Minister Matia Kasaija Launching the National Budget Month at Media Centre
By George Bukenya
As government launches the FY 2025/2026 National Budget month, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have punched holes in the different allocations with the Budget criticizing what they say its little amount allocated to the Agricultural Sector and Human Capital Development.
Apart from Governance and Security, the above two areas according to the CSOs should also have been taken as priority sectors which ought to have received a better national budget allocation.
Government plans to commit a significant portion of UGX 4.88 trillion and 1.4 trillion on External Debt repayment and Domestic Arrears respectively. While the agricultural was allocated only 2.68 trillion far below 10% recommended by the Maputo Declaration and Industrialization got 2.2 trillion
Transport Infrastructures, Governance and Security took the lion’s share of the Shs 72.37 trillion National Budget for the FY 2025/2026.
Herbert Kafeero the programs manager of South and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiation Institute (SEATINI) Uganda in his analysis of the whole Budget said that he is surprised because government plan to raise 37.2 trillion from taxes and non tax sources but out of this 27.58 trillion will committed on debt servicing and only 10 trillion is left for recurrent expenditures.
Although the Standard Gauge Railway line project has delayed, Kafeero commended government for the efforts geared towards commencing the project using low interest rate financing.
He also called on government to enhance the Parish Development Model (PDM) financing saying the 30 million advance to a SACCO of 30 people is still little and can’t do much to uplift the incomes of individuals.
The Minister of Finance Planning and Economic Development Matia Kasaija while launching National Budget month of FY 2025/2026 at Uganda Media Centre on Thursday 29,May, said that the program is geared towards popularizing the ten-fold growth of the economy strategy and the fiscal consolidation agenda for effective uptake and support of the associated reforms.
Kasaija also implored Citizens to embrace paying of taxes if they want better services and put government to task to account for the funds it raises from taxes and non-tax sources.
‘’ We are aiming at popularizing the budget for FY 2025/2026 for the citizens to appreciate the opportunities therein; prepare to exploit them for wealth creation and social economic transformation and hold government accountable during imp
The Executive Director of ACODE Uganda Dr. Arthur Bainomugisha criticized the budget plan because it has not allocated funds for fighting Corruption yet it’s a serious cancer that have to large extent jeopardized development.