​Uganda was one of the first recipients of budget support from international donors in the late 1990s, in what was seen as a pro-development partnership between a reform minded government and external funders. From 1998 to 2012, donors supported the government of Uganda’s development agenda by providing direct budget financing of $5.36 billion. But this positive story had unravelled by 2012, with the views of the government and donors diverging over political governance and the use of public funds.