Uganda's budget reading for June 7

PIC: The director of budget Kenneth Mugambe (left) and Maris Wanyesa the acting director debt and cash policy addressing participants during a budget meeting at ministry of finance headquarters in Kampal. (Credit: Francis Emorut)

NATIONAL BUDGET

KAMPALA - The national budget for the 2018/2019 financial year will be read on June 7, instead of June 15, the director of budget has revealed.

Kenneth Mugambe, said finance minister Matia Kasaija will read the sh30.9 trillion national budget on the same day other partner states of the East African Community (EAC) present theirs.

He explained that the proposal on the table includes dates June 7 and 14 as the consultation with partner states is ongoing.

The calendar date for reading budgets for EAC states has always been June 15.

Mugambe said by the end of May, the Ugandan Parliament should have appropriated the budget. He also appealed to the civil society to take advantage of this budget schedule and engage parliamentary committees to make their input in order for the national budget to reflect the aspirations of the people.

He made remarks during the question and answer session between the civil society organisations and the finance ministry officials in Kampala.

Mugambe, who said the economy was expected to grow by 5% in the 2018/19 financial year, explained that the economy was improving in the sectors of agricultural production, mining, construction, information and communication technology and trade.

He was optimistic that the economy would grow up by 5.5% premised on the completion of infrastructure projects of Karuma and Isimba dams by the end of this year.

About budget transparency, Mugambe told the civil society that the ministry uses various communication channels such as print media to publish release of funds to the districts, budget website and a publication titled Know Your Budget  and quarterly releases, where the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group participates among others.

On supplementary budgets and bail outs of traders, Mugambe informed participants that the ministry was going to take stringent measures to restrict assured them that the ministry had no funds to bail out traders.