CSOs advise on budget 2014/15

 The year 2014 has been a break through for the Civil Society to engage with Government of Uganda to demand for a pro-poor budget 2014/15. During the Budget Conference held on 15th April, 2014 at Uganda Manufactures Association Conference Hall, Kampala, where RWECO was represented by the Coordinator. The Theme for the CSBAG Budget Conference was: EVERY SHILLING COUNTS: ARE THE BUDGET PROPOSALS FOR THE FY 2014/15 EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT TO DELIVER US FROM POVERTY. The Chair was Dr. Ezra Suruma, former Minister of Finance. Participants were drawn from the rural country side unlike those from the urban based, and among the MPs in attendance were: Hon. Dorothy N -Woman MP Kamwenge, Hon. Ruth Achen, Koboko. The Conference highlighted issues of locating the vulnerable groups in the 2014/15 budgets which theme RWECO had initiated in the Rwenzori Region and supported three districts of Kamwenge, Bundibugyo and Kyegegwa to come to Kasese district where special needs education is supported by the District Local Government

 

Dr. Ezra Suruma, giving a note address at the CSBAG budget conference on 15th April, 2014

Hon. Dorothy N, Woman MP, Kamwenge District, listening to a participant who questioned                                                   parliaments role in the budget process

Why are the vulnerable people? one of the participants at the CSBAG Budget Conference on 15th April, 2014, questioning parliament whether the PWDs are part of the budget if they can not even have a vote on special needs education?

 RWECO must be applauded for initiating the discussions on locating vulnerable persons in the local government budget. CSBAG has taken the discussions to parliament and to question whether  the medical staff are trained in sign language.

Related story below

By PAUL TAJUBA

Posted  Wednesday, April 16  2014 at  01:00

Kampala.
Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG), a collection of civil society organisations in Uganda, have urged government to increase the fight against corruption if the proposed 2014/15 proposed budget allocations are to benefit the rural poor.

Speaking at the budget debate yesterday in Kampala, CSBAG coordinator Julius Mukunda applauded the government move to increase budget allocations to key economic sectors such as agriculture, health, water and environment, and works and transport but called for tighter measures to curb corruption if the allocations are to reach the beneficiaries.

“A lack of political will has crippled our anti-corruption institutions thus undermining any efforts towards fighting corruption. Government must fight corruption if rural women and men are to benefit from this budget,” Mr Mukunda said.

However, Mr Moses Sonko, the representative of the Finance ministry, said the government is on the right track towards curbing corruption, listing the different organs fighting the vice but said the oversight role belongs to all Ugandans.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

Accessed on Wednesday 16th April, 2014 from:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/CSOs-advise-on-budget/-/688334/2281034/-/4dt0jlz/-/index.html