UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The Cabinet has authorized the Ministry of Finance to cut USh 373 billion from the National Budget and put it towards the COVID-19 response. The result is that the Ministry of Health has been allocated USh 206.4 billion, since it is at the core of the pandemic response efforts. The Security and Local Government were allocated USh 50 billion and USh 8.1 billion respectively.
The Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija, said that certain activities in the 2021-22 National Budget were suspended to “cater for these emergencies that cannot wait”. He listed “travel abroad, in-land travels, workshops, and conferences” as some of the activities that the government will suspend. He continued to say “We are not going to borrow this money. We are going to suppress some activities that are not so important right now. People should learn to do things virtually.”
Recently, legislators approved a budget with a significant decrease for the 2021-22 year. This was USh 714 billion less than the approved budget for 2020-21. In early May, the former Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, presented that government expenditure is to be financed largely by domestic revenue.
Out of the 600 billion that the government had planned to assign to the COVID-19 response, only USh 373 billion was acquired, the remaining balance will be obtained later.
Dr. Diana Atwiine, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health, said that the Ministry is going to buy more Intensive Care Unit beds, construct more oxygen plants, and recruit more acute care staff.
Jim Muhwezi, the Security Minister, explained that their allocation is meant to enforce the Standard Operating Procedures.
He said, “All the security forces are going to be involved to support health workers and other essential workers who work at night, protect the properties of people and fight any criminality during the ongoing lockdown. We guarantee this country security because we now have what is required to keep everyone safe.”
READ MORE LIKE THIS:
Uganda’s Economic Recovery Depends on the Pandemic’s Severity
