The Opposition has placed the fight against corruption at the center of its 2025/26 Alternative Budget, arguing that the vice remains the biggest obstacle to Uganda’s development.
Speaking during the Opposition Caucus discussion at Parliament on Monday, March 10, 2025, Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi emphasized that corruption denies Ugandans critical services under the guise of insufficient funds.
“Year after year, Ugandans are told resources are scarce, yet trillions are lost to mismanagement, inflated contracts, and outright theft,” Ssenyonyi stated.
This year’s Opposition budgeting process is themed “Combating Corruption: The Sure Way to Effective Service Delivery.”
Ssenyonyi urged MPs to actively participate in shaping policies that prioritize accountability and ensure public funds benefit citizens.
“The future of our country depends on the decisions we make and the commitment we show now,” he added.
The Centre for Constitutional Governance also weighed in, urging the Opposition to push the government to fully fund critical sectors like health and education, rather than relying on donor aid.
Executive Director Sarah Bireete commended the Opposition’s accountability efforts but called for a shift towards recovering stolen funds.
“It would be more beneficial to taxpayers if Parliament focused on recovering lost money rather than endless prosecutions,” she argued.
The Opposition Alternative Budget is an annual financial proposal that provides a counter-vision to the government’s budget, focusing on transparency, service delivery, and economic reforms. It aims to expose inefficiencies in government spending while presenting alternative policies that prioritize national development.
Last year, the Opposition unveiled its 2024/25 Alternative Budget amounting to Shs43.404 trillion, with a focus on agriculture, education, and transport. This stood in stark contrast to the government’s Shs58.34 trillion budget presented to Parliament
