The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) has urged government to introduce stricter controls on supplementary budgets, warning that unchecked spending risks increasing Uganda’s debt burden and exposing taxpayers’ money to misuse.

The call was made by CSBAG Executive Director Julius Mukunda during the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) pre-budget dialogue for the Financial Year 2026/2027 held in Kampala.

Mukunda cautioned that supplementary budgets, often introduced as “extra” funding requests, have repeatedly become avenues for mismanagement and embezzlement because they are rushed through without adequate scrutiny. He noted that limited oversight creates gaps that may allow corruption to thrive.

He further challenged government to reconsider funding for what he described as non-productive projects, arguing that such allocations unnecessarily increase national debt without delivering meaningful economic returns.

Meanwhile, Mukunda encouraged government to strategically utilize revenue from oil production to reduce reliance on costly external borrowing, which he said places additional pressure on taxpayers.

Government has already announced that approximately UGX 1.4 trillion for the 2026/2027 national budget is expected to come from oil extraction revenues.

CSBAG maintains that improved fiscal discipline and transparency will be critical in ensuring sustainable economic growth and responsible public spending.

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