The Government of Uganda has announced a major shift in public expenditure, revealing that it will no longer fund the organization of most national celebrations beginning in the 2026/27 Financial Year.

The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Dr. Ramathan Ggoobi, said government expenditure on public functions will be rationalised as part of broader efforts to prioritize economic transformation and growth.

Under the new policy, government funding will no longer be allocated to the organization of public holiday celebrations such as Women's Day, Labour Day, Independence Day and similar national events. Funding will only be retained for a limited number of religious functions.

Dr. Ggoobi explained that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will instead address Ugandans through radio and television broadcasts from State House during such occasions.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the savings generated from the expenditure cuts will be redirected towards financing government priorities under the ATMS strategy and its enablers.

The announcement comes as government launches National Budget Month activities aimed at communicating the priorities and policy measures contained in the FY 2026/27 budget.

Government says it remains committed to its goal of growing Uganda's economy tenfold by 2040 through investments in the country's anchor sectors under the ATMS framework. These include accelerating value addition in agriculture, promoting industrial development, expanding opportunities in the services sector, strengthening digital infrastructure and improving access to domestic and international markets.

Officials say the rationalisation of expenditure is intended to ensure that more public resources are directed towards productive sectors that can drive economic transformation, create jobs and increase household incomes.

The move marks one of the most significant changes in government spending on public functions in recent years, reflecting a broader focus on efficiency and prioritisation of development programmes.