By Robert Atuhairwe – Last week, Government, through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development organised two important activities in line with driving economic transformation and ensuring effective service delivery and governance.
The National Annual Performance Review (NAPR) and the National Budget Conference 2025/2026 were both held at Speke Resort, Munyonyo, under the theme: “Full Monetization of Uganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Industrialization, Expanding and Broadening Social Services, Digital Transformation and Market Access.”
The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, presided over the forums which attracted ministers including Hon. Raphael Magyezi (the Minister of Local Government) who moderated them on her behalf, Members of Parliament (MPs), technocrats, local government leaders, private sector players, civil society and development partners.
This year’s National Annual Performance Review was the fourth report assessing the implementation of the 3rd National Development plan (NDPIII), and it focused on reviewing the overall government performance for the FY 2023/24 based on annual planned Key Result Areas (KRAs) and funds released to deliver service delivery programmes.
The purpose was to measure the contribution of each programme’s performance, tailored towards increasing average household incomes and improving the quality of life of Ugandans.
The other key area covered by the assessment was the progress of implementation of the NRM Manifesto (2021-2026) and progress in implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
President Yoweri Museveni was supposed to headline the budget conference but delegated the PM.
Nevertheless, it was clear from the deliberations that the whole government system and budgeting process has his finger prints all over it. Government is committed to building an economy that works for everybody, with emphasis on accessibility and affordability for the ordinary Ugandan.
Government’s plan is to build and expand the size of the economy from the current GDP of US$ 50 billion to US$ 500 billion by the year 2040 anchored on the tenfold growth strategy, basing in the seven key growth areas identified as follows: Peace and security (of life and property) for all the people of Uganda; Roads and bridges maintenance, rehabilitation of the Meter Gauge Railway and construction of the Standard Gauge Railway and water transport.
Others were Electricity, with focus on enhancing transmission; Wealth creation initiatives like PDM, Emyooga, Agricultural Credit Facility (ACF), Microfinance Support Center, Science, Technology and Innovation including ICT (the Knowledge Economy), Investing in the people of Uganda through Human Capital Development, including: Health, Education, Provision of clean water for human consumption and for production; creative industry and social protection; and Management of natural disasters, and regional and international commitments.
Full monetisation of Uganda’s economy is to be anchored through wealth creation initiatives, driven by the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, Generating Growth Opportunities for Women (GROW), Investment for Industrial Transformation and Employment (INVITE), capitalisation of Uganda Development Bank (UDB) and other such related grants. Lack of or expensive credit is a key bottleneck to financial inclusion in Uganda.
A budget that consistently communicates with the needs of the ordinary citizen in a way that gives them power over their current situation is the most prudent resource allocation mechanism we can ever have. Consequently, zeroing on easing access to services and complementary affordability was the highlight of the two forums.
Under the implementation of PDM, the challenge of internet connectivity was singled out among the bottlenecks to its implementation, and i had a real experience to note.
Just the week before, I had been in the “hard-to-reach” sub county of Ruhumuro (bordering Buhweju) following up on concerns of residents and area leaders on how “puroguramu ya modo” was moving. Network challenges are so real that even at the point where we had the meeting in Nyeibingo parish my own phones had no call or internet access, yet all disbursements are now through the digital platform of wendi. Inputting details of beneficiaries in many parts of Bushenyi has been cumbersome due to network challenges. Ruhumuro, Bitooma Town Council, parts of Kakanju Sub County and Kyabugimbi have been exceptionally difficult.
Ruhumuro is hilly and isolated. We are struggling with accessibility even by road. That is why some time I have planned to set up a sub-office there so that every two days in a week I am stationed there to save residents from the “ordeal” of travelling to Bushenyi town when they have matters to address. During meetings on PDM, I have been promising residents to reach out to Ugandan Communications Commission (UCC) to engage with telecom operators and urge them to establish clearer network services in all our sub counties and parishes since with at least 300 PDM beneficiaries in each parish, there is good business. On assessment, PDM is expanding business opportunities even for above par entities like ICT service providers. They should bring their services down to the parish for effective coverage and as part of driving digital access and financial inclusion services. I call upon them to set up more masts and land based delivery points to strengthen signals for our people.
In one of his national addresses on security, President Museveni pointed out the need for good telecom network coverage everywhere in Uganda so that people can easily reach out to their contacts in the vicinity in case they are attacked by assailants. If telecom operators didn’t find “security of person” enough to attract them to far-flung places, the coming of PDM should offer business validation, as part of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model in service delivery enhancement.
At the review, it was also decided that Government eases access to gas and other green energy sources for domestic and industrial use. This takes care of electricity extension to every homestead in Uganda. If these ideas and plans are implemented as articulated in our boardrooms and workshops, surely Uganda is on a rapid trajectory to become a modern and integrated economy in which no one is excluded from the money economy.
The author is the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Bushenyi
Contact: 0778738888
Email: 777aronda777@gmail.com
