Uganda’s disaster bills put prevention spending in the spotlight

Every year, Uganda spends money on tents, blankets and food for communities hit by disasters. Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa wants lawmakers to challenge that cycle and direct public money towards measures that prevent repeated losses. According to Daily Monitor Uganda (direct), he urged MPs to make protection against climate shocks a central test of how they write laws, approve budgets and scrutinise government spending.

Tayebwa spoke on Tuesday in Kampala at the opening of a two-day induction workshop for members of Parliament’s Climate Change and Natural Resources committees. Held at Mestil Hotel, the meeting focused on lawmakers’ environmental priorities. His message was that climate policy must move beyond speeches and conferences: the 12th Parliament’s record would depend on its ability to protect future generations from recurring disasters.

Tayebwa said Parliament should be judged by the disasters it helps prevent, rather than the number of sittings or conferences it holds.

From emergency supplies to lasting protection

The Deputy Speaker pointed to repeated flooding along the River Nyamwamba in Kasese, submerged land in Ntoroko District and destructive landslides in Bududa. These recurring emergencies, he argued, raise a basic question about public finances: how sustainable is it to keep paying for temporary relief? He called for greater emphasis on preventive infrastructure, rather than returning each year to the distribution of emergency supplies for affected communities.

Agriculture was a particular concern. Tayebwa warned that unpredictable weather could erode the value of national economic investments, weaken efforts to reduce poverty and threaten food security. He urged MPs to incorporate climate risks into public spending and government development programmes. That would make preparation for floods, drought and other weather disruptions part of the spending decision, rather than leaving climate concerns separate from economic priorities.

He proposed linking Parish Development Model funds to climate-smart agriculture—farming practices designed to cope better with changing weather. His priorities included drought-resistant seeds, agroforestry, which combines trees with farming, and measures to protect soil. He also called for agricultural extension workers, who advise farmers, to have the knowledge needed to teach sustainable practices. The proposal places both farm inputs and practical support at the centre of his prevention agenda.

Forecasts, forests and energy enter the budget debate

Tayebwa also said Uganda was losing about 80,000 hectares of forest cover each year, a rate he described as unacceptable. He called for tighter parliamentary oversight of the government agencies responsible for environmental protection. Alongside renewable energy and rainwater collection at public institutions, he sought adequate funding for the Uganda National Meteorological Authority so farmers could receive timely, local weather forecasts on their mobile phones.

Christine Kaaya, coordinator of the Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change–Uganda and a former Kiboga District Woman MP, also pressed for specific commitments. She highlighted weaknesses in waste sorting, collection and recycling, and called for better funding for weather services. Kaaya urged investment in irrigation, water harvesting and renewable energy, saying most of the population remained outside the main electricity grid and relied heavily on fuel wood.

The forum’s secretariat organised the workshop to help MPs shape their legislative priorities over their five-year term. The next test is whether the appeals translate into budget allocations and sustained oversight: support for more resilient farming, better weather information and infrastructure that reduces repeated disaster losses. The report describes calls for action, rather than an approved funding package.