As Uganda approaches a defining electoral period, the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) Executive Director, Julius Mukunda, has raised concerns over persistent financial gaps and weaknesses in public financial management.
Speaking during a media briefing at CSBAG offices in Ntinda, Kampala, Mukunda said urgent reforms are needed to ensure public resources deliver equitable benefits to all Ugandans, rather than being diverted into unnecessary expenditures during political rallies.
He warned that poor financial decisions made today could shape the nation’s trajectory for generations to come, calling for responsible and prudent spending to curb waste.
Mukunda highlighted that Uganda continues to grapple with high youth unemployment, estimated at 60–65 percent, with about 700,000 young people entering the labour market annually. He expressed concern that local governments, which are responsible for frontline service delivery, have largely failed to respond to this growing challenge.
“These outcomes point not to a lack of policy intent, but to weaknesses in just, equitable, and fair public financial execution,” Mukunda said during an interview with journalists.
He attributed the persistent challenges to a stagnant tax-to-GDP ratio of 14 percent, which remains below the 15–18 percent target, as well as the rising public debt, currently estimated at Shs 116.2 trillion, according to the Ministry of Finance’s Debt Bulletin.
Mukunda reaffirmed CSBAG’s commitment to working with citizens, Parliament, and government institutions to ensure that public resources translate into improved service delivery, job creation, and better livelihoods for Ugandans.
By Chipo Brenda
