ACODEUganda

29/07/2026

WestNile Development Association (WENDA) Newly Elected 6th Council Starts a 2026-2031 Development Journey.

ACODE and WENDA, together with the outgoing WENDA Executive, with support from the Royal Danish Embassy and Partner Embassies (Ireland, Netherlands and Sweden), facilitated the election of the new council, where Hon. Asiku Abdulmutwalib (LC 5 Chairperson, Yumbe) emerged as the New Council Chairperson and Hon. Jackie Opar (Mayor, Nebbi Municipality) emerged as the vice chairperson- the first female to be elected to the WENDA council top positions.

In his remarks, Mr Akuma Moses Odims, Executive Director, WENDA, appreciated ACODE for collaboration in strengthening the WENDA Governance structures through the "Strengthening civic engagement, voice, service delivery and climate justice for improved accountability in Uganda" project.

Representing the Executive Director of ACODE, Mr Amanya Dickens, Research Officer- Environment and Natural Resources Governance at ACODE implored the new leadership to consider prioritising the climate justice agenda in the region due to accelerating deforestation, declining groundwater levels, wetland degradation, recurrent droughts and flooding, Unregulated waste management, together with the absence of the gazetted Waste Management Landfill in the sub-region, Meagre budget allocations to the respective Environment and Natural Resources Department of not more than 5% of the district budgets and lack of District Climate Change Action Plans, five years since the enactment of the Climate Change Act (2021).



Ministry of Local Government Climate Action Network-International Regenerate Africa Wenda Westnile Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group - Uganda Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda Embassy of Denmark in Uganda Embassy of Sweden in Kampala European Union in Uganda

22/07/2026

Modern environmental conservation requires that citizens participate in the processes and know how they benefit.

However, this has been lacking in the Karamoja and West Nile sub-regions, exacerbating the case of environmental and climate Injustice.

ACODE, with support from the Embassy of Denmark in Uganda, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda, the Embassy of Sweden in Kampala, and the Embassy of Ireland, produced a report analysing the status of Environmental Justice in the two regions.

Some of the findings show that despite having a strong environmental legal framework in place, anchored in
the Constitution, the National Environment Act (2019), and the Climate Change Act (2021) to provide for environmental
protection, public participation, and access to justice; their
effectiveness in promoting environmental justice is constrained by
significant implementation gaps.

See more in the link below;
https://www.acode-u.org/viewpdf.php?file_name=PRS119.pdf

Ministry of Water and Environment Green Economy Coalition WWF Oxfam in Uganda Parliament of Uganda Wenda Westnile Regenerate Africa Climate Action Network-International European Union in Uganda

13/07/2026

The first quarterly expenditure for releases for FY 2026/27 and the launch of the Open Budget Survey took place last week at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning offices.
The total release for Q1 FY2026/27 is Shs 23.03 Trillion, representing 27% of the approved budget. The releases have been aligned with implementation schedules, projected domestic revenue, and expected external financing disbursements.

The highlights for this quarter include;

👉 Shs 10.23 trillion for debt and treasury operations
👉 Shs 2.46 trillion to cater for wages and salaries across government
👉 Shs 289.6 billion for agro-industrial research and innovation, operations and critical programme interventions
👉 Shs 65.6 billion for tourism development and promotion interventions, including the "ExploreUganda" Drive
👉 Shs 50bn to Uganda National Oil Company(UNOC) and Petroleum Autority of Uganda(PAU) for fast tracking first oil
👉 Shs 377.9 billion for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), including ICT and the creative Industry, expanding internet connectivity and the digitisation of the economy.
👉For Local governments, Shs 428.7 billion has been released; of this, Shs 340.4 billion is for conditional and non-conditional grants and Shs 88.3 billion for capital development to enable timely implementation of Local government Projects, especially those related to AFCON 27

At the same meeting, the Open Budget Survey Results for 2025 were launched.



Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda International Monetary Fund Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group - Uganda Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group - Uganda Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda Ministry of Local Government Embassy of Denmark in Uganda

07/07/2026

Today, ACODE joined the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for the National Post-Budget Dialogue for FY2026/27. Stakeholders, such as the Civil Society, media, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Private sector, and other taxpayers, engaged with the government on issues related to tax revenue collection and management in Uganda.

The Commissioner General of URA, Mr John Musinguzi, assured participants of URA's commitment to providing a simplified, timely, reliable and convenient tax system to strengthen compliance.

Mr Emmanuel Katongole, URA board chair, noted that tax compliance is a collective responsibility. However, if citizens are asked to comply, then public institutions must be trustworthy.

The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development-Hon.Henry Musaasizi noted that the economic growth rate has been 6% in FY2025/26 and is projected to grow to 10% in FY2026/27. He also noted that in the medium term, the Government aims to grow the tax-to-GDP ratio to 20% from the current 14%.
He noted that it is in his interest to minimise policies that limit Private sector growth.

Civil society, on the other hand, urged the government to;
👉 Broaden instead of deepening Uganda's tax base,
👉 Harmonise East Africa's tax system to ease trade among member countries, 👉 Review tax exemptions
👉 Minimise wastage of public funds at the parliamentary level
👉 Curb debt appetite and ensure borrowing for investment and wealth creation.

At the dialogue, the URA client charter and the Service Delivery Standards were also launched.



Ministry of Local Government Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group - Uganda Embassy of Denmark in Uganda Embassy of Sweden in Kampala Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda Uganda Development Bank Offical Uganda Debt Network

01/07/2026

Addressing waste management in the West Nile sub-region requires a comprehensive assessment of waste generation and disposal patterns in the region’s rapidly urbanising areas.

Given its deleterious effects, waste management ought to become a national development and climate priority rather than an afterthought.

The implications of this poorly managed waste are severe. Poorly regulated dumping and the open burning of waste release greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which in turn influences global warming.

Unfortunately, the burden of this environmental degradation is disproportionately carried by vulnerable communities like the West Nile Sub-region, with a significant proportion of the population depending directly on agriculture, which is largely supported by wetlands, streams, and rivers.

See more on this from the opinion piece in the link below.

National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Uganda Ministry of Local Government Ministry of Water and Environment

  COMMENT | DICKENS AMANYA | All over much of West Nile’s rapidly growing urban centers, poor waste management is quietly evolving into a climate justice crisis. The sight of open dumpsites, burning garbage, polluted river streams, and untreated waste is not only degrading the environment but als...

30/06/2026

Uganda's Indigenous Knowledge remains relevant to Uganda's Climate Action and to strengthening Climate Justice in West Nile subregion.

By no means does this imply that indigenous knowledge should replace scientific knowledge. Rather, it means that the two ‘worlds’ and “systems” should complement each other. Scientific data provides broader climate trends and technical analysis, while indigenous knowledge provides local context and practical adaptation strategies grounded in lived experiences.- writes Mr Akena Walter, Researcher at ACODE.

See more in the opinion piece below.

  COMMENT | WALTER AKENA | While growing up in the village, our grandmother always warned us never to sit at the doorway whenever it rained. According to her, sitting at the doorway while it rained was known to bring misfortune, including developing painful boils on the buttocks, commonly known as ...

24/06/2026

Yesterday, Dr. Athur Bainomugisha and Dr. Fred Muhumuza were on Radio One to discuss the efficiency of Uganda's Budget implementation.
Catch this insightful discussion via the link below.



Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group - Uganda Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda Ministry of Local Government Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda Embassy of Denmark in Uganda Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Uganda Debt Network

Uganda has many challenges that affect Budget efficiency. Those cha...

23/06/2026

ACODE, in partnership with the West Nile Development Association(WENDA) and with support from the Embassies of Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Sweden through the Partnership for Accountability, Civic Engagement, and Rights (PACER) Programme, convened a meeting of private-sector stakeholders in the West Nile sub-region to promote private-sector investment in climate action.

The meeting sought to;
🔹 Provide a platform for dialogue among climate justice actors on climate financing and accountability
🔹 Enhance private sector awareness of climate change impacts, risks, and emerging market-based opportunities
🔹 Secure commitments for new or expanded private investments in climate action initiatives.

Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the Arua Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Silas Anguzu, urged business owners to formally register their enterprises to improve their eligibility for financing opportunities such as the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project, the Agricultural Credit Facility (ACF), and loans from commercial banks.

He noted that access to such financing would enable businesses to invest more effectively in climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable initiatives.




Ministry of Local Government Wenda Westnile Regenerate Africa Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda Embassy of Denmark in Uganda WWF Green Economy Coalition

22/06/2026

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) join CSBAG Uganda and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to discuss how the Budget for FY2026/27 can drive investment, boost business, create jobs and transform the economy.

This was during a Post-Budget Dialogue held in Kampala on the 19th June 2026 under the theme: Budgeting for Investment and Economic Opportunities.
The meeting brought together several stakeholders to discuss how the current budget can support Uganda's 10-fold growth Strategy.
Different sectors and MDAs were invited to showcase their programmes and demonstrate how public resources are utilised.

In his opening remarks, Mr Julius Mukunda, ED -CSBAG Uganda, noted that the dialogue was not only about allocations and expenditures but a tool to facilitate citizens' engagement with Government institutions, ask questions and explore opportunities available through public programmes funded under the National Budget.

The Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development highlighted Uganda's Resilience, noting sustained growth, steady progress across key economic indicators despite global shock, and projecting a 10.2% economic growth this financial year.

The Deputy Ambassador of Denmark, Mr Adam Sparre Spliid, noted that the Budget is more than a list of expenses; it's a road map for business, and should be used to grow jobs, income and revenues, but also to strengthen inclusiveness.

Mr Canon Benson Turamye - ED, Public Procurement & Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA Uganda), noted that under the reservation scheme, all procurement valued at below UGX 15B is reserved for Ugandan providers, ensuring that local businesses directly benefit from public procurement.

In his closing remarks, Executive Director ACODE appealed to the Government of Uganda to manage its debt appetite and ensure proper use of borrowed funds.

Ministry of Local Government Embassy of the Netherlands in Uganda Embassy of Denmark in Uganda European Union in Uganda CARE William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Uganda Development Bank Offical

18/06/2026

Secure land rights serve as a cornerstone for climate adaptation in Karamoja’s agro-pastoralist systems, where women’s exclusion from tenure exacerbates vulnerabilities to droughts, rangeland degradation, and mobility disruptions.

By empowering women with documented access to communal grazing, family plots, and migration corridors, strategies can unlock investments in resilient practices such as rotational grazing, fodder production, and water harvesting, directly countering the 25% rangeland loss.

However, despite robust protections for women’s land rights, there are persistent gaps in provisions, enforcement, and adaptation, which undermine their realisation, particularly in Karamoja’s communal contexts.

There is no automatic joint ownership of land between spouses. This means that women can easily lose their land rights after divorce or when their husbands die. In Karamoja, about 99% of the land is communal and not formally registered. Given such a setting, tools like Certificates of Customary Ownership and Communal Land Associations are rarely used. Male elders often control land decisions, and there are no clear rules to ensure women’s inclusion.

This policy brief in the link below analyses the key barriers and institutional gaps affecting women’s land rights in Karamoja and proposes actionable recommendations to promote equitable land tenure as a foundation for inclusive and sustainable development in the region.

Get yourself a copy at the link here;
https://www.acode-u.org/viewpdf.php?file_name=PBP78.pdf