Africa-Press – Eswatini. Government has released E5.8 billion in recurrent expenditure during the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, representing 26% of the annual recurrent budget.
According to the 2025/2026 first quarter performance of the Ministry of Finance, the bulk of the recurrent budget is typically disbursed at the beginning of each quarter. However, they noted that ministries often submit additional funding requests to cater for activities not covered in the initial release, which can result in some departments receiving more than the expected 25% quarterly allocation.
The report highlighted that, in addition to the recurrent budget, government-financed capital project releases totalled E721 million, equivalent to 10% of the annual capital budget.
The ministries with the highest recurrent budget releases during the quarter were:
Ministry of Economic Planning and Development – 72% of its annual allocation
Ministry of Public Works and Transport – 51%
Anti-Corruption Commission – 46%
Other ministries with substantial releases included the Ministry of Home Affairs (35%), Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (32%), and Correctional Services (32%).
In contrast, the Central Transfers budget received only 2% of its allocation during the quarter.
Capital Budget Execution
In terms of capital expenditure, the Ministry of Finance received the highest share in the first quarter, with E65.7 million released out of a total capital budget of E90.2 million, translating to 73% execution. The Ministry of Education and Training followed with E115.9 million, representing 37% of its annual capital budget, while the Royal Eswatini Police received E33.6 million, amounting to 39% of its capital budget.
The Ministry of Economic Planning and Development also recorded significant capital releases, with E302.9 million, equal to 16% of its annual budget.
Most other ministries had not received any capital funding in Q1, which the Ministry of Finance attributed to the nature of capital project implementation, typically accelerating in the second quarter of the fiscal year.
The Ministry noted that the capital execution rate of 10% for the first quarter was in line with expectations and historical trends.
GOVT SPENDS E3.6 BILLION IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2025/26 FINANCIAL YEAR
By Mbono Mdluli
MBABANE – Government spent approximately E3.6 billion between April and June 2025, representing 16% of the total annual budget for the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
According to the Ministry of Finance’s first quarter performance report, the Budget Department indicated that it continued its efforts to restore fiscal discipline and sustainability, which were described as essential to ensuring macroeconomic stability. Officials noted that first-quarter spending was in line with expectations, as the start of the financial year typically sees a slower pace of disbursement.
The report revealed that the Ministry of Public Works and Transport accounted for the highest percentage of spending relative to its annual budget, having used up 49% of its allocation. This was followed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development at 31%, and the Anti-Corruption Commission, which recorded a 29% outturn. These ministries were said to have experienced front-loaded demand for their services during the early part of the year, hence the above-average expenditure.
The breakdown by department showed that other ministries remained within or below the expected 25% threshold for first-quarter spending. For instance, the Ministry of Education and Training spent 18% of its allocated E4.17 billion, while the Ministry of Health used 15% of its E2.87 billion budget. The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, however, recorded only 2% expenditure during the same period, with E21.3 million spent out of a budget exceeding E1 billion.
In terms of control items, the government spent E1.41 billion on personnel costs, representing 16% of the total wage bill for the year. Expenditure on travel was reported at E88.5 million (20%), while professional services accounted for E332.9 million (20%). Other key expenditure areas included consumables (E181.3 million), rentals (E52.3 million), and internal transfers, which reached E1.36 billion.
Drugs and medical supplies were among the lowest spend categories, with only 3% of the E776.2 million allocation used in the first quarter. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development also posted low expenditure levels, at 3% and 7% respectively.
Despite some ministries lagging behind in expenditure, the Ministry of Finance stated that most of the unspent funds were already committed to ongoing procurements and service contracts, and would be disbursed in the subsequent quarters.
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