Opposition Unveils Alternative-National Budget

The National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi has called for an intensified fight against corruption to ensure Ugandans benefit from the available public resources.

Kyagulanyi was speaking at an event where the Opposition in parliament unveiled its alternative Budget for the financial year 2023/2024 at Parliament today.  

The Alternative budget for the opposition is below that of the government which was tabled by the minister of finance Matia Kasaija at 50.9tn. The opposition says the government budget is unrealistic and quoted their budget at 32.8tn which according to them is realistic based on the domestic revenue collections.

The opposition proposes to put a stop to domestic borrowing of the government on grounds that it crowds out the private sector by forcing the commercial banks to raise their lending interest rate. They also argue that if the government reduces its expenditure it can save up to 5tn and channel it to development expenditure

 Mathias Mpuuga, the leader of the opposition delivered the budget speech, highlighting a need to deal with corruption to save the 10tn which is lost every year in corruption. They proposed the creation of a national reparation commission, strengthening e-government, establishing mandatory lifestyle audits,s and giving the performance-based contract to civil servants.

Mpuuga also punched holes in the government’s flagship program to drive the country to the socio-economic transformation of the Parish Development model saying it suffered a stillbirth and funds should be channeled to support irrigation farming.

The alternative budget has proposed an allocation of 3tn to the health sector to construct more health centers, enhance salaries for medics and address drug stockouts.

Speaking at the event, the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader, Robert Kyagulanyi has attributed the existing poverty among Ugandans to what he termed as ‘weak leadership’. Noted that the fight against corruption should be intensified to ensure that Ugandans benefit from the available resources equally.