For more than two years, Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Besekezi Ssenyonyi has pushed his shadow cabinet to craft budget proposals focused on ordinary Ugandans.
Since taking office on January 9, 2024, Mr Ssenyonyi has framed Opposition budget priorities around public resilience, stronger institutions, anti-corruption efforts and improved livelihoods.
That approach has also shaped the Opposition’s repeated calls for fiscal discipline. Opposition leaders have urged government to cut excessive consumption spending and reduce reliance on borrowing.
The same message appears in the latest alternative budget for the 2026/27 Financial Year.
The Opposition proposes a Shs71.4 trillion budget, which is lower than government’s Shs84.3 trillion spending plan for the next 12 months.
According to the Opposition, the alternative budget can help restore public confidence and rebuild communities.
“This document goes beyond criticism. It offers a credible, people-focused plan to protect families, support businesses and institutions, and rebuild trust in our democracy and financial system,” Mr Ssenyonyi said while launching the alternative budget in April at the tail end of the 11th Parliament.
Opposition Sets Four Main Priorities
The Opposition budget groups its priorities under four broad themes.
Opposition leaders say this structure can reduce duplication, improve planning, cut bureaucratic delays and lower administrative costs across government.
Mr Ssenyonyi says the framework offers a practical roadmap for national development.
“Our commitment is to advance policies that genuinely serve the interests of all Ugandans, and we will continue to hold government accountable. Our quest is to see a Uganda where every citizen can live with dignity and purpose,” the Opposition budget document states.
The first and largest pillar focuses on safeguarding lives.
According to the 350-page proposal, this includes healthcare, education, social protection and the general well-being of citizens.
The cluster covers health, education and sports, gender, labour and social development, local government and Kampala Capital City Authority.
The Opposition says these sectors deserve priority because citizens interact with them most directly.
It also argues that failures in these sectors often expose weaknesses in service delivery.
Livelihoods, Institutions and Infrastructure
The second cluster focuses on sustaining livelihoods through economic production and rural development.
It covers agriculture, fisheries, trade, tourism, lands, housing, industry, environmental management and urban development.
The third thematic area seeks to strengthen institutions responsible for governance, justice and accountability.
The fourth cluster focuses on infrastructure and connectivity.
It includes transport, energy, minerals, information and communication technology, East African Community affairs and foreign affairs.
Opposition Differs From Government Priorities
The Opposition budget runs under the theme “Safeguarding Lives, Livelihoods and Institutions”.
It calls for higher investment in education, healthcare, agriculture and other sectors that directly affect citizens.
This differs from government’s budget, which places greater emphasis on mineral development, industrialisation, science, technology, innovation, manufacturing and digital transformation.
Government’s budget is themed “Full Monetisation of Uganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Industrialisation, Expanding Services, Digital Transformation and Market Access.”
Mr Ssenyonyi says economic growth remains important. However, he argues that government priorities do not fully address the problems facing ordinary Ugandans.
“Today, many families are struggling with the rising cost of living. Young people are searching for decent jobs and there are concerns about whether public institutions are serving people as they should.”
Government Reviews Some Spending
Government has indicated that some existing programmes may be revised or withdrawn.
One example is the decision to stop paying medical interns.
Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi recently said internship should be treated as part of professional training rather than formal employment.
“It was agreed that internship should be considered a continuation of training because the numbers are also many, given the increasing number of medical schools,” Dr Baryomunsi said shortly after the parliamentary vetting exercise.
He said full employment should begin after internship and after qualification as a doctor.
“The policy has been passed and we shall see how it works as we move forward,” he added.
Government has also announced plans to stop funding national public holiday celebrations from the 2026/27 Financial Year.
Observers will be watching to see whether the move produces meaningful savings.
Opposition Maintains Long-Running Message
The Opposition has consistently prioritised direct investment in citizens.
This contrasts with government’s focus on science, technology and innovation as key drivers of economic transformation.
In the 2024/25 alternative budget launched in April 2024, Mr Ssenyonyi emphasised efficient service delivery, accountability and zero tolerance for corruption.
At the time, he said the Opposition’s budget philosophy rested on the belief that every Ugandan deserves basic services.
These include clean water, healthcare, education and housing, regardless of economic status.
The same principles continue to shape the 2026/27 alternative budget.
They also reinforce the Opposition’s call for government to rethink its approach to livelihoods.
Mr Ssenyonyi argues that Uganda already has the resources needed to improve economic outcomes.
He says spending must be disciplined and focused on priority areas.
He has urged Parliament, the Executive and development partners to embrace fiscal discipline.
He also wants them to prioritise programmes that improve the welfare of ordinary Ugandans.
Whether government will adopt those proposals and redirect spending toward poverty, unemployment and the rising cost of living remains to be seen.
