Kiryandongo District has approved a Shs48.3 billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year, with local leaders positioning it as a key step toward transforming the largely agricultural district into an industrial and commercial hub by 2040.
The budget, approved by the district council, represents a 1.97 percent increase from the current financial year and prioritises education, health and agricultural transformation as pillars of long-term economic growth.
For decades, Kiryandongo has relied heavily on small-scale agriculture, with most households depending on crops such as maize, cassava and beans for survival. District leaders say the new spending plan is intended to shift the district from subsistence production towards a more diversified and industrialised economy.
Education received the largest allocation at Shs18.1 billion, with funds earmarked for teachers’ salaries, construction and rehabilitation of school infrastructure, and improving learning conditions in public schools.
Mr Johnson Mukusa, an education advocate with the Kiryandongo United Youth Forum, said investment in education was critical to the district’s industrialisation agenda.
‘Industrialization requires a workforce that is educated and equipped with the right skills. Investing in education today means preparing our children and young people for future opportunities,’ he said.
The health sector was allocated Shs9.3 billion to support the upgrading of health facilities, expansion of medical services and improved access to healthcare across the district.
Mr Musa Mugweri, chairperson of Kyatiri B Village, said improved healthcare services would help create a more productive population capable of contributing to economic growth.
Agriculture and production, which remain central to the district’s economy, were allocated Shs2 billion to support commercial farming, improve market access and increase productivity.
‘Industrialization begins with production. Farmers must produce enough not only for their families but also for markets and industries,’ said Kibanda North MP Lenox Ngopek.
District authorities also plan to invest in roads, classrooms, staff houses, administration blocks, health centres, markets, water sources and sanitation facilities.
Officials say improved infrastructure will help attract investment, ease the movement of agricultural produce and strengthen service delivery.
Located along the Kampala-Gulu highway, Kiryandongo has increasingly become a strategic commercial corridor attracting both local and foreign investors. Leaders believe its location gives it a competitive advantage in future industrial development.
Despite the optimism, council discussions highlighted persistent challenges in revenue mobilisation.
Local revenue collection reached only 64 percent of the annual target during the previous financial year, while central government transfers stood at 75 percent. Donor funding, however, exceeded projections, reaching 110 percent of expected revenue.
The figures underscore the district’s continued dependence on external funding and the need to strengthen local revenue collection.
Kiryandongo District Chairperson Nelson Osaga attributed the shortfall partly to resistance by some residents to pay local taxes and limited public awareness about how locally generated revenue supports development.
He also warned that chronic understaffing across several departments could slow implementation of development programmes.
‘Development is not the responsibility of government alone. Communities must participate in planning, monitoring, and protecting public investments,’ Osaga said.
While district leaders acknowledge that the journey to becoming an industrial hub remains long, they argue that the approved budget provides a foundation for future growth.
‘Whether the Shs48.3 billion budget will be enough to turn those ambitions into reality remains to be seen. For now, we are encouraging residents, business leaders, and development partners to work together as the implementation begins,’ Osaga said.