Rwenzori Region reflective budget dialogue meetings report

This is a two day reflective process budget dialogue meeting’s report held in Fort-Portal and Kasese Municipalities. The rationale of this innovation was to cascade participation in budget advocacy for good governance through youth dialogues in order to strengthen civic competence in lower local governments and communities.

Whereas the budgetary consultative process adopts a bottom –up-approach, actual debate prioritization and decision making influences,   has been more dominant at the central government level. This has resulted into the sidelining of the needs and aspirations of the local lower governments and communities especially the youth who bear the worst brunt of vulnerabilities such as unemployment, extreme poverty, poor health and marginalization in Uganda.  

Budget analysis is considered a better tool that helps to interrogate rationale of priorities of Government planning and budgetary processes for an effective and equitable resource allocation. This activity was   designed to question how the budget resonates with development plans, the alignment to the poverty strategies with the local priorities and how it addresses the practical realities and needs of the citizens. The National Development Plan 2015-2020 envisions catapulting Uganda’s Economy to a middle income status though strengthening the countries competitiveness for sustainable wealth creation, employment and boast economic   growth, though increased agricultural productivity, food security, enhanced private sector development.

The dialogue meeting targeted youth in higher institutions of learning in order to strength their   Civic competence and participation in budgetary governance process in the following areas;

·         Increased Civic awareness of the budget cycle as a tool for civic engagement with stakeholders.

·         Strengthening  young citizenry participation in demanding for social and political accountability for local leaders

·         Aligning the National budget priorities to the local realities, needs and interests of the youth  in the region

·         Enhancing effective community and leadership participation and accountability for better service delivery.

For a detailed report, follow this link  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw3Zvm3irnGdcjJVcFpBek1YNjQ/viewhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw3Zvm3irnGdcjJVcFpBek1YNjQ/view