Kikuube sh33.6b budget prioritises education, health, roads

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Kikuube district has approved a sh33.6b budget for the financial year 2025/26, an increase from sh31.2b the previous financial year.

In the budget, which was presented by the secretary for finance, Zuriya Nyakahara Mbarirwa, wages take the lion's share of sh17b.

The budget is going to be funded by central government transfer, which is sh29.4 billion, local revenue sh1.5 billion, external financing sh1.9 billion, and other government transfers from line ministries will bring sh590 million.

Faustine Twesigye, the district planner, attributed the increase to the provision of wages of staff who had been deleted from the payroll after the verification by the Auditor General’s office.

He added that the introduction of new projects, such as Uganda's climate-smart transformation projects that are aimed at addressing the impacts of climate change and the local climate adaptive living facility funded by the United Nations Capital Development Fund, also contributed to the increase in the budget.

While giving the state of the district address as the district council was passing the 2025-2026 budget, Kikuube district chairman Peter Banura said the district is facing a challenge of poor revenue collection.

Local revenue falling short

The district had planned to collect sh1.5 billion in this ending financial year, but as it winds up, the district has only collected sh800 million.

The district chairman warned that if the district fails to realise the money they had planned to collect, it will affect the district planning, which will impact service delivery.

He noted that the fishing sector was one of the most reliable sources of revenue for the district, but it has been affected by new fishing policies. He also attributed the shortfall to taxpayers not paying their taxes.

"Collecting sh800 million is a big shortfall, and this calls for leaders to work together and mobilise sons of the soil to come and invest in the district and also to address the gap affecting revenue collection to enable the district to collect its revenue as planned," Banura suggested.

Chris Nkalu, the Bugambe sub-county male district councillor and district speaker, said the finance department has been facing several challenges, such as inadequate manpower and lack of transport to mobilise for local revenue.

“I have hope that the revenue collection for the upcoming financial year will improve because we have recruited town agents, parish chiefs and offered transport means (double cabin) for the finance department,” he said.

“Poor revenue collection affects the district from achieving its plans. We had budgeted for CCTV cameras, but because we have not yet achieved our local revenue collections, we may not procure as planned,” Twesigye said.