Jinja councillors praise district sh56.9b budget

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Jinja district council has prioritised education and health in its financial year 2026/27 budget. 

The budget approved by councillors saw a rise by shillings 10 billion. According to the councillors, the FY 2021/2022 district budget was of shillings 46 billion, but it has risen 56.9 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year.

The revelations were made during a council meeting presided over by deputy speaker Moses Lwokyaza at the Jinja Nile Resort Hotel in Jinja city on April 30, 2026, where finance secretary Viola Nanangwe presented the budget on behalf of the LC5 chairperson Moses Batwala.

Earlier, chairpersons of the sector committees presented a breakdown of their respective budgets before Nanangwe presented a final one detailing the budget objectives, revenue summary, expenditure details and key priority activities as well as strategies to achieve the objectives.

Being their final council meeting as they concluded their term of office, Samuel Akalyaamawa (Buyengo town council) and the former secretary for finance stated how they were leaving a record of financial growth, which the incoming council needed to drive further.

“We are leaving a record and landmark of budget growth reflecting how we have done better from the time we came in and concluding,” Akyalyaamawa, who was defeated for the Kagoma North parliamentary seat as an independent contestant, stated.

Equally, Jinja chief administrative officer Lillian Nakamatte said this was a great achievement, which enabled the district to come up with many constructions as well as recruiting staff.

According to the revenue summary, Nanangwe said shillings 54.9 billion would be transferred from the central government, and unconditional grants, while shillings 770 million is expected from the Uganda road fund, Youth livelihood Programme, Uganda Women Empowerment Programme and Primary Leaving Examination for monitoring.

Also, Nanangwe said shillings 704.3 million would be raised locally and 511.3 million from donors.

However, the education sector took the lion’s share with an allocation of shillings 24.6 billion, followed by health and administration at 11.2 billion each.

Samuel Akalyaamawa, the former finance secretary.

Whereas the roads, engineering and water sector remains the district’s priority, which Nanangwe said provides the essential services required by the community to live, this was earmarked with 3.9 billion.

It will involve maintenance and rehabilitation of district and community access roads to facilitate trade and communication.

Also, they will ensure proper water and sanitation services in the area where four boreholes would be sank, as well as rehabilitating six others.

Meanwhile, the production sector scooped 1.6 billion, while that of natural resources and trade were allotted 584.4 million and 517.9 million, respectively.

Whereas this was their last council meeting, Lwokyaza commended councillors for passing the budget and reminded them that they were still in office until May 12, 2026, and as a result, they still had an obligation to play their roles.