Economic growth slowed, says Ugandan minister

Kenya: Uganda’s Finance minister Maria Kiwanuka said the economy was projected to grow at 6.1 per cent for the financial year 2014/15, adding that growth had slowed.

The South Sudan conflict has eaten into Uganda’s growth projections – being the major trading partner.

“This was a result of a slowdown in performance by the manufacturing, construction, telecommunication and financial services sub-sectors. Meanwhile, the ongoing unrest in the region reduced our export and remittance proceeds,” she said, referring to conflict in neighbouring South Sudan, a major trade partner.

The Ugandan government has allocated Ush450 billion (Ksh15 billion) to enhance the salaries of all public servants in the fiscal year 2014/15.

The amount includes provisions for a teachers’ pay increase where the lowest pay will increase by between 15 and 25 per cent.

Other public servants’ salaries are also adju

The State will enhance health workers’ remuneration and improve their skills through capacity building, in addition to building more staff houses in lower level health facilities to minimise absenteeism.

Some Ush1.005 trillion was allocated to the security sector, representing 7.1 per cent of the total budget while Ush2.575 trillion was apportioned to works and transport sector.

Ush75 billion was allocated to the Uganda Road Fund to facilitate the maintenance and rehabilitation of 10,000km of national, district, urban and community access roads across the country, and Ush1.675 trillion to the energy and minerals sector to undertake mineral development.

Ush1.7 trillion went  to the education sector in the next financial year to enhance education quality.

Ush1.2 trillion was alloted to implement Government priority programmes in the health sector while Ush30 billion will enhance safe water provision and sanitation.