The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Goobi, has defended the ongoing enforcement of trade order across the country, describing it as a critical strategy for Uganda’s economic transformation.
According to Goobi, organized business practices are essential for attracting investment, improving productivity, and creating a conducive environment for sustainable economic growth.
Speaking at the 2026 Absa Post-Budget Forum, Goobi said Uganda’s next phase of economic development will depend not only on increased public spending but also on the effective implementation of reforms aimed at enhancing accountability, efficiency, trade order, and tax compliance.
He noted that the government is determined to move beyond economic planning and focus on the disciplined execution of policies that support growth, industrialization, and job creation.
“Enforcement of trade order is to ensure that the country gets some orderly way of doing business. The tendency of everybody saying, ‘I am an orphan, I am a widow, so I should sell in the middle of the road,’ is not good for the economy and it is affecting the country’s ability to attract serious investors,” Goobi said.
He added that the government is prepared to take difficult decisions that may inconvenience some people in the short term but are necessary to achieve long-term economic development objectives.
Goobi highlighted agro-industrialization, tourism development, mineral beneficiation, and science, technology and innovation as the government’s key investment priorities for the 2026/2027 financial year.
He also clarified that although the national budget is officially reported at more than Shs84 trillion, a substantial portion comprises debt refinancing and accounting adjustments that do not translate into new government spending.
According to Goobi, the actual discretionary expenditure available for government programmes is approximately Shs57 trillion.
He said prudent implementation of budget priorities and reforms will be crucial in driving Uganda’s economic transformation agenda and achieving sustained growth.
By Olivia Nabaggala
16th June 2026
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