Concerned about budget allocations in Uganda?

It's been a few months since the release of the budget of the next financial year. At first glance it seems as though the same casualties have come to the surface in the search for desperately needed revenue. 

While we are still rather busy trying to deal with the challenge of an overly enthusiastic parliament (in terms of size) there is no shortage of interest groups from which we can demand attention. 

Some argue that instead of creating an interest group for every significant member of society, we need instead to have few representatives with much broader mandates or manifestos to cover the broad needs of their constituents. 

Similar thinking has lead to thoughts around the generation of revenue.

The idea is not so much about targeting these groups for cash, but using their thoughts in planning so that budgets are prepared with people at the core. 

Maybe this is what the Ministry Of Finance had in mind when they created the whole proud get process. A brief visit to their Internet sight will reveal that around July August, there is what is referred to as the Medium Term Expenditure framework and portfolio error performance review. 

Then in about October and November they have what they call the first budget consultative workshop. This caters for what I referred to as the interest groups but MInistry of Finance calls them Sector Working Groups which gather with alongside local government to prepare Budget Frameworks Papers (BFPs).

There is then further consultation with different ministries to create the daft of the budget framework paper. 

Approval from cabinet then presentation to stakeholders is the next step. This takes place at National Budget Workshop-public expenditure review meeting. 

Fatal budget framework paper is the presented to parliament on the 1st of April (it is made up of the background to the budget and development of estimates).

Finally the draft estimates of revenue and expenditure are presented to the parliamentary budget committee on the 15th of June. 

There are therefore about two major opportunities for your participation 

1. Public Expenditure Review Meeting 

2. First consultative workshop for local governments and sector working groups. 

ICT association of Uganda or the consortium of ICT organizations or the ICT Cluster of Uganda can then present their suggestions for government and make suggestions towards the Alloation of funds in different areas. 

In addition to presentations made as sector groups, direct influence thought their respective ministries can also benefit the budget process.