EDITOR
As the Government Prepares to Release the National Budget for the Financial Year 2025/2026, Local and Upper Leaders Voice Their Demands
The new financial year budget (2025–2026) of the Republic of Uganda is set to commence on 1st July 2025. Ahead of its official release on 12th June 2025, several local leaders have voiced their reactions and demands, calling for key projects to be included.
According to the Rukungiri District LC5 Chairperson, Geoffrey Kyomukama, who spoke to Boona Radio, he appreciated the government for the support provided in the previous financial year, especially in sectors such as education, public infrastructure, road construction and culvert installation, agriculture, tourism, and health.
However, he urged the government to prioritize new interventions in the upcoming budget. Among his requests were the tarmacking of at least three tourism roads within Rukungiri district to boost local tourism. He also requested the provision of an additional district grader, noting that the district has been operating with only one. He proposed allocating one grader each to Rubabo and Rujumbura constituencies, while the Municipality already has one.
Kyomukama further emphasized the need to improve water projects to address water scarcity in certain areas. He called for the provision of private vehicles for district LC5 chairpersons and advocated for an increment in civil servants’ salaries—particularly for arts teachers, who are currently on strike, and other poorly paid government workers. He stressed that equality in pay across public service workers is long overdue.
Additionally, he called for the continued funding of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and proposed the construction of parish offices to facilitate smooth and efficient delivery of PDM services across all areas of Rukungiri.
Meanwhile, Kacereere Town Council Mayor Mr. Eliab Mugambagye, in an interview with Boona Radio, thanked the government for fulfilling its PDM pledges, noting that every ward and parish received the expected funds. He further expressed gratitude that the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, assured them that the dilapidated Muko–Katuna road has been prioritized and included in the 2025–2026 national budget.
Mugambagye highlighted that newly established town councils, including his, have not yet received any government road funds. He therefore appealed for this to be considered in the upcoming financial year budget.
Speaking to Boona Radio, Nyarushanje Sub-county LC5 Chairperson Mr. Michael Musiime expressed dissatisfaction, arguing that the government has done little for ordinary citizens in its budgeting priorities. He criticized the government’s tendency to prioritize less impactful projects while ignoring high-value areas like agriculture—yet 98% of Ugandans depend on farming.
Musiime also voiced frustration over the government’s neglect of the education sector. He condemned the poor pay for teachers, despite their critical role in national development. He pointed out the unfair salary disparities between science and arts teachers, noting that both groups live under the same economic conditions and should be paid equally.
Musiime went on to criticize the government’s pattern of investing in less impactful sectors that consume large amounts of funding. He called for Uganda to adopt a focused development approach similar to countries like China, the United Kingdom, and some Asian nations—where investment is specialized in fewer but more economically significant sectors. He believes this is the only way Uganda can achieve substantial and sustainable national development.
