URA Commissioner General John R. Musinguzi joined the officials from the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development and Civil Society Organizations to launch the National Budget Month prior to the reading of the 2024/25 financial budget.

This initiative is being conducted under the theme: “full monetization of the Ugandan economy through commercial agriculture, industrialization, expanding and broadening services, digital transformation, and market access.”

Speaking at the launch, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggobbi revealed that the objective of the budget month engagements is to provide comprehensive disclosure of the budget content in simple and diverse languages, be accountable to the people of Uganda for past commitments made in the budget, and obtain feedback from citizens to inform future budget and policies.

The PSST also highlighted budget priorities such as investing in capacity building of human resource, peace, and security, construction of the standard gauge railway, wealth creation initiatives, and maintenance of existing infrastructure, among others, to support key strategies aimed at boosting the economy.

Minister of State and Privatization, Evelyn Anite, while representing the Minister of Finance, emphasized the need for revenue mobilization and urged civil societies to speak out against corruption.

“Government policies are aimed at improving the well-being of citizens, and it is important to ensure governance throughout the budget to address the needs of the citizens.” Anite said

Notably, the involvement of civil society organizations in the assessment of the budget process is vital for bringing the budget process closer to Ugandans to facilitate meaningful dialogue.

By Irene Kabakama