Musasizi pushes for discipline and teamwork to hit $500b economy target

Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi, has emphasized the critical need for improved synergy and discipline among planning, accounting, and procurement officers within local governments. Speaking at a retreat for government planners, Musasizi stressed that enhanced coordination among these departments is essential to prevent budget shortfalls, reduce reliance on supplementary budgets, and accelerate the implementation of government priorities.

The minister highlighted that Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, aiming to elevate the economy to $500 billion by 2040, hinges on disciplined budget execution, effective domestic revenue mobilization, prudent management of oil resources, and stringent accountability measures. He urged a paradigm shift from expenditure-focused budgeting to a results-oriented approach, where government programs are assessed based on the tangible benefits delivered to citizens.

Musasizi echoed the President’s call for intensified efforts during the current political term, warning against complacency and demanding diligent execution of duties. He underscored the importance of an anti-corruption drive, tasking planners, accountants, procurement officers, HR managers, and internal auditors to collaboratively protect public resources from misuse. Strict adherence to approved wage provisions and rigorous budget controls were also emphasized.

During the retreat, participants identified several systemic challenges hindering effective implementation. These include poor cash-flow management, procurement delays, insufficient departmental funding, weak inter-departmental coordination, infrequent finance committee meetings, and the diversion of public funds. To address these issues, participants proposed the adoption of an integrated government planning framework and urged the Ministry of Finance to enforce thorough project-readiness assessments before approving new development projects.

This push for efficiency and accountability aims to clear bottlenecks and improve public service delivery, aligning with the priorities of Agro-Industrialisation, Tourism, Mineral Development, and Science and Technology for the 2026/27 financial year. The focus is on building a more robust and responsive economy through disciplined financial management and strategic planning.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)