By Johnson Kanyesige
Hoima city council has increased its budget for financial year 2026/27 by UGX 2 billion to UGX 24.9 billion ahead of AFCON games next year.
The budget for the current financial year stands at UGX 22.15 billion which will end on June 30, 2026.
The new financial year budget drafts were laid before the council which sat on Tuesday at HB Hotel along Rukurato road by Hon Slyvia Nalumaga Balyesiima, the city deputy mayor and seconded by Hon Joshua Byenkya, the division male councillor for West division.
Nalumaga noted that in the new budget, they intend to raise local revenue amounting to UGX 4.994B up from UGX 4.377billion that was budgeted in the concluding financial year while other funds will be raised from the central government among other sources.
Among the key priorities that took the lion’s share in the new financial year include Agro industrialization education, health, works, natural resources, tourism and promotion of cultural sites. Nalumaga says the new budget is positioning the City to host the 2027 AFCON games.
Joshua Byenkya, the Hoima west division male councillor says the budget will prioritizing rehabilitating of roads to ease movement of good and services during the AFCON games. He says the budget is pro people to support the development of their livelihoods.
Patrick Mugabi the Hoima City Workers’ Councillor says the new budget is aimed at supporting value addition among farmers in order to get higher returns. He says they are prioritizing strengthening tourism sector to prepare for an influx of people in the coming year.
He urges stakeholders in hospitality industry to begin preparing for the AFCON games by facelifting their areas as the leaders concentrate on beautifying and cleaning the City
