Govt, CSOs hold talks on national budget

By Francis Emorut                                                                                                    

Government has held roundtable discussions with civil society actors to map up strategy for citizens' input in the national budget for the next fiscal year 2016/2017.

The government was represented by the director of budget in the ministry of finance, planning and economic development, Kenneth Mugambe.

Mugambe revealed that Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) has been coopted to participate in the budget process beginning on Monday August 31, to mid -September and present the budget framework paper by December.

The roundtable discussions took place at the ministry of finance headquarters on Friday.

The director of budget in the ministry of finance, Kenneth Mugambe (third left) and Julius Mukunda addressing members of CSOs during a meeting on national budget allocations at the ministry of finance headquarters in Kampala on August 28, 2015.Mugambe revealed that civil society will be involved in submitting proposals for the  budget framework paper for  fiscal year 2016/2017.  Photo by Francis Emorut

The director also filtered questions from the civil society group that addresses critical issues such as poor absorption of funds, agriculture underfunding and implementation of the Public Finance Management Act among others.
 
Mugambe informed civil society actors that government has made significant strides in implementing the Public Finance Management Act since it was passed.

He said the government started implementing the Act in March and that's why it came up with the 2015/2016 national budget as it had to be ready by May according to the new law.
 
The director advised civil society to take advantage of available information on government domain especially on the website, budget call centre toll free 08002229 and quarterly releases which are published in the media.

He called on CSOs to intensify on monitoring government's programmes and hold government officials accountable who misappropriate funds allocated for service delivery

About lack of-absorption of funds, Mugambe explained that the biggest constraint was procurement process and corruption.
He said the majority of government institutions delay procurement process and end up having money they have not used.

He advised the district officials under ministry of local government to draw clear plans to avoid last minute rush on how to use funds. 

The CSBAG coordinator, Julius Mukunda, told ministry of finance that he received 200 questions from 50 NGOs across the country which required answers.
 
The issues of concern raised by CSOs included; social protection, gender equity financing, supplementary budget, understaffing, lack of government school in Kween district, HIV/AIDS funding, lack of inspection, road sector works, and youth capital venture fund and youth livelihood programme and creation of more districts among others.

As regards to agriculture underfunding the Mugambe pointed out that the next financial year 2016/2017 government is giving priority to value addition and hence increasing funding for value addition production of selected crops.

Mugambe agreed with CSOs that more districts come with high administrative costs and yet the resource envelope is small. 

He emphasized that the CSBAG will be involved in generating proposals for the next financial year budget 2016/2017 which budget framework paper must be ready by December 2015.

Present at the roundtable discussion were ministry of finance officials Moses Zziwa assistant commissioner, Esther Ayebale an economist and Robert Sekaggya principle economist.