Gulu City Council’s Budget Committee presented and laid on the table the 5-year Development Plans and Chargeable Rates of the Draft Budget Estimates for FY 2025/2026 during its full council sitting on 12/03/2025 at the City Health Boardroom.
The event, which was seconded by Hon. Moris Odong, the Councilor for Laroo Pece South, was presented by the Secretary for Finance, Planning, and Administration, Hon. Caroline Rose Adong.
The National Development Plan IV for FY 2025/2026-2029/30 was developed through a consultative and participatory process, allowing the views of multiple stakeholders to be incorporated, Adong added. “We have engaged in a rigorous yet insightful process of preparing Gulu City’s five-year development plan. This strategic document will serve as a roadmap for the city’s transformation over the next five years,” she stated.
In her speech, Adong emphasized the importance of this exercise, stating that it cannot be overstated for a number of reasons, including setting the foundation for the development agenda. She highlighted that the plan aligns the city’s projects with the National Development Plan (NDP IV) in a way that facilitates resource allocation and enhances accountability and transparency.
Adong outlined several projects she believes will be successfully implemented within the five-year horizon. These include Integrated Transport, Sustainable Urbanization, and Development. The focus will be on the construction and upgrading of various roads within the city, urban roads and associated infrastructure, integrated road construction with drainage work, cycle lanes, pedestrian walkways, streetlights, garbage bins, traffic lights, and many others to be constructed under the USMID program.
She continued by saying that the five-year development plan does not focus solely on Integrated Transport and Sustainable Urbanization but also addresses key areas such as Human Capital Development, Community Mobilization and Mindset Change, Agro-Industrialization, Private Sector Development, Tourism Development, and Development Plan Implementation. This includes the purchase of vehicles for proper and prompt revenue mobilization and management, as well as improving tax administration, among other initiatives.
Regarding the Chargeable Draft Estimated Budget for FY 2025/26, Hon. Caroline stated that the total estimates for Gulu City stand at 38,416,049,000 (thirty-eight billion, four hundred and sixteen million, forty-nine thousand shillings), which is lower compared to the previous budget for FY 2024/25, which was 40,757,465,000 (forty billion, seven hundred and fifty-seven million, four hundred and sixty-five thousand shillings).
“This draft budget estimate for FY 2025/26 was made possible through a collaborative and consultative process, including reviews from stakeholders and the standing committee of the council, with the statutory approval of this council,” she said.
She further noted, “Article 190 of the Constitution provides that the local government council shall prepare a comprehensive and integrated development plan for the local government, incorporating the plans for lower local councils and submitting them to the National Planning Authority. Article 191(3) of the Constitution further states that no allocation of funds by central government shall be made without an approved budget from the councils,” said Adong.
The total Chargeable Draft Budget Estimate for FY 2025/26, which was laid for discussion, stands at 38,416,049,000, with education continuing to take the lion’s share of the budget. The final budget is expected to be presented for discussion before May 30, 2025.
This year’s budget was presented under the theme: “Full Monetization of Uganda’s Economy Through Commercial Agriculture and Industrialization.”
