Govt Scraps Funding for National Celebrations in Cost-Cutting Shift
The government has announced it will no longer finance national holiday celebrations, including Independence Day, Labour Day and International Women’s Day, starting in the 2026/27 financial year. The directive, confirmed on Sunday by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Dr Ramathan Ggoobi, marks a significant policy shift aimed at cutting public expenditure and […] The post Govt Scraps Funding for National Celebrations in Cost-Cutting Shift appeared first on Daily Star.
Black News 
The government has announced it will no longer finance national holiday celebrations, including Independence Day, Labour Day and International Women’s Day, starting in the 2026/27 financial year.
The directive, confirmed on Sunday by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Dr Ramathan Ggoobi, marks a significant policy shift aimed at cutting public expenditure and redirecting funds to priority sectors.
Ggoobi said government spending will increasingly focus on critical areas such as health, education and infrastructure, as part of ongoing fiscal reforms.
For years, the state has fully funded large-scale national commemorations, characterised by parades, official ceremonies, cultural showcases and nationwide mobilisation.
However, the celebrations have also faced criticism over their rising costs, particularly in logistics, security deployment and event organisation across districts.
Under the new arrangement, future commemorations are expected to rely on private sector sponsorships and partnerships with development agencies, although detailed guidelines are yet to be released.
The move is likely to spark debate over whether the government is striking the right balance between fiscal discipline and preserving the symbolic value of national events.
Critics argue that such celebrations play a key role in fostering unity and national identity, while supporters of the policy say the shift reflects necessary economic prudence.
More clarity is expected in upcoming budget framework papers ahead of the 2026/27 financial year, as stakeholders await details on how the new model will be implemented.
The post Govt Scraps Funding for National Celebrations in Cost-Cutting Shift appeared first on Daily Star.
