Parliament's Trade Committee Flags Gaps in Ministry's 2026/2027 Policy Statement

The Committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry voiced strong concerns over the Ministerial Policy Statement from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives for the 2026/2027 financial year. Chaired by Hon. Boniface Okot on March 25, 2026, the session highlighted the document’s incompleteness and failure to meet key legal standards.

Okot pointed out breaches of Section 12 of the Public Finance Management Act, including absent vehicle utilization reports, asset registers, and a gender and equity certificate. The committee also noted missing budget projections for the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), complicating parliamentary oversight.

Discrepancies emerged between versions submitted to Parliament in February and those given to the committee, with some lacking justification for budget allocations. Hon. Abdulhu Byakatonda warned that unresolved issues could lead to confusion in the upcoming financial year, while Hon. Richard Gafabusa questioned the ministry’s preparation despite technical support.

The committee instructed State Minister Hon. David Bahati to fix the errors. Bahati apologized, blaming a document mix-up, and pledged a revised, compliant version for the next meeting.

Source: Parliament of Uganda