EAC States Table People-Centred, Pro-Growth Budgets 

East African Community (EAC) member states on Thursday tabled their national budget estimates for the 2026/27 fiscal year, unveiling people-centred and growth-oriented spending plans aimed at accelerating economic transformation and improving livelihoods. 

The budgets underscore the commitment of EAC Partner States to promoting inclusive economic growth through domestic resource mobilisation, strategic investment and enhanced resilience, with a strong focus on job creation and improved living standards. 

Key priorities across the region include industrialisation, digital transformation, the expansion of health, transport and energy infrastructure, and employment creation. In Tanzania, the Minister for Finance, Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, told the National Assembly in Dodoma that the government plans to spend TSh62.33 trillion in FY 2026/27, up from TSh56.49 trillion allocated in FY 2025/26. 

The budget seeks to promote economic growth, attract investment and accelerate industrialisation while enhancing revenue collection to strengthen fiscal sovereignty and improve fiscal discipline. In neighbouring Kenya, the government unveiled a budget of KSh4.84 trillion, up from KSh4.239 trillion allocated in the previous financial year. 

The Kenyan budget is designed to accelerate economic growth, create jobs, support businesses and improve livelihoods while maintaining fiscal discipline. Meanwhile, Rwanda’s Cabinet approved a FY 2026/27 budget of RWF7,796.3 billion, representing a 12 per cent increase from the previous year. 

The budget prioritises agricultural productivity, industrial development, job creation and macroeconomic stability. Uganda’s budget estimate has risen to USh84.39 trillion, compared with USh72.3 trillion in FY 2025/26. Kampala’s budget is considered historic as it projects direct revenues from oil production and places a strong emphasis on driving economic growth and industrial development. 

It also seeks to fully monetise the economy through commercial agriculture, industrialisation, the expansion of services, digital transformation and improved market access. South Sudan has unveiled a draft budget of SSP11.335 trillion for FY 2026/27. 

The budget prioritises economic recovery, the stabilisation of public services and youth empowerment as the country continues its development agenda. In Zanzibar, the government has proposed an ambitious budget of TSh8.217 trillion for FY 2026/27, up from TSh6.804 trillion in the current financial year. 

In a related development, Somalia’s bicameral Federal Parliament approved a national budget of USLD$1.38 billion for the 2026 fiscal year. Unlike other EAC countries, Somalia operates on an annual fiscal calendar rather than a combined 2026/27 budget cycle. Its 2027 budget proposal is expected to be prepared and presented to Parliament later this year. 

(Source: Daily News)