Opposition present alternative budget proposals

The Opposition in Parliament has tabled its alternative budget position in which it proposes to relieve Ugandans of the economic distress occasioned by the effects of the Covid-19 shocks and escalated by the geopolitical shocks in Eastern Europe.

In the plenary sitting chaired by Speaker Anita Among that received and approved the Shs48 trillion National Budget at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala yesterday, shadow finance minister Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala) backed by Ssemujju Nganda (Kira Municipality) and Goretti Namuga (Mawogola South) listed the Opposition proposals.

Specifically, the Opposition proposed to slash taxes imposed on petrol and diesel by half, something that the government has already dismissed as a ‘risky’ venture that may have distressing long-term effects.

“I would urge everyone out there to genuinely think about all Ugandans and the pains that they are currently going through. For instance, why doesn’t the government do away with fuel marking yet the majority of the countries that previously had this policy have scrapped it?” shadow information minister Joyce Bagala (Mityana Woman) said.

Ms Bagala reasoned that once implemented, this would have a trickle-down effect on the people’s standards of living.

Concern

“The issue of high commodity prices affects all of us whether you are in the Opposition or not. I mean once a bar of soap goes for Shs8,000, then all Ugandans will buy it at that rate,” Ms Bagala said.

Mr Kivumbi proposed that additional funds should be availed to set up bigger fuel storage facilities in the country. The ruling government has also promised to address this proposal in the next budget.

However, the Opposition is critical of government’s decision to allocate more funds towards security and governance. They have instead proposed that such funds be injected into the health sector so that the citizenry is insulated against illness to ably engage in mass agricultural production and industrialisation.

Mr Kivumbi specifically disagreed with government’s persistent increased funding of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), describing it as wasteful expenditure. 

The Opposition in their minority budget report also demanded that more efforts be put into strengthening tax collection measures so as to fund the upcoming budget.

“Most of the tax and administrative measures which Uganda Revenue Authority relies on for collections are underperforming,” the report states in part.

“All tax bills when being laid should be accompanied by regulatory impact assessments. This will aid Parliament in determining the undertaken cost benefit analysis,” the Opposition added.

The Opposition also said more funding is necessary for the improvement and development of Uganda infrastructure to bolster country’s economic status.