Hoima district projects reduction in 2026/27 budget
Ssempala explained that the 1 billion shillings allocated by the Ministry of Finance has so far been used to prepare Bills of Quantities (BOQs) and initiate foundation works.
Hoima: Hoima District’s resource envelope for the 2026/27 financial year is projected at 30.5 billion shillings, reflecting a reduction of 900 million shillings from the current 2025/26 allocation of 31.4 billion shillings.
The projection was announced by Naome Koojo, the Hoima District Secretary for Finance, during the district budget conference held recentlyat the Youth Centre in Kasingo.
According to Koojo, the district anticipates collecting 1.4 billion shillings in local revenue, 27.8 billion shillings from central government transfers, 0.7 billion shillings from other government transfers, and 0.6 billion shillings from donor funding. She attributed the decline in the overall budget to reductions made by the central government.
The Hoima District Chief Administrative Officer, Emmanuel Ssempala, emphasized that the 2026/27 budget should prioritize the full monetization of Uganda’s economy. He also reported that construction of the district headquarters in Birungu, Kitoba Town Council has stalled at the foundation stage. Ssempala explained that the 1 billion shillings allocated by the Ministry of Finance has so far been used to prepare Bills of Quantities (BOQs) and initiate foundation works.
Hoima District LC V Chairperson, Uthman Mugisha Mubarak, expressed concern over gaps in the education sector, revealing that eight subcounties lack secondary schools, while twelve parishes do not have primary schools.
Mugisha also criticized some subcounties for failing to include elderly persons in the Parish Development Model (PDM) program. He noted that subcounties like Kabaale, Buseruka, and Buraru have not registered a single elderly beneficiary, while Buhanika Subcounty has only three elderly beneficiaries.
Speaking on behalf of lower local governments, Stephen Mwesigwa Rwamukaaga, the Kiganja Subcounty Chief, decried the minimal allocations given to subcounties. He revealed that in the current financial year, the 11 subcounties and 3 town councils received only 3.7% of the 31.4 billion shillings budget—amounting to 1.1 billion shillings.
Despite the challenges, Rwamukaaga noted that the Integrated Revenue Administration System (IRAS) has significantly improved revenue collection in lower local governments.
