By David Himbara
The leading East African economy — Kenya — by far outstrips its neighbors with regard to the size of its budget. At US$30 Billion, Kenya’s budget for 2018/2019 is larger than the combined budgets of Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. Kenya’s US$30 Billion budget comes from an economy with a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$70 Billion.
Tanzania comes second with a budget of US$14.2 Billion in an economy with a GDP of US$47 Billion.
Uganda is third with a budget of US$8 Billion from a GDP of US$24 Billion.
Then comes Kagame’s budget of US$2.4 Billion from an economy with a GDP of US$8.3 Billion.
In local currencies, the East African budgets for 2018/2019 look like this:
Kenya: Ksh3.07 Trillion — US$30.3 Billion.
Tanzania: Tsh32.4 Trillion — US$14.2 Billion.
Uganda: Ush30.9 Trillion — US$8 Billion.
Rwanda: Rfr2.4 Trillion — US$2.7 Billion.
Kagame’s Singapore of Africa is not impressive.
General Paul Kagame is Mr. Bombastic. He is loose-lipped and supremely confident that he is the best performer in every imaginable field. He loves to upstage every other head of state. With an annual budget of US$2.4 Billion in an economy of US$8.3 Billion, Kagame ought to be humble.
