Uganda has emerged as the top country in East Africa for budget transparency, according to the latest Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2023. This survey evaluates public access to information on central government finances, and Uganda scored 59 out of 100 in transparency. This score places Uganda ahead of its regional peers, including Kenya, which scored 55, and Rwanda, which achieved 50. Other East African countries lagged behind, with Tanzania scoring 41, Burundi 14, Somalia 37, and South Sudan 13?.
The Open Budget Survey, conducted by the International Budget Partnership (IBP), ranks countries based on their budget transparency, public participation, and budget oversight. Uganda's ranking of 44th out of 125 countries globally is a big achievement, reflecting improvements in the accessibility and comprehensiveness of budget information provided to the public.
Despite this progress in transparency, Uganda's score for public participation was notably lower at 15 out of 100. Kenya led the region in this category with a score of 31, followed by Rwanda at 16, and Tanzania at 13. This indicates a need for Uganda to enhance mechanisms for public involvement in the budget process to further strengthen accountability and governance?.
The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) highlighted that while Uganda has made strides in budget oversight and transparency, the declining trend in public participation is very concerning. To address this, the Open Budget Survey recommends several measures: publishing the Citizens Budget online, including comprehensive macro-economic forecasts and financial data in the executive’s budget proposal, and improving the audit report and mid-year review's comprehensiveness??.
In the broader context of East Africa, Kenya’s transparency score improved by five points from 2021, reflecting bigger strides in accountability and public access to government documents. However, Uganda’s leading position emphasizes the country’s relative success in making budgetary information more accessible and transparent compared to its neighbors?.
This comes at a time when budget transparency and public participation are increasingly seen as critical components of good governance. Transparency in the budget process is associated with improved budget quality, including lower deficits, more targeted budget priorities, and increased operational efficiency. Participatory budgets can build public trust and tax morale, potentially leading to higher revenue collection and better public debt management? in the citizens.
Overall, Uganda’s achievement in topping the East African region for budget transparency is a positive step toward greater budgetary accountability. However, continued efforts are needed to enhance public participation and ensure that the benefits of transparency translate into effective and inclusive governance.
