By KT Reporter
The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has launched the National Public Investment Management (NPIM) Policy, aimed at ensuring value for money for all public funds.
It is billed as an important milestone in transforming how Uganda plans, implements, and monitors public investments.
During the launch of the national budget month for Financial Year 2025/26, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija said the Government had continued to undertake deliberate reforms to strengthen good governance and inclusivity in the national budget processes.
According to him, a responsive budget process, is one that leaves no one behind, and is therefore fundamental in building a just and equitable society, especially creating jobs for younger persons.
It is for this reason, that all the government ministries, departments and agencies are directed to work within this NPIM Policy to ensure maximum benefit from all public funds invested, transforming how Uganda plans, implements, and monitors public investments.
He was launching the Budget Month for the 2025/2026 budget cycle, where he said that the national budget month is a vital platform for bringing the budget closer to the people, adding that it provides space for dialogue on national priorities and citizen concerns.
“It’s an opportunity for all stakeholders to better understand what the approved budget entails and how it will impact their lives,” said the Minister.
Kasaija acknowledged that the country was borrowing a lot to fund its objectives, but blamed it on the low tax mobilization levels, adding that no one was interested in borrowing.
Kasaija also implored government officials to ensure that all plans are implemented as planned, observe transparency and monitor the progress of all programmes, if the country is to achieve the 500-Billion-Dollar economy target by 2040.
“As we embark on the implementation of the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), our ambition is to grow Uganda’s economy from USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion in the next 15 years.
Achieving this will require better planning, efficient use of public resources, and timely delivery of high-impact projects,” said the Minister.
Patrick Ocailap, the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, said Government remained committed to the fiscal consolidation agenda by sustaining the drive for increasing revenue generation, limiting borrowing to only critical investments and ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in use of the limited public resources.
He said during the budget month the Ministry and its partners will provide full disclosure of the budget; communicate the opportunities in it and how every Ugandan can benefit from them; account to the citizens on the previous budget commitments and also obtain feedback for future budgets and policies.
He applauded the collaboration with Civil Society Organisations since 2018 to date to promote budget transparency and accountability.
Ocailap also reiterated the commitment by the ministry to clear all arrears in the midterm, saying that next financial year, 1.4 Trillion Shillings would go towards this cause and continuing with the fiscal consolidation.
On the revenue collections, Uganda Revenue Authority said many times the tax body fails to meet the targets because they are usually beyond the capacity, on top of sometimes economic shocks.
Representing the URA Commissioner General, John Musinguzi, Commissioner Abel Kagumire said the national ambition was to fully fund the budget using domestic resources, adding that this was how Uganda would reduce dependence, regain policy space, and take ownership of its development journey.
“This ambition is not for government alone. It requires the full participation of every eligible citizen. It calls for tax compliance, civic vigilance, and a renewed sense of shared responsibility,” said Kagumire.
In the next financial year, URA has a collection target of 36.71 Trillion Shillings, up from 31.37 trillion projected for the current financial year.
“There has been a challenge of the budget being more than what we collect at URA,” said Kagumire, adding, “But we want to assure you that the targets that you will set for us, looking at the strategy we have set for up to 2030, the equipment, the tools and the automation that we have put in place, will enable us meet that target”.
The Civil Society in a joint Statement delivered by the Executive Director, Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group, Julius Mukunda, commended, the government for the Public Investment Management Policy.
They, however, called upon the Government to prioritize financing to ATMS and local governments in addition to limiting domestic borrowing and ensuring that the private sector is effective-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
