MPs Urge National Planning Authority to Reassess Priorities in Development Plan IV

The meeting, chaired by the Chairperson of the Budget Committee, Hon. Patrick Isiagi, focused on reviewing the draft NDP IV and ensuring that it addresses the diverse needs of all regions in the country.

Members of Parliament have called on the National Planning Authority (NPA) to reassess its priorities in the draft National Development Plan (NDP) IV to better address regional disparities and ensure more equitable development across Uganda. The call came during a meeting with NPA officials led by Dr. Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director of the NPA, on Tuesday, 7 January 2025.

The meeting, chaired by the Chairperson of the Budget Committee, Hon. Patrick Isiagi, focused on reviewing the draft NDP IV and ensuring that it addresses the diverse needs of all regions in the country. Several MPs emphasized the importance of addressing the development gaps in underserved regions such as Karamoja, Bukedi, and Busoga.

West Budama County North MP, Hon. Maximus Ochai, urged the NPA to reprioritize the plan to focus on the most critically underserved regions. He emphasized the need for regional development programs that prioritize these areas, suggesting that NPA should focus on the sub-regions that are most in need of support.

“I would want to propose that NPA goes back and reprioritises so that we focus only on the critical ones. This year, we should focus on the sub-regions that are mostly left behind. How I wish NPA could scale them down and address the very poor ones,” Ochai said.

Pian County MP, Hon. Remigio Achia, also voiced concerns about the lack of equitable representation in the NDP IV. He highlighted that several regions, particularly in the northeast and northwest, have been consistently excluded from the national development plans. He urged for more balanced distribution of resources, particularly in sectors such as human capital development, which he noted favors certain regions over others.

“For example, under human capital development, you see universities in Soroti, Kabale, MUBS, Mbarara, and Makerere given funding, but since 2015, Mt Moroto University remains at the foundation level,” Achia pointed out. He emphasized that Mt Moroto University, located in the Karamoja sub-region, should be upgraded to offer courses vital for the region’s development, such as minerals, water management, and livestock.

Hon. Sylvia Nayebale, the Gomba District Woman Representative, reiterated the need for greater equity in the distribution of development projects. She also raised concerns about the lack of regional airports, which hinders the tourism potential of certain regions. She explained how tourists traveling to Uganda often fly into neighboring Rwanda before driving to popular destinations in Uganda due to the absence of direct flights from regional airports.

“As a result, tourists fly from Rwanda to Kisoro and drive to various attractions in Uganda, yet they could have used domestic flights. We need regional airports to support tourism,” Nayebale emphasized.

Political Party Alignment with NDP IV and Review Proposals

In addition to calls for better regional equity, the meeting also discussed the alignment of political party manifestos with the priorities of the NDP IV. Minister of State for Finance (Planning), Hon. Amos Lugoloobi, urged political parties to align their manifestos with the priorities outlined in the NDP IV, noting that there would be opportunities for the inclusion of new issues from the winning party's manifesto during a mid-term review.

However, Bunya South MP, Hon. Idi Isabirye, raised concerns about projects in political party manifestos that are not reflected in the NDP. This led to a discussion about the timing of the NDP's review, with Isiagi proposing that it be conducted after one year instead of the proposed two-and-a-half-year cycle.

Lugoloobi rejected this proposal, stating that policy requires the review to take place after two and a half years. The NDP IV is expected to undergo periodic reviews to ensure that it remains responsive to emerging challenges and the evolving needs of the country.

The discussions reflect a growing concern among MPs about ensuring that Uganda’s national development is inclusive and addresses regional disparities. The NDP IV is crucial to shaping the country’s development trajectory, and the ongoing parliamentary review aims to ensure that it is both comprehensive and equitable. The call for a more inclusive development plan underscores the need for careful consideration of all regions, particularly those that have historically been left behind.