The Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi, has described the country as a “land of opportunity and promise” following the presentation of the National Budget for the Financial Year 2026/27 at Kololo Independence Grounds on Thursday.
In a statement after delivering the budget speech, Musasizi said Uganda’s economy has expanded to an estimated USD 69 billion and is projected to register double-digit growth, driven by stronger export performance, the upcoming oil production phase, and ongoing government wealth-creation programmes.
He noted that the economic expansion is beginning to reflect in improved livelihoods, increased employment opportunities, and rising incomes among Ugandans.
“More importantly, this growth is increasingly translating into jobs, higher incomes and better livelihood for Ugandans,” he said.
The minister further pointed to growing investor confidence in the country, adding that the Ugandan diaspora has significantly increased remittances, investments, and participation in national development initiatives.
Musasizi said the new budget is anchored on accelerating Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy, with government allocating 95.6 percent of discretionary resources to the ATMS framework—Agro-industrialisation, Tourism Development, Mineral-Based Industrialisation, and Science, Technology and Innovation, alongside their supporting enablers.
He emphasized that the focus of the financial plan is to boost production, productivity, value addition, exports, and job creation.
He called on the private sector to actively take advantage of emerging opportunities to generate wealth and expand investment.
The minister also framed the budget as a turning point in Uganda’s development approach, aligning it with what he termed the “Kisanja No More Sleep” agenda, which prioritises implementation and accountability at all levels of leadership.
“Every Ugandan must actively engage in wealth creation, and every leader must be accountable for transforming households and communities,” he said, signalling a shift from policy planning to execution.
Musasizi added that the era of prolonged debate has ended, and the country is now entering a phase focused on delivery of results.
He outlined the government’s central mission as increasing production, boosting earnings, expanding exports, and reducing household dependence on subsistence livelihoods.
He dedicated the budget to wealth creators, with particular emphasis on the youth, describing them as central to Uganda’s ambition of transforming into a USD 500 billion economy through innovation, enterprise, and energy.