While touring Busoga in eastern Uganda in 2013, President Yoweri Museveni shocked the country when he hauled a sack of money containing Ush250 million ($74,911), from the boot of one of his vehicles, and handed it to the youth as his contribution to their development initiatives.

The incident drew criticism from both the public and the opposition, who termed the veteran leader’s gesture unpresidential, given that most of these cash donations were not catered for in the national budget, and violated principles of accountability.

Fast forward to August 2016, and President Museveni is in a giving mood again. The president, who is in the first year of his fifth elective term in office, which he has dubbed “kisanja hakuna mchezo,” has handed cash envelops to among others, vendors at an illegal roadside market, a union of medical workers and churches.

Within the first three months in office, the president had handed out cash and made pledges worth over Ush6 billion ($1.79 million) for various initiatives. But critics say his gesture will put a strain on government coffers, amid huge revenue shortfalls.

“These donations are a form of indiscipline because they are not in line with the national budget. The indiscipline is both ways because the demands from the electorate keep multiplying. But the president must allow government agencies to address these demands if they are in the budget,” said legislator Odonga Otto, who was chairman of the the Parliamentary Government Assurances Committee in the Ninth Parliament.

In 2013, the committee compiled a list of pledges that the president had made in 10 years — totalling 6,800 and worth Ush11.8 trillion ($3.49 billion) — which amounted to 80 per cent of the country’s budget.

“If the president is going to spend 80 per cent of the budget on donations that are not factored into the budget, it means the government will not function,” Mr Otto argued.

The Uganda Revenue Authority announced a revenue shortfall of Ush404.54 billion ($119.9 million) for the financial year 2015/16, the largest deficit recorded in the past five years. The tax body collected Ush11.231 trillion ($3.32 billion).

Further, critics say that handing out cash may compromise President Museveni’s ability to address the poor service delivery, In the health and education sectors — part of his campaign pledges in the run-up to the February 18 polls.

Early this month, while meeting the Uganda Medical Association, he rejected the group’s demand for a pay rise, instead offering Ush5 billion ($1.5 million), and promised to give them land on which to build a house for their savings and credit co-operative society.

Within the first 100 days of his term, non-teaching staff in public universities staged a strike over unmet promises of salary increments and arrears amounting to Ush41 billion ($12.3 million).

Recently, the president directed the Ministry of Finance to enhance the salaries of striking staff and pay all their arrears by channelling Ush13 billion ($3.9 million) that was meant to cater for arrears needed to start three new public universities.

Opposition politicians argue that President Museveni uses these random pledges to buy time and maintain support in areas where his party is weak, as most of his campaign promises have not been fulfilled. They cite Kaguta Bridge in Lira District, which the locals named after the president, attracting his attention. While he promised to rehabilitate it, he is yet to make good on his word.