February 01: The Government commissioned construction of the sh47b first public free zone in Uganda at Entebbe International Airport.

According to the Uganda Free Zones Authority (UFZA), the project is set to generate an additional $13.4m in capital investment, create over 200 direct jobs, realise export earnings of over $4.02m per annum and also increase the volume of goods exported through Entebbe International Airport.

February 02: As part of its key proposals on the Budget Framework Paper (draft national budget) for the 2021/2022 financial year, Parliament asked the Executive to increase the budget for clearing domestic arrears as part of the interventions required to salvage the economy.

February 02: Uganda’s second Airbus A330neo, the newest addition to the growing fleet, arrived in the country.

February, 12: State minister of finance, David Bahati allayed fears of MPs saying the sky-rocketing public debt is still within manageable range.

State minister of finance, David Bahati

February, 12: The Electoral Commission earmarked sh8b as allowances to the police constables who manned polling stations in the recent general elections.

February, 12: The PPDA halted the procurement of an integrated security system for Parliament’s new chambers; citing irregularities in the procurement process.

February, 15: The main street and adjourning streets in Musita town, Mayuge district were expanded as part of the new Musita-Namayingo-Busia highway project.

March 02: As a sign of the economy recovering from the COVID-19 meltdown, Uganda’s monthly earnings from exports significantly risen. According to the state of the economy report from the finance ministry, export receipts increased from $383.05m (sh1.4trillion) in November 2020 to $416.86m (sh1.5trillion) in December 2020.

March 15: The Government, in partnership with the World Bank, started  constructing a sh12.5b border export market and one- stop border post (OSPB) at Mpondwe to facilitate trade between Uganda and DR Congo.

March 16: The Government secured a $229.5m loan (sh828b) from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to finance the construction of the Kampala-Jinja Expressway (KJE), which is projected to start next year.

March 17: The Government, through Uganda Development Bank (UDB) approved sh444b for individuals and companies to cushion them against effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 22: The Government provided another sh49b for payment of the verified pension and gratuity claims that were not considered in the 2020/21 financial year budget.

March 30: The tourism sector asked for an additional sh89b to help it recover from the losses caused by COVID-19, which greatly ravaged the sector. In the budget policy statement for the 2021/2022 financial year, the tourism minister, Tom Butime, informs Parliament that the draft budget of sh178.9b they have been allocated for the next financial year is too inadequate to enable the sector make the big difference they want to create.

April 15: The Government rejected a proposal by the China Exim Bank to attach oil revenue as security for the loan repayment for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

May 01: The Attorney General (AG) blocked payment of sh74b to former employees of Kampala City Council (KCC), now Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). The sh74b was supposed to be paid out to the former city workers after a consent order issued by Justice Lydia Mugambe.

May 01: The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) company, which will be in charge of the crude oil pipeline, was registered in London, UK. However, the company will have branches in Uganda and Tanzania. According to sources, the EACOP Company will be a tax resident in Uganda and that the headquarters will be here.

May 01: Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) sought to widen the tax base by increasing the number of taxpayers from the current 1.7 million people to five million. The URA assistant commissioner in charge of research, planning and development, Milly Nalukwago, said they are using the data warehouse to collect and analyse information to expand the tax base.

May 04: Parliament approved more new taxes that will enable Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) collect additional revenue of over sh600b to finance next financial year’s budget. The taxes passed included the Income Tax Amendment Bill, which initially required landlords to file separate returns from each rental house. This provision was deleted from the Bill that was passed yesterday, according to the finance committee chairperson, Henry Musasizi.

May 06: President Yoweri Museveni commissioned four factories and one hotel in Kampala Industrial and Business Park, Namanve.

May 06: President Yoweri Museveni held a meeting with the EAC political confederation constitution drafting committee which sought advice regarding the findings gathered from the six partner states. The team reported that whereas funding of constitution-making process requires $4m, the committee had received $500,000 and now needs $3.5m. President said since the partner states cannot share the cost equally, Uganda will contribute $600,000.

May 06: The Inspector General of Government (IGG) raised a red flag over the plan by the new joint management of Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) to acquire a loan of euros 10.68m (about sh46b) using corporation assets.

May 10: Emyooga groups saved over sh10b Savings and credit cooperative societies under the Emyooga programme saved over sh10b in since the project started eight months ago, the finance minister, Matia Kasaija, has revealed.

May 10: Parliament finalised the budgeting process it started in January by approving the 2021/2022 national budget of sh44.7 trillion. However, the budget committee, led by Ntenjeru North MP Amos Lugoloobi, expressed concern that the Government had not adequately funded productive sectors of the economy such as tourism, mineral development and manufacturing.

Budget

May 13: Parliament approved a sh695b supplementary budget despite protests from the Opposition. Tabled by finance state minister David Bahati, the supplementary would mainly cater for Uganda’s equity in the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (sh481b), State House sh28.3b, Tax Appeals Tribunal and Privatisation Unit (sh2.6b), Mbale Hospital (sh730m), Uganda National Roads Authority (sh101b), local government (sh10.9b) to upgrade health centres II and III and seed secondary schools and primary capitation grant.

May 13: The state minister of local government, Jenipher Namuyangu, disclosed that the ministry has a sh36b debt, resultant from mandate shortfalls of the collective administrative units countrywide.

May 21: The Tanzanian government sealed its part of the host government agreement for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). The agreement was signed between a foreign investor and a local or host government, stipulating the rights and obligations of both the investor and the host government.

May 24: Uganda’s monthly earnings from coffee exports exponentially increased from $39.7m (sh146.8b) realized in February 2021 to $53.5m (sh197.9b) in March. This is the highest monthly earnings from coffee exports for the last one year since April 2020.

June 02: In spite of the global lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ugandans in the diaspora sent home $1.1b (about sh3.8 trillion) in 2020, according to the latest figures from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). This represents a 26% (over sh1 trillion) drop from $1.4b (about sh4.9 trillion) in 2019, highlighting the impact of the pandemic and the loss of jobs for many migrant workers globally.

May 25: The finance ministry set June 2 as the deadline for all ministries, agencies and departments to re-align their votes to budget changes that lawmakers recommended on May 7 when the sh44.7 trillion national budget for the financial year 2021/22 was passed by Parliament.

June 07: Uganda earned over $120,000 (sh423m) from pre-qualification fees paid by six oil and gas exploration firms. The firms expressed interest to explore for oil and gas in five blocks put up for exploration by Cabinet in May 2019. The fees have been paid in the Petroleum Fund at the Bank of Uganda.

June 21: Uganda’s earnings from gold exports exponentially rose from $155.69m (sh560.5b) registered in March 2021 to $175.6m (sh632.2b) in April 2021. The sh632b earning implies that gold accounted for 42% of Uganda’s total export earnings of sh1.5 trillion in April.

June 30: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) disbursed to the Government of Uganda $258m (about sh917b) to support the short-term response to the COVID-19 crisis and help sustain a post crisis inclusive recovery.

IMF

June 30: The Government set July 6, 2021, as the date on which people in the informal sector that were greatly affected by the current 42 days COVID-19 lockdown, will receive the much anticipated relief cash handout.

July 07: Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) tightened measures to ensure tax compliance and curb revenue losses.

August 06: The Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) petitioned Parliament, calling for tax waivers and reduction to cushioning private companies from the effects of COVID-19.

August 24: Shoprite confirmed exit from Uganda and Madagascar. The Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) called for the smooth exit of South African retail giant, Shoprite, who said they were discontinuing their operations in Uganda.

Lugogo Shoprite

September 25: The Government signed a series of financing agreements worth sh330b to provide piped water and sanitation infrastructure to Isingiro area including refugee settlements.

September 28: Finance ministry’s permanent secretary and secretary to treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi, in a 10-page analysis on why multinationals are exiting Uganda, noted that in the current business environment, the competition law is required for a more levelled playing field between Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and corporations.

September 28: The tourism state minister Martin Mugara reported that the tourism sector was steadily recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mugara said as a way of boosting domestic tourism, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) was opening up more accommodation in protected areas for local tourists.

September 28: Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) suffered a revenue shortfall of sh170b in the month of August. The tax body in the month under review collected sh1.5 trillion against a target of sh1.7 trillion.

September 29: Northern Uganda offered 3,380 acres of land for construction of industrial parks in the region. The offer was in line with the presidential directive to identify land for setting up 25 industrial parks across the country. Districts that offered land include Nebbi (511 acres), Madi Okollo (515 acres), Yumbe (1,200 acres), Oyam (154 acres), Lira city (500 acres) and Dokolo (500 acres).

September 29: Uganda sought to expand ties with China on commercial diplomacy, foreign affairs minister Gen. Jeje Odongo said during a virtual event to commemorate the 72nd founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).The virtual anniversary ceremony in Uganda was streamed on the Chinese embassy’s twitter page, due to restrictions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

September 29: Uganda’s coffee earned Uganda third position globally after Ethiopia and Kenya with a score of 84.88, 84.31and 84.05 respectively according to the professional coffee tasters survey carried out in 2020. Speaking at the launch of Uganda Coffee Competition and Brand Marketing awareness to the UK, The British High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E. Kate Airey noted that few coffee drinkers in the UK know about Ugandan coffee due low brand marketing efforts. However, the British High Commission in Uganda is working to change this narrative in partnership with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and the Uganda High Commission in London.

Coffee

October 01: Cilpla Quality Chemical Industries Limited is to export anti-malaria and anti-retroviral drugs to 15 West African countries under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The chairperson Cipla Quality Chemical Industries, Emmanuel Katongole, said the company secured approval from ECOWAS.

October 2: The Government sought sh1 trillion for enhancement of civil servants’ salaries, effective next financial year which starts July 1, 2022. The public service minister, Muruli Mukasa, said the recent salary enhancement left many civil servants out, including secondary school science teachers, health workers, and judicial officers, commissioners in several government agencies, ministries and security personnel.

October 06: Uganda signed the first big investment deals worth sh2.3 trillion with foreign companies at the ongoing World Expo trade convention in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The six-month-long expo opened on October 1 and is the first world fair to be held in the Middle East after being delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dubai Expo

October 08: The Government proposed stringent fines and penalties for people who are convicted for illegal fishing and other fish-related activities. According to the re-tabled Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill 2021, any person who knowingly receives or keeps in his or her possession any fish product without a licence risks a fine of sh100m or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years.

October 12: The local government ministry signed contracts with private firms to pave way for the construction of 129km of community access roads in 10 districts. The roads project, worth sh11.6b, is part of the Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) project, an initiative funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

October 13: President Yoweri Museveni ordered the Microfinance Support Centre (MSC) to release the sh9.3b capitalisation money for the teachers’ SACCOS, which teachers say has remained in the pipeline for ages.

 October 19: The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Kamya, revealed that Uganda currently loses over sh20 trillion to corruption every year. Kamya stated that according to the latest Inspectorate of Government National Integrity Survey (NIS), Uganda loses sh20.2 trillion annually to corruption with an estimated sh131.2b lost in taxation, sh459.2b in public facilities, sh15 trillion in environmental degradation, sh2 trillion in absenteeism in public offices, sh451.1b in the healthcare and education provision, sh86.1b in security provision, sh590.4b in procurement and budgeting and sh233.7b in regulation related corruption.

October 21: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) committed to invest $10b (sh36 trillion) for the expansion of Entebbe International Airport and other infrastructure projects in Uganda. Part of the money will also go towards rebuilding the railway network and construction of dry ports in Uganda.

Entebbe Airport Expansion

October 21: Uganda registered a trade surplus with the East African Community (EAC) countries, pointing to signs of progress for the country’s economy. According to the September 2021 state of the economy report released by the finance ministry for the second month in row, Uganda traded at a surplus with EAC countries having exported goods worth $107.13m to the region compared to imports from EAC countries totaling $81.8m.

October 28: A Cabinet meeting chaired by President Yoweri Museveni approved the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between Uganda and the DR Congo on the joint construction of 223km road project.

October 28: The American Chamber of Commerce Uganda (AmCham Uganda) and the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) signed an agreement aimed at resetting investment and business relations between the two countries.

October 30: An agreement between Uganda and Zambia will see the country earn sh2.6b from milk exports annually. The agriculture minister, Frank Tumwebaze, said the entry of Ugandan milk into the southern African market, marks the beginning of an “exciting” journey for Ugandan milk products. Tumwebaze had just flagged off 50 tonnes of Lato milk to Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in Zambia.

November 1: On the local market, coffee prices increased to between sh9,000 and sh10,000 a kilogramme, up from sh5,000-sh6,000. A rare good harvest coincided with a sharp rise in coffee prices on the world market.

November 1: Stakeholders urged the Government to increase funding towards Uganda’s exhibition in the Dubai Expo. Jean Byamugisha, the executive director of Uganda Hotel Owners Association (UHOA), said looking at the investments other countries have put in designing and setting up their pavilions, Uganda also ought to have put in more funds.

November 1: The Netherlands embassy in Uganda earmarked euros 10m (about sh42b) to address Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). The head of programmes at Amref Health Africa-Uganda, Dr Patrick Kagurusi, said the project will contribute towards strengthening access to SRHR services and reduction of SGBV against women and girls. Under the four-year project, the hard-to-reach and high burden districts, including Budaka, Bukwo, Kween, Mbale, Bugiri, Iganga among others will benefit from the programme.

November 1: Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is leveraging on technology as a strategic focus area in its quest to achieve the sh22.4 trillion revenue target aimed at improving trade facilitation and risk management. One of these technologies is the non-intrusive inspection equipment that is accurate and with less human interference. Julius Nkwasire Mponoka, the assistant commissioner customs enforcement at URA, said they have received 12 additional equipment; three motion scanners to be installed and operationalised at Elegu, Mpondwe and Katuna border points; two drive-through passenger scanners to be deployed at Busia and Malaba; three mobile scanners, two backscatters and two X-ray baggage CT inspection system.

November 2: The finance minister, Matia Kasaija, justified the decision to cut sh23b from Parliament’s budget in the current financial year of 2021/2022. During a budget consultative conference at Hotel Africana with Uganda Parliamentary Press Association, Private Sector Foundation, Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group and ARCOD, Kasaija said in effecting the budget cuts, the finance ministry is implementing a decision that was made by Cabinet.

November 2: The Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi said next financial year’s budget will focus on the production sectors which have higher economic returns to facilitate the country’s economic recovery. He said following several discussions they resolved to give topmost priority to the vaccination of Ugandans against COVID-19 to speed up the process of re-opening the economy so that it becomes fully operational.

Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi

November 3: The executive sought parliamentary approval for a supplementary budget of sh3.8 trillion for the 2021/2022 financial year. The supplementary budget request contains sh1.3 trillion, which the executive spent before seeking parliamentary permission.

November 3: Two bodaboda riders were arrested over connections to city bombs. They were part of the 48 suspects arrested in a joint security operation. The operation was conducted following two bomb blasts at Komamboga on the outskirts of Kampala city and another in a Bushenyi/Ishaka-bound bus in Mpigi district.

November 10: Bank of Uganda (BoU) directed commercial banks to restructure all loans to education and hospitality sectors, effectively barring the sale of any collateral that the institutions had put to secure the loans.

November 10: President Yoweri Museveni said Uganda’s oil and gas sector will help the Government to create jobs and related infrastructure, such as pipelines, refinery and other downstream developments which will add to the economy.

President Yoweri Museveni

May 14: Parliament passed the sh1.4 trillion loan request by the finance ministry to fund the rehabilitation of the old 270.6km metre gauge railway from Kampala to Malaba.

November 1: The Government made a commitment to clear sh4.1 trillion in domestic arrears in the next three years, the state minister for finance, Amos Lugoloobi, has disclosed. He was appearing before the House committee on the budget with several technocrats from the finance ministry, including the Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Goobi, to respond to questions relating to government’s charter of fiscal responsibility.

January 13: A total of sh4.24b Emyooga cash was released by the Government for the first batch of 140 savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOS) in Kampala.

October 21: The finance ministry released sh5.8 trillion for the second quarter to enable government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) meet their expenditure needs in the subsquent three months. The release represents 25.5% of the approved government total budget of sh447.7 trillion for the financial year 2021/22.

February, 15: Government earmarks sh11.5b for tobacco farmers. Parliament gave government the green-light to pay sh11.5b to Bunyoro sub region tobacco farmers in compensation for unpaid bills by processing companies.

October 11: The finance ministry released sh11.9 trillion for ministries and other government entities to meet expenditures for the second quarter of the current financial year. This covers the months of October, November and December.