KAMPALA, September 11, 2025 — The Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, has pledged that Central Government will significantly increase funding to local governments to improve service delivery across the country.
Minister Magyezi was speaking in Parliament on Tuesday in response to a petition from the Uganda Local Government Association [ULGA] and the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda [UAAU], which highlighted ten issues undermining local governance and decentralisation.
“We acknowledge the challenges affecting service delivery in local governments, particularly underfunding, inadequate staffing, and poor facilitation of leaders. The government is committed to strengthening decentralisation by increasing funding and addressing these gaps, starting with the 2026/27 financial year,” Magyezi told Members of Parliament.
He revealed that the government plans to allocate Shs 30 billion for the induction of all councillors at the beginning of their next term in 2026. He explained that previous training sessions had not taken place due to budgetary constraints.
“Induction of councillors is critical for effective leadership. This training will provide them with essential tools, such as the Local Government Act, the Council Model Rules of Procedure, the Constitution, and the Physical Planning Act,” he said.
Regarding remuneration, Magyezi confirmed that President Museveni had already directed salary enhancements for all political leaders, from LCI chairpersons to district and city leaders. The changes will take effect in the 2026/2027 financial year.
“Appropriate facilitation and payment of duty bearers is a statutory obligation. We commend our local leaders for their patience and sacrifice, but now the government is taking steps to improve their pay,” he said.
To enhance mobility, the Minister also announced that the government had procured brand new double-cabin pickups for district chairpersons, city mayors, and municipal mayors. The first batch of 90 vehicles is expected to arrive in September 2025, with the final batch scheduled for November.
He thanked Parliament for approving a Shs 35.2 billion supplementary budget in April to facilitate this procurement.
Magyezi further reported that staffing levels in local governments had improved from 52% in 2019 to 70 percent currently. He added that the Ministry of Public Service is working with accounting officers to align wage bills with critical staffing needs.
“Adequate staffing is essential for efficient service delivery. We are ensuring vacant posts are filled, recruitment is expedited, and District Service Commissions operate without delay,” Magyezi said.
The government will also procure full sets of road equipment for all cities and essential machinery for municipalities starting in the 2026/27 financial year. He confirmed that, for the first time, funds would be allocated to town councils and sub-counties to maintain roads under their jurisdiction.
“We have heard the concerns of the lower councils regarding road maintenance. I am pleased to announce that funds will be provided to all town councils and sub-counties in the next budget,” the Minister said.
With Uganda’s urbanisation rate at 5.3 percent annually, Magyezi stressed the need to strengthen physical planning. He revealed that President Museveni had directed allocations of Shs 2 billion for each city, Shs 300 million for each municipal council, and Shs 50 million for each town council to improve planning and prevent the growth of slums.
“This provision will ensure that our towns develop into better-planned, liveable, and attractive urban centres,” Magyezi said, adding that the Ministries of Lands, and Finance are working together to implement the President’s directive.
On the centralisation of local government revenue, Magyezi affirmed the government’s support for Parliament’s resolution that councils should retain and account for their locally generated revenues.
“We continue to engage the Finance ministry to ensure that councils retain their revenue while ensuring accountability and transparency,” he said.
Magyezi praised ULGA and UAAU for their efforts in strengthening decentralisation, revealing that their annual subvention would be doubled from Shs 300 million to Shs 600 million starting in the 2026/27 financial year.
The Minister also noted that, although local governments had raised concerns about declining service delivery, assessments by the Office of the Prime Minister had shown improvements, driven by programmes such as the Parish Development Model [PDM], and Emyooga, among others.
“The situation is promising. Our task ahead is to deepen decentralisation, increase funding, and strengthen councils to provide better services and promote wealth creation for all Ugandans,” he emphasised.
Magyezi also confirmed that President Museveni, who is the patron of ULGA, would soon meet district chairpersons and mayors to further discuss the way forward for local governments.
https://thecooperator.news/local-governments-decry-poor-service-delivery/
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