By KT Reporter
The Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development released funds for the second quarter of the financial year 2025/2026.
The total amount for the quarter is over 18 trillion shillings. The total amount so far released during the financial year is over 38.6 trillion shillings. The two releases represent 53.4 percent of the total annual budget of over 72. trillion shillings.
Speaking at the release, the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, Patrick Ocailap, challenged the accounting officers to ensure the timely payment of salaries, pensions, and gratuities by the 28th of every month.”Why delay payment when you have the money?” he questioned.
He advised accounting officers to abide by the Public Finance Management Act.
Ocailap warned accounting officers against committing the government without confirming that the funds are available. He also warned that those who delay payment for goods and services provided would be penalised.
He further urged against the recruitment of new staff without confirming the availability of resources for salaries.
On the procurement process, he reminded the officers that the government had banned the procurement of and payment for services in foreign currencies.
He suggested that the accounting officers convene finance committee meetings to draw priorities in line with the approved budgets for the quarter.
The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG ) wondered why local governments had not yet complied with the directive to submit their development plans.
Paskal Muhangi, who represented CSBAG, said only about 25 percent of the local governments had submitted their plans at the end of September, yet all the 176 local governments were supposed to have submitted them by March 2025.
He also questions the government’s efforts to ensure an end to the strike by teachers over salaries.
Ocailap reiterated the government’s position that the promised salary enhancements would be included in the (2026/27) budget. He advised the teachers to go back to work.
Jane Nalunga, the Executive Director at SEATINI Uganda, expressed worry about the fact that some local governments had not developed and submitted development plans.
Nalunga wondered how they were implementing the budget. She called for the expedited process so that the plans are aligned with the National Development Plan IV.
The release focused on the fourth National Development Plan pillars, with agricultural and agro-industrialisation getting UGX 320 billion, while tourism received UGX 53.65 billion to cater for the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities activities, branding and marketing.
The fourth pillar, Science, Technology, and Innovation, including creatives, was given UGX 124.25 billion for various interventions through the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, National ICT Authority of Uganda.
The mineral-based industrial development, including oil and gas, received UGX 16.64 billion under the Petroleum Authority of Uganda.
Others, referred to as the enablers of the ATMS, include defense, which was given UGX 642.8 billion, while police got UGX 261 billion.
The State House and Prisons got UGX 83.97 and 89.6 billion, respectively. The Office of the President and Internal Security operations received UGX 114 and 34.9billion respectively, while external security operations got 18.56 billion.
The Electoral Commission, now in the midst of the rising political activities, received UGX 52.7 billion, which means that the total amount budgeted for the EC has now been delivered.
A total of UGX 1.7 trillion went to infrastructure development under the Ministry of Works and Transport, representing 82 percent of the annual budget for the sector. Some of the specific activities under infrastructure include maintenance and Entebbe International Airport works.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development received UGX 361, and it will cater for rural electrification, power transmission, and generation, while Kampala Capital City Authority got a total of UGX 145 billion for development projects like roads and garbage collection. The Ministry of Kampala City and Metropolitan Affairs UGX 292 billion.
Under Human Capital Development, health received UGX 471 billion, National Medical Stores 205.4 billion, and the National Cancer and the Uganda Heart institutes received 84.85 billion.
Other allocations under this sector included national and regional referral hospitals, the National Council of Sports, and the public universities.
The ministry also prioritised the local governments, releasing a total of UGX 390.78 billion, with a call on them to execute the timely implementation of their projects.
The government continues to implement the clearance of domestic arrears, with the release of UGX 187 billion, with the balance planned to be released after completion of the ongoing valuation of arrears by the Auditor General.
Uganda Revenue Authority, under revenue generation, was given UGX 114 billion, while Uganda Registration Services Bureau, the National Citizenship and Immigration Centre the Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board received UGX 8.45 billion, UGX 61.42 billion, and UGX 3.06 billion, respectively.
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