MBARARA CITY, June 2, 2024 – Mbarara City has approved a total budget of Shs 51,475,161,000 for the financial year [FY] 2024/2025, which is slightly higher than Shs 39.3 billion for the FY 2023/2024.
Ronald Taremwa Bamuhaira, Secretary for Finance and Administration, Mbarara City, presented the new figures on Friday during a council meeting, where he urged fellow councillors to approve the budget before the closure of the current financial year.
“I am reliably informed that some of our colleagues have gone for the burial of our former town clerk, but if we don’t approve this budget today, tt means we shall not receive any money to fund the city projects in the subsequent financial year,” Taremwa said.
According to Taremwa, Mbarara City’s 2024/2025 resource envelope will comprise locally raised revenues of Shs 10.1bln which accounts for 22.3 percent, and central government transfers of Shs 35.3 bln [77.7 percent] of the total budget.
During the budget review, council increased Nyakayojo daily banana market tender fees from Shs 10 million to Shs 16mln, Mbarara central market rental collections from Shs 390mln to Shs 500mln and local service tax from Shs 656mln to Shs 800mln to realise improved local revenue.
“We are proposing an increase on the revenue collection from Nyakayojo daily banana market, Mbarara central market, the local service tax and on expenditure, the statutory budget for 2024/2025 shall be Shs 775 mln. These are the major changes that have been made from the recommendations of the joint committees but the rest of the figures will remain the same,” Taremwa noted.
The budget estimates and annual work plan was anonymously received by the city councillors but with amendments, according to Betty Tigefera, Female Councillor representing Kakoba ward.
The new budget for Mbarara City, among others, prioritises construction of dilapidated Katete Bridge, Primary School sanitary facilities, classroom blocks and staff quarters, health unit infrastructure development and road infrastructure.
“The cries of our people in Katete will be addressed. We want to prioritise on opening of new roads and also continue to maintain our existing road network and we shall also appropriate funds to support the production of detailed physical development plans for our remaining wards,” said Taremwa.
Among other development projects in 2024/2025 include; procurement of land titles for council lands, management services like administration, human resource and records management to make Mbarara City an inclusive green and sustainable city.
Taremwa challenged the revenue enforcement department to make use of technological systems in boosting local revenue collection.
“I wish specifically to focus on digitalisation of revenue services through integrated revenue administration system [IRAS] to fully realise revenue sources such as land fees, building plan fees, and property rate among other major sources of revenue,” he said.
Meanwhile, Assy Abirebe Tumwesigire, Town Clerk, Mbarara City appealed to residents of Katete ward and road users from Isingiro district to remain patient, saying the bridge connecting the city to Isingiro district would be constructed in the new financial year.
“We are hopeful that the budget we have approved today [May 31, 2024] is going to be implemented beginning July 1, 2024 as we have been promised by the ministry that the monies will be released immediately after the national budget is read,” Tumwesigire said.
https://thecooperator.news/kikuube-district-approves-shs-31bln-budget-for-fy-2024-2025/
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