Budgets must be linked to realistic results, Finance Ministry’s Dr. Damulira underscores accountability
A core objective of the BFP preparation workshop is ensuring that every resource allocated aligns seamlessly with the nation’s long-term development agenda.
The Ministry of Finance is implementing stricter accountability measures for public expenditure, with Under Secretary and Accounting Officer Dr. Sengonzi Damulira underscoring the necessity of strengthening the link between planning, budgeting, and performance reporting.
Dr. Damulira emphasized that this critical linkage is essential to ensure that departmental and subvention budgets accurately reflect realistic results, actual financing needs, and expected outcomes.
He made the remarks today while officially opening the ministry’s high-level workshop on the preparation of the Budget Framework Paper (BFP) for the Financial Year (FY) 2026/27, held at the Serena Hotel in Kigo.
Demand for Evidence-Based Proposals
Addressing the technical team responsible for drafting the BFP, Dr. Damulira stressed that the new framework must be grounded in empirical data and critical analysis, moving away from aspirational but unachievable figures.
“As we prepare the BFP, it is important that we critically analyze past performance trends, emerging fiscal challenges, and policy priorities to ensure the budget proposals are evidence-based and achievable,” said Dr. Damulira.
The workshop initiates the crucial phase of crafting the national budget, setting the ceilings and priorities that will guide ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) over the next fiscal year.
Focus on Cash Flow and Management
In a direct message aimed at improving operational efficiency and addressing historical delays in fund disbursement, the Under Secretary called on the team to adopt enhanced financial management techniques.
He specifically asked the technical team to embrace robust cash flow forecasting and management practices. According to Dr. Damulira, this approach will be vital in informing realistic quarterly expenditure limits programming and ensuring timely and accurate cash releases.
Aligning Resources with National Strategy
A core objective of the BFP preparation workshop is ensuring that every resource allocated aligns seamlessly with the nation’s long-term development agenda.
The workshop provides a strategic opportunity to align resource allocation priorities for FY 2026/27 with the strategic direction laid out in the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV), the overarching Tenfold Growth Strategy, and the Ministry’s own Strategic Plan.
The BFP is the foundational document that translates national policy objectives into detailed, time-bound financial plans, serving as the blueprint for the final national budget presentation.
