Security and education, and health sectors are the biggest beneficiaries of the National Budget for the Financial Year 2022/2023 that was released on Tuesday, 14 June 2022 during a Parliamentary sitting held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.
Finance minister Matia Kasaija unveiled the sh48.1 trillion national budget, indicating that government anticipates generating Shs25.7 trillion from revenue collections and the remaining sh22.4 trillion will come from internal and external borrowing.
The Human Capital Development Programme, which comprises the education and health sectors, has had its budget increased from sh7.5 trillion, allocated in the current financial year, to sh8.7 trillion in the budget for the next financial year.
This is mainly because sh495b provided for increasing salaries for medical workers and other scientists, including science teachers.
“The salaries of medical workers, scientists, and science teachers have been enhanced by Shs495 billion. In addition to incentivizing scientists, this will also help to improve the functionality of education and health facilities by addressing absenteeism and low morale of personnel,” the finance minister said.
The government has allocated a total of Shs3.722 trillion for healthcare delivery in the Financial Year 2022/20223. This will, among others, go towards rehabilitation and expansion of the following general hospitals; Itojo, Kaabong, Abim, Kambuga, Masindi, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Bugiri and Amudat.
The government has also allocated Shs1.027 trillion towards the water and environment sub-programme, with priority given to constructing 80 kilometres of water supply infrastructure from River Nile to serve 484,000 people in Acholi and Lango sub-regions; constructing Water Infrastructure from River Kagera to serve an additional 75,000 people in Isingiro, Mbarara and Masaka sub-region and the Wakiso West Water and Sanitation Project.
Others are the rehabilitation and expansion of the Mbale Water Supply Scheme; and construction of the Wastewater Treatment Plant targeting Kiruddu Hospital.
Other programmes that have received big portions of the national budget include governance and security (sh7 trillion), integrated transport infrastructure (sh4.1 trillion), energy development (sh2.5 trillion) and agro-industrialisation (sh1.2 trillion).
The minister allocated Shs. 564.39 billion to increase production and productivity through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.