Hoima: Hoima city local government has cut its budget for the new financial year 2025/26 by 2billion shillings.
During the Hoima city budget conference held at Hoima Buffalo Hotel, the finance report prepared by Annet N. Kambubi the principal treasurer Hoima city and presented by Fredrick Mugisa that in the financial year 2024/25 city budgeted to receive Shs21.7 billion but by October 2024 they had so far received 10.8billion.
Mugisa says that they are expecting Shs 19.4 billion for the new financial year 2025/26 which shows a cut by Shs2billion compared with the budget of 2024/25 financial year.
Francis Ayesiga, the senior economist of Hoima city, disclosed that as a city in the financial year 2025/26 aim is to shift economic growth rate to higher trajectory averaging over 8% per annum over the medium term.
Ayesiga adds that they also want to raise the growth rate to double digit figures at the onset of commercial production of oil and gas expected to increase the size of the economy ten-fold from the current US$ 53 to US$ 500 BY 2040.
Ayesiga says the priorities of the city in the financial year 2025/26 are Agro-industrialization, tourism development, mineral based industrial development including oil and gas and science technology and innovation including ICT.
Fatuma Kirokimu, the senior education officer Hoima city revealed that one of their biggest challenges is the staffing gaps in the primary schools due to inability to recruit.
Kirokimu says they are also facing challenges of inadequate school facilities such as classrooms, desks, latrines, staff houses, water tanks among others.
She says the education department proposes to construct five stance lined VIP latrines at Duhaga girls’ primary school and Kyakapeya primary school each valued at 32million shillings among others in the 2025/26 Hoima city budget.
Brain Kaboyo the Hoima city mayor stressed that there is a need for the young people in Hoima city to embrace technology which is now the way to go in enhancing the tourism sector.
Kaboyo added that at least 85 teachers are set to be recruited during the next recruitment process in the city to address the understaffing challenge.
Dr. Tusiime Ndoleriire, the city health officer, revealed that the city health department is facing key implementation challenges such as lack of official transport at health facilities for outreach activities, lack of mortuary and city cemetery, and poor mindset of the community generally on health, hygiene and sanitation.
Dr. Tusiime added that the department has proposed the procurement of 3-acre land for city cemetery at an estimated cost of 150 million shillings in the 2025/26 budget.
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