CSOs Urge Govt to Cut Wasteful Expenditures in 2025/2026 Budget
We believe the government can find a way to allocate resources more effectively, ensuring that critical services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure are adequately funded
Civil society actors are calling on the Ugandan government to eliminate wasteful and unproductive expenditures from the 2025/2026 budget, as it nears its final stages of approval.
The proposal for a Shs 57.4 trillionbudget has raised concerns about inefficiencies in spending.
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Julius Mukunda, Executive Director of the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), highlighted that while the Ministry of Finance has reduced the budget from 72.1 trillion shillings in the current financial year to 57.4 trillion for the upcoming one, further cuts can still be made. Mukunda suggests that the government could repurpose up to 2 trillion shillings for essential service delivery.
"We believe the government can find a way to allocate resources more effectively, ensuring that critical services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure are adequately funded," Mukunda stated.
Among the most concerning expenditures in the proposed budget are costs for *Postage and Courier Services* (Shs 2.75 billion ), Recruitment Expenses (Shs 12.90 billion ), Special Meals and Drinks(Shs 29.83 ), Light Vehicle Acquisition (Shs 56.10 billion ), Advertising and Public Relations (Shs 78.55 billion ), Welfare and Entertainment (Shs 136 billion ), Workshops, Seminars, and Meetings (Shs237.02 billion ), and Inland Travel (Shs 761.51 billion ). All these expenditures total Shs 2 trillion , which CSOs argue should be redirected.
Angella Nabwowe, Executive Director of the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER), emphasised the need for these funds to be channeled into sectors that directly impact Ugandans' well-being.
"The money that is being spent on these non-essential items could instead be used to strengthen our healthcare system, improve education, and create more job opportunities for the youth," Nabwowe remarked.
Private sector leaders also joined the conversation, with Thadeus Nagenda Musoke, Chairman of the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), calling for better tax efficiency and deeper policy engagement to alleviate liquidity challenges faced by traders.
In response, David Okwi, Senior Economist at the Ministry of Finance, assured that the government is committed to addressing inefficiencies through its tenfold growth strategy and working to close existing gaps to ensure that the proposed budget delivers value for the citizens of Uganda.
"Our focus remains on ensuring that every shilling is accounted for and used to benefit the people of Uganda," Okwi said.
