By Caroline
The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has officially launched the National Budget Month for the Financial Year 2026/27, marking the beginning of a nationwide campaign aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability and citizen participation in the implementation of Uganda’s national budget.
The launch, held at the Ministry’s Conference Hall in Kampala, was presided over by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Dr. Ramathan Ggoobi, who emphasised the importance of shifting focus from budget approval to effective implementation, monitoring and accountability.
The FY 2026/27 National Budget, which was approved by Parliament on 24 April 2026, is anchored on the theme: “Full Monetisation of Uganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Industrialisation, Expanding and Broadening Services, Digital Transformation and Market Access.” The budget is expected to drive economic growth, create jobs and improve service delivery across the country.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Ggoobi noted that the budget was developed through an extensive consultative process involving President Yoweri Museveni, Cabinet, Parliament, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, local governments, civil society organisations, development partners, the private sector, academia, community leaders, youth and women groups, persons with disabilities and citizens from different parts of the country.
He explained that while the budget outlines government priorities and resource allocations, its success will largely depend on how effectively it is implemented and monitored.
“The National Budget Month provides an important platform for Government to account to citizens on achievements registered during the current financial year, communicate opportunities available in the new budget, and obtain feedback that informs future planning and policy decisions,” Dr. Ggoobi said.
The month-long programme will feature public dialogues, media engagements, community outreach activities, social media campaigns and publication of budget information. These activities are intended to help citizens better understand government priorities, access available opportunities and actively participate in monitoring public expenditure and service delivery.
Introduced in 2018, National Budget Month has become one of Uganda’s key public finance management initiatives. The platform brings together government institutions, civil society organisations, development partners, private sector actors and ordinary citizens to discuss budget priorities and promote accountability in the use of public resources.
According to Dr. Ggoobi, the initiative has significantly contributed to increasing public awareness of government programmes and strengthening citizen ownership of the national budget. It has also enhanced Uganda’s standing in international assessments on budget transparency and oversight.
He cited findings from the latest Open Budget Survey, which show that Uganda’s budget transparency score improved from 58 per cent in 2021 to 59 per cent in 2023, surpassing the global average of 45 per cent. Budget oversight also improved from 59 per cent to 67 per cent during the same period, reflecting growing efforts to strengthen accountability mechanisms.
Despite the progress, Dr. Ggoobi acknowledged that more work remains to be done in promoting meaningful public participation. He urged citizens to move beyond receiving information and actively engage in questioning, tracking and influencing budget decisions that affect their communities.
The Permanent Secretary also commended Budget Transparency and Accountability Partners, including CSBAG, ACODE, Uganda Debt Network, UNICEF Uganda, SEATINI Uganda, Uganda Revenue Authority and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, for their continued support in advancing budget literacy and citizen engagement initiatives.
As he officially launched the FY 2026/27 National Budget Month activities, Dr. Ggoobi called upon citizens, institutions and development partners to actively participate in the engagements, stressing that effective budget implementation will be critical to Uganda’s economic transformation, improved service delivery and sustainable national development.