By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Disability rights advocates have commended the Government for allocating Sh15.5b for the Child Disability Benefit in the 2026/2027 national budget.
Presented on Thursday at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds under the Sh173.55b Social Protection Budget, the historic funding marks the first time the country has dedicated a specific financial kitty to children with disabilities.
Advocates say the fund will alleviate poverty, exclusion, and stigma while helping vulnerable families meet the high costs of specialized care.
The fund will support families facing extra costs of caring for children with disabilities and help reduce poverty, exclusion and stigma.
Patrick Kiconco Katabaazi, the Rukiga County MP, who spoke on behalf of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Social Protection, noted that the allocation directly addresses the financial burdens families face.
“This recognizes that children with disabilities face extra costs for care, transport, and assistive devices, among others,” Katabaazi said.
Data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicates that 3.5% of children aged 2–4 and 7.5% of those aged 15–17 live with disabilities. Furthermore, 44% of all Ugandan children suffer from multidimensional poverty.
Activists believe the new cash injection will keep more children with disabilities in school, improve access to healthcare, and boost their chances of self-reliance.
Esther Kyozira, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), expressed optimism but highlighted the deep structural hurdles still confronting these children.
“Many children are still at home because of bad infrastructure in schools, a lack of specialized teachers, and mobility challenges,” Kyozira explained. “In health, many require surgery and specialized nutrition. Even at home, many families cannot afford the basic care and clothing they need.”
Kyozira stated that NUDIPU is committed to working with the Government to ensure strict implementation guidelines are followed so that the funds reach the intended beneficiaries.
However, she warned against funding stagnation, pointing to past social protection grants that remained fixed for years.
“Our urge to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is to see that this is implemented effectively and to ask for more. We want to see this money grow, not remain at this initial rate for years. We request a plan to increase this budget each financial year,” Kyozira added.
The development follows recent government interventions to integrate persons with disabilities (PWDs) into wealth creation programs, including a mandatory 10% ring-fenced allocation under the Parish Development Model (PDM).
