate the number of women leaving Uganda for the Middle East, stating that the exodus has left the country depleted, with men now struggling to find wives.
He made this controversial appeal during the consideration of the 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper for the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development by Parliament’s Budget Committee.
“There was concern about the exodus of our girls, especially here in the Buganda region, to the Middle East. The young men are finding it very difficult to marry; they can’t find women to marry because the majority are being taken out. So, when you talk about regulation, are we really saying that as long as there is demand, we can empty our country and leave the social problems behind? Or should there be a mechanism to regulate this kind of traffic?” said Ruhunda.