Key elements; Areas for influencing the Budget
By Julius Kapwepwe
UDN ( udn.or.ug; CSBAG (csbag.org)
22nd February, 2020
Presentation Outline
- Budget basics- Terminology & Concepts
- The Legal, Policy & Institutional frameworks
- The Budget process
- Citizens participation & Areas for Influencing ..
Understanding the Budget – Terminology … Concepts …..2
¨Gender-responsive Budgeting/ Gender Budgeting
¨Planning and Budgeting …for What/ Why?
- Planning- basically means setting priorities and targets- to achieve socio-economic objectives e.g.;
- Improving welfare of Citizens; Solving poverty; Regional balance, Reduce Income gaps;
- Investment & growth- for wealth creation;
- Develop (strategic) Sectors e.g. Tourism, Health; Education; Comply with Regional & Intern. commitments.
- Planning: Short-term (e.g. Annual Budgets); Medium-term (e.g. NDP, DDP, S/C DP); Long-term(V. 2030).
The Legal, Policy & Institutional framework for Budgeting
- 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (as amended): CAP 9- Articles 155-158 for Central Govt, Articles 190-197 for LGs;
- The Local Govts Act, 1997 (as amended) – CAP 243 section 77/ MoLG;
- The Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), 2015/ MoFPED;
- Planning guides by National Planning Authority/ NPA; Equal Opportunities Commission about Gender & Equity/ EOC, etc.
LGs & Municipalities Budget Cycle…
- A Local Government budget is the detailed costed plan of how a Local Government intends to get Revenue, Allocate and Utilize available resources in line with its development objectives (priorities).
- LGs & Municipalities have a level of discretionary planning and budgeting powers, but their plans and budgets must be aligned to National, plus Sector investment policies and priorities.
- So, the Budget Cycle of LGs & Municipalities must fit into the National budgeting cycle; they start in October and end in June of the following Year.
Selected Entry points for CSOs Budget Advocacy & what it takes …..
- Educate yourself about the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, some Laws and Policies (e.g. NDP, for Sectors) ……to claim and exercise your Rights; e.g.
- Article 17- Responsible Parenthood, Patriotism, Standing against Misuse & Wastage of public resources; Pay taxes and follow your money;
- Article 176 (2) (e) appropriate measures shall be taken to enable local government units to plan, initiate & execute policies in respect of all matters affecting the people within their jurisdiction.
- Art. 38 (1) Every Ugandan has the rights to participate in the affairs of Govt individually or through his or her representative in accordance with the law (2) Every Ugandan has a right to participate in peaceful activities to influence policies of Government through civic organizations
- Know & participate (with evidence-based content & Context) to influence the planning & budgeting process in your reach/ area;
- Have Budget documents (e.g. DDPs, Sector Budgets, National Budgets, District budgets- www.budget.go.ug
- Know Your Leaders (Politicians & Technocrats): Contacts- RDC, CAO, DISO, District Planner, MPs, Councilors, Speakers, Clerks, Chairpersons of Committees, LC III Chairperson, SAS, Sub- Accountant, CDO, DEO, etc.
- Critical mass of people concerned: Have numbers with you …
- Budget Monitoring, analysis, etc…after Break………
END of presentation
