In a bold move to reshape Uganda’s approach to managing public resources, the government has launched a new five-year Public Financial Management (PFM) Reform Strategy for the period 2025–2030.
The strategy is intended to overhaul how public funds are collected, distributed, and spent, with a strong emphasis on inclusive growth and improved service delivery.
While officiating the launch on behalf of the Prime Minister, State Minister for Planning Amos Lugoloobi stressed that the government is fully committed to transparency, equity, and efficiency in the management of public finances.
“This strategy reaffirms our obligation to manage public resources transparently and ensure that every shilling raised is used to improve the lives of Ugandans,” said Lugoloobi.
The new PFM Strategy builds upon past reforms and aligns closely with Uganda’s broader development frameworks, including Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDPIV).
It is structured around six central pillars: domestic revenue mobilisation, expenditure control, digital financial systems, efficient budget execution, institutional capacity strengthening, and improved service delivery outcomes.
Lugoloobi highlighted a crucial shift in the government’s focus—from merely tracking outputs to ensuring measurable and impactful results, particularly in critical public sectors.
“The budget should not be a document for accounting purposes only; it must be a tool of transformation. A health centre must not only be built, it must have medicine and staff to serve,” he stated.
Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi described the reform strategy as a vehicle for self-reliance and broad-based economic growth.
“This strategy identifies opportunities for Uganda to grow faster, smarter, and more equitably,” Ggoobi said.
He outlined key sectors identified in the strategy as essential to expanding the economy and tax base—agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral value addition, and science and innovation.
Ggoobi also emphasized the importance of attracting foreign direct investment, while maintaining safeguards to protect Uganda’s domestic revenue interests.
He noted that the reform plan is grounded in a wide-ranging consultative process informed by major evaluations, including the 2023 Public Investment Management Assessment and the 2024 Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Report.
“This reform process has been shaped by evidence, inclusivity, and a shared national vision,” he said. “We thank all our stakeholders and development partners who contributed.”
In his remarks, Ggoobi stressed that achieving the goals of the strategy requires more than good policy—it demands investment in institutions and human capacity.
“We must invest in our institutions and people if we are to fully realise the benefits of these reforms; accounting officers must take full ownership and lead by example,” he urged.
The strategy signals a determined effort by the government to make public finance a tool for transformation, with accountability and tangible community benefits at its core.
