EDITORIAL: Finance ministers owe citizens the truth on budgets
The Uganda 2020/2021 National budget presentation. EAC Finance ministers struck an optimistic posture, perhaps trying to lift the spirits of a region. PHOTO | MORGAN MBABAZI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
With the possible exception of Burundi and South Sudan, the East African Community member States presented their spending plans for the 2020/21 fiscal year right on cue on June 11. Given the unusual circumstances, the Finance ministers struck an optimistic posture, perhaps trying to lift the spirits of a region weighed down by the ripple effects of varying levels of Covid-19 related lockdowns in three of the member states.
Kenya’s Finance Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani unveiled a $27 billion budget, closely followed by his Tanzanian counterpart Dr Phillip Mpango who plans to spend $20 billion. Mpango’s budget was all the more unique because it even projects an 18 per cent growth in revenues.
