Uganda's social protection budget cut by over 50%, alarming disability advocates

Ugandan legislators and advocates for persons with disabilities are sounding the alarm over a drastic decrease in funding for social protection programs in the 2026/27 financial year. The government has allocated Shs173.6 billion to the sector, representing a stark 57.1% drop from the Shs404.1 billion provided in the current fiscal year.

Patrick Kiconco Katabazi, a legislator and spokesperson for the Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection, argued that investment in social welfare must keep pace with national development. “As it develops infrastructure and education systems, it should also improve people’s standards of living,” Katabazi stated, emphasizing that vulnerable citizens cannot benefit from development if their basic needs are unmet.

He further criticized the allocation, noting that social protection constitutes a mere 1.3% of the Shs13.6 trillion budget for Human Capital Development, despite widespread vulnerabilities. Key allocations within the reduced budget include Shs121 billion for the Senior Citizens Grant, Shs15.5 billion for the new Child Disability Benefit, and Shs7.6 billion for the Social Development Grant.

Esther Kyozira, CEO of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), welcomed the introduction of the Child Disability Benefit, calling it a crucial step in acknowledging the additional costs faced by families of children with disabilities. However, she urged for consistent annual increases in funding for such programs, cautioning against stagnation.

Concerns also linger over the government’s failure to implement a October 2025 Cabinet resolution to lower the eligibility age for the Senior Citizens Grant from 80 to 65 years and increase the monthly benefit. Advocates estimate this reform would require an additional Shs252 billion, leaving many older Ugandans without adequate support.

This sharp decline in social protection funding comes at a time when many Ugandans face increasing economic shocks and vulnerabilities, prompting fears that essential support systems for the elderly, children with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups may be severely undermined.