Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of State for Gender and Culture, Hon. Peace Mutuzo has asked Parliament to consider approving the proposed budget increase for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). She said that the current budget of Shs2 billion is insufficient and cannot support the 12.8 million PWDs. “In …
Read More »US government shutdown extends into next week
Washington, United States | AFP | The US government partial shutdown was set to stretch deep into next week after legislators failed Thursday to make a breakthrough in the row over President Donald Trump’s demand for a US-Mexico border wall. After convening for just a few minutes following the official …
Read More »UN fails to reach deal on budget shortfall as US funding dips
United Nations, United States | AFP | United Nations member states failed to come up with a deal Friday to make up for a $220 million budget black hole left by the United States downsizing its contribution to peacekeeping operations, diplomats said. The United States had paid around 28 percent …
Read More »Nigeria’s Buhari submits slimmer budget to lawmakers
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presented parliament with his government’s 2019 budget plan that he said was to help growth, fight poverty and boost infrastructure. The draft budget, at 8.83 trillion naira ($24.3 billion), was smaller than the 9.12 trillion approved for the previous …
Read More »Saudi Arabia raises spending in new deficit budget
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | OPEC heavyweight Saudi Arabia on Tuesday announced an expansionary budget for 2019 but projected a shortfall for the sixth year in a row due to low oil prices. The new budget comes with the oil-rich kingdom reeling under strong international pressure over the murder …
Read More »BUDGET: Zimbabwe to cut govt salaries to curb spending
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe’s new finance minister Mthuli Ncube announced a five-percent cut to senior government officials’ salaries on Thursday in a bid to mend the shattered economy. Ncube’s budget also set out plans for the biometric registration of civil servants to weed out “ghost” workers who …
Read More »TAX AMENDMENTS: Fuel, Boda Boda, juices and Kibuku targeted
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of State for Planning David Bahati has confirmed several radical tax proposals and amendments to the Income tax Bills, including increase excise duty on diesel and petrol by Sh100 for a litre to generate Sh196.4 billion. Another key new tax proposal is …
Read More »THIS WEEK: Shs530billion set aside for salary enhancements, Kasaija
THIS WEEK: Shs530billion set aside for salary enhancements, Kasaija Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | While tabling the Shs30 trillion budget for FY2018/19 last week, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija revealed that Shs530billion has been set aside to cater for salary enhancements for some public servants including medical workers, university lecturers, low …
Read More »Trump signs spending bill, averting government shutdown
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a $1.3 trillion compromise federal spending bill despite being “unhappy” with many of its provisions — thereby averting what would have been the third government shutdown of 2018. Trump said he signed the measure that had passed the …
Read More »MPs challenge Kasaija request for Sh736b domestic loan
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Parliamentary Committee on the National Economy has rejected the approval of a Sh736b domestic loan by the government for statutory payments, including salaries and wages. Last month minister of state for finance in charge of planning, David Bahati tabled before parliament a notice …
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