Members of Parliament have raised concerns over planned cuts to agriculture, transport and social protection spending in the 2026/2027 Budget Framework Paper, warning that the reductions could undermine productivity, connectivity and support for vulnerable groups.
The concerns emerged during a plenary sitting of the Chamber of Deputies, where the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on State Budget and Patrimony, Odette Uwamariya, presented the committee's findings on the proposed budget allocations.
The 2026/2027 national budget is projected at Rwf7,796 billion, representing a 12 per cent increase from the revised Rwf6,952 billion budget for 2025/2026.
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The budget is expected to rise further to Rwf9,269 billion by 2028/2029.
Domestic revenues are expected to finance 64.3 per cent of the budget, while external grants and foreign loans will account for 7 per cent and 25.3 per cent, respectively.
Agriculture funding decline raises concern
Funding for agriculture and livestock is projected to increase to Rwf352.5 billion in 2026/2027 from Rwf222.3 billion in 2025/2026.
However, allocations are expected to fall sharply to Rwf246.2 billion in 2027/2028 and Rwf255.6 billion in 2028/2029, despite agricultural growth forecasts slowing from 7.4 per cent in 2025 to 3.7 per cent in 2026, below the NST2 target of above 6 per cent.
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Lawmakers warned that the projected decline in funding could affect efforts to boost agricultural productivity and food security.
"There is a need to continue allocating sufficient resources to this sector in order to support sustained growth of agricultural output, targeting an average of above 6 per cent," Uwamariya said.
Transport budget cuts worry lawmakers
Transport sector funding is also set to decline from Rwf323.7 billion in 2025/2026 to Rwf305.3 billion in 2026/2027, before dropping further to Rwf228.6 billion in 2027/2028.
MPs warned that the reduction could slow feeder road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance, affecting connectivity for agriculture and trade.
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Parliament also expressed concern over declining social protection spending, projected to fall from Rwf251 billion in 2025/2026 to Rwf196 billion in 2026/2027, before declining further to Rwf192 billion by 2028/2029.
Lawmakers said the cuts come at a time when vulnerability challenges remain significant, including support for survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Parliament flags other budget gaps
Beyond sector allocations, MPs directed the government to revise the Budget Framework Paper to address key omissions and inconsistencies.
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Among the concerns raised was the absence of medium-term allocations for the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), which had no projected funding for the 2027/2028 and 2028/2029 fiscal years.
During the budget hearing, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) acknowledged the omission, describing it as a technical error.
Lawmakers also faulted the omission of funding for the relocation of residents living on high-risk islands, despite a Senate resolution adopted in July 2025 calling for the programme.
The relocation initiative, expected to run from July 2026 to July 2029, was entirely absent from the draft framework.
"This activity should be prioritised and allocated a budget to ensure the relocation of residents living in unsafe island areas," Uwamariya told Parliament on Monday, May 25.
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Debt projected to rise
Public debt is projected to increase from 72.9 per cent of GDP in 2025 to 73.6 per cent in 2026, before peaking at 75.6 per cent in 2028 and easing slightly to 75 per cent in 2029.
MINECOFIN said 89.2 per cent of the debt remains concessional and pointed to measures aimed at easing debt pressure, including tax reforms and reliance on softer financing instruments.
Uwamariya stressed the need to strengthen implementation of measures aimed at boosting exports and foreign currency reserves to safeguard the value of the Rwandan franc.
MP Christine Bakundufite also raised concerns over expropriation delays affecting major projects, including Nyabarongo II, urging the government to ensure adequate compensation funding.
In response, Uwamariya said improvements had been recorded in project implementation, noting that compensation costs are now increasingly integrated into project budgets.
