Uganda's poverty levels fall - ministry report

By Francis Emorut

KAMPALA - Uganda has continued to see a reduction in the number of people living in poverty due to its robust economy, data from the ministry of finance has shown.

Joseph Enyimu, an official from the ministry says the national poverty rate fell to 19.7% in the 2012/2013 financial year from 24.5% in 2009/2010.

Presenting the Poverty Status Report 2014 at Speke Resort Munyonyo at the close of the week, Enyimu pointed out that even with significant population growth, the total number of Ugandans living below the poverty line declined from 7.5 million to 6.7 million over the same period.

He said there are now almost twice as many Ugandans in the middle class.

The ministry official said significant poverty reduction has occurred across all regions of Uganda in the last 10 years.

In the central region, poverty reduced by 18% and by 19% in the north, 22% in the eastern region while the western region of Uganda saw a reduction of 24%.

The poverty status report 2014 was launched by the Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda.

Present at the launch were development partners, local government representatives, civil society actors, cabinet minister, permanent secretaries and resident district commissioners.