Proposed Budget Allocation Estimates for Uganda 2016 – 2021
"Uganda’s most outstanding priorities are defense and security; without an army, one cannot have an economy." President Museveni was quoted at the closing ceremony of the 2014/2015 national consultative budget workshop at Kampala Serena Hotel conference centre held in January 2014."
From my perspective, national budget priorities should not just consider citizen’s well-being and aspirations but the country’s sustainable socio-economic development. While I agree with the president that security is key, my view is that it can’t take such a fat share of our priorities. What happens if the army must continuously guard the unemployed, uneducated, unhealthy and so on?
The Uganda Vision 2040 and the rolling five years National Development Plans (NDP) are very useful planning documents. Uganda Vision 2040 provides development paths and strategies to operationalise Uganda’s Vision Statement which is ‘’A Transformed Ugandan Society from a Peasant to a Modern and prosperous country in 30 years’’ as approved by Cabinet in 2007. For Uganda to be successfully transformed from a predominantly peasant and low-income country to a competitive middle-income country, the budget must outline a comprehensive program addressing priorities of education; health; job creation; agriculture, infrastructure; defense; security; information, research, science, technology, and innovation among others.
We propose a budget allocation that we could consider as a country as we take the step of prioritizing our budget better. Depending on the national income of a particular financial year, the percentage allocations below can be applied to the different sectors. While these percentage allocations can always be reviewed, the allocations for education; health; agriculture; and trade, job creation and industry should not be revised downwards due to their strategic importance to the economy.
For 2015/2016 FY where Uganda’s budgetary allocation is UGX 24 Trillion we give our estimates below. We also give projections for 2016/2017 FY.
| No. | Ministry | % | Budgetary Allocation for 2015/2016 In UGX | Budgetary Allocation for 2016-2017 in UGX |
| 1 | Education | 20 | 4.80 trillion | 6.0 trillion |
| 2 | Health | 16 | 3.84 trillion | 4.8 trillion |
| 3 | Agriculture, Water and Environment | 11 | 2.64 trillion | 3.3 trillion |
| 4 | Trade, Job Creation and Industry | 06 | 1.44 trillion | 1.8 trillion |
| 5 | Energy and Natural Resources | 06 | 1.44 trillion | 1.8 trillion |
| 6 | Transport and Urban Development | 06 | 1.44 trillion | 1.8 trillion |
| 7 | Defence | 05 | 1.20 trillion | 1.5 trillion |
| 8 | Security and Presidential Affairs | 05 | 1.20 trillion | 1.5 trillion |
| 9 | Internal Affairs and Regional Governments | 3.5 | 0.84 trillion | 1.05 trillion |
| 10 | Justice | 3.5 | 0.84 trillion | 1.05 trillion |
| 11 | Foreign and East African Community Affairs | 3.5 | 0.84 trillion | 1.05 trillion |
| 12 | Information, Communications and Technology | 03 | 0.72 trillion | 0.9 trillion |
| 13 | Finance and Planning | 2.5 | 0.60 trillion | 0.75 trillion |
| 14 | Public Service | 2.5 | 0.60 trillion | 0.75 trillion |
| 15 | Youth, Gender, Culture and Tourism | 1.5 | 0.36 trillion | 0.45 trillion |
| 16 | Attorney General | 0.5 | 0.12 trillion | 0.15 trillion |
| 17 | Government Chief Whip | 0.5 | 0.12 trillion | 0.15 trillion |
| 18 | Other Sectors / Miscellaneous | 04 | 0.96 trillion | 1.2 trillion |
| Total National Budget | 100% | 24.0 trillion | 30 trillion |
Currently Uganda is faced with ailing education, health, and agricultural sectors coupled with high youth unemployment. The public servants in sectors like Education and Health are also poorly remunerated. The above budgetary allocations will go a long way in ensuring that Uganda’s Education, Health and Agricultural sectors are revised. Also the above budgetary allocations will ensure steady socio-economic and human development of Uganda.
The details on Uganda’s National Budget Priorities are in Chapter three of the book "The Ideal Uganda: My perspectives" by Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba. Download a copy here.