Overview:
The move reflects a growing push within government to contain recurrent expenditure as pressure mounts to finance development programmes amid competing demands on public resources.
KAMPALA — The government will stop financing most national public holiday celebrations beginning in the 2026/27 financial year, redirecting the savings to wealth creation and other priority development programmes.
The decision marks a major shift in how Uganda commemorates national events and is part of broader efforts to cut recurrent expenditure and channel more resources into programmes aimed at boosting household incomes and economic growth.
Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi announced the move, saying government-funded celebrations for most statutory public holidays will be discontinued.
Under the new arrangement, President Museveni will mark many of the national observances through radio and television addresses from State House instead of presiding over large public gatherings that require significant public expenditure.
“For the 2026/27 financial year, government will no longer finance most public holiday celebrations. The resources will instead be directed towards wealth creation and other priority interventions,” Dr Ggoobi said in a statement posted on the Ministry of Finance’s X platform.
For years, the government has spent billions of shillings organising commemorative events for national holidays, including International Women’s Day, Labour Day, Heroes Day, NRM Liberation Day, Independence Day and other statutory observances.
The celebrations have traditionally involved expenditure on security deployments, transport, accommodation, tents, public address systems, entertainment and other logistical arrangements.
Uganda currently observes 14 public holidays annually, comprising religious and statutory commemorations.
According to Dr Ggoobi, only a limited number of key religious observances are expected to continue receiving government support, while most statutory commemorations will be marked through lower-cost alternatives.
The Treasury says the move is intended to improve efficiency in public spending and ensure that scarce resources are invested in programmes with a direct impact on livelihoods.
The announcement comes as government finalises the 2026/27 national budget, which is scheduled to be presented to Parliament on June 11.
Officials have already indicated that the budget will prioritise wealth creation, industrialisation, export promotion, infrastructure development and investment-led growth.
The decision is likely to reignite debate about the cost of national celebrations, an issue that economists and public finance experts have raised repeatedly over the years.
Critics of the annual commemorations have argued that while national holidays play an important role in preserving the country’s history and identity, the scale of expenditure associated with some celebrations places an unnecessary burden on the public purse.
Supporters of the events, however, maintain that national commemorations provide opportunities for citizens to reflect on the country’s achievements and strengthen patriotism.
If implemented, the new policy will significantly reduce government spending on public holiday events and replace large-scale celebrations with presidential broadcasts and other modest engagements.
The move reflects a growing push within government to contain recurrent expenditure as pressure mounts to finance development programmes amid competing demands on public resources.