Hoima District’s budget for the 2026/27 financial year is expected to reduce by Shs900 million, dropping from Shs 31.4 billion in the current financial year to Shs30.5 billion.
The figures were announced during the district budget conference held Thursday morning at the Youth Centre in Kasingo.
District secretary for finance Naome Koojo revealed that Hoima expects to raise Shs1.4 billion in local revenue, while central government transfers are projected at Shs27.8 billion.
Other government transfers are estimated at Shs700 million, with donor funding projected at Shs600 million.
Koojo attributed the overall reduction to the removal of some funding lines by the central government.
Chief Administrative Officer Emmanuel Ssempala urged leaders to ensure that the 2026/27 budget aligns with the country’s goal of full economic monetisation.
He highlighted delays in constructing the district headquarters at Birungu in Kitoba Town Council, saying the Shs1 billion earlier released by the Ministry of Finance was spent on preparing bills of quantities and laying the foundation.
District chairperson Uthman Mugisha Mubarak expressed concern over the state of education in Hoima, revealing that eight sub-counties still lack secondary schools and 12 parishes lack primary schools.
He also criticised sub-counties that have failed to include elderly beneficiaries under the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Mugisha said sub-counties such as Kabaale, Buseruka, and Buraru have not enrolled a single elderly person under PDM, while Buhanika has only three beneficiaries.
Speaking on behalf of lower local governments, Kiganja Sub-county Chief Stephen Mwesigwa Rwamukaaga decried the minimal budget allocation to sub-counties.
He said that in the current financial year, 11 sub-counties and three town councils shared only Shs1.1 billion—equivalent to just 3.7 percent of the total district budget.
Rwamukaaga, however, noted that the IRAS tax collection system has significantly boosted revenue performance at the lower local government level.