Open Budget Survey: Uganda globally takes 43rd position of 120 Countries in Budget transparency
Drake Nyamugabwa
In the report of the Open Budget Survey 2021 carried out in 120 countries globally, Uganda has been ranked 43rd in budget public participation and transparency while in Sub Sahara Africa it was ranked 4th and East Africa, it was in the 1st position.
The survey was conducted by Uganda Debt Network in collaboration with International Budget Partnership.
During the launch of the open budget survey 2021 Uganda results held on Tuesday 12th July 2022 at the Ministry of Finance Minister Matia Kasaija pictured above said that long are the day when the budget was only ready at once on public media without public consultations. He said the budget process has been made a transparent activity to enable public participation because it planned for the citizens.
“The budget is an instrument through which you solve peoples’ problems to show citizens how government does it, makes it important to accommodate their views” he said
Uganda has been ranked 43^rd out of 120 countries in the world in terms of having a transparent and open National Budget.
The report indicated that Uganda scored 58% in transparency, 19% in public Participation and 59% in budget oversight, with ranking at 43rd out of 120 countries based on the 2021/22 budget.
Fred Omach Jachan, the Board Chairman of Uganda Debt Network, said that Uganda has increased the availability of the budget information by increasing the information provided in the. He however said that Uganda government has decreased the availability of the budget information by failing to publish the Enacted Budget online in time.
Christine Byiringiro, Program Manager Uganda Debt Network, said “In the oversight function of the Open Budget Survey citizens are able to hold their leaders accountable. This results in improved service delivery if citizens participate in the budget processes and they are transparent,”
Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Patrick Ocailap in picture above appluded the International Budget Partnership & Uganda Debt Network for coordinating this Survey adding that they will continue to implement a number of initiative aimed at strengthening the collaboration with Civil Society Organisations under the Budget Transparency Initiative.
The Open Budget Survey is the world’s only independent, comparative and fact based research instrument that uses internationally accepted criteria to asses public access to government budget information, formal opportunities for the public to participate and the role of the budget oversight institutions.
