The six newly created districts have now commenced operations.
The districts which started their operations beginning of the 2018/2019 financial year (effective July 1), albeit challenges of funding and inadequate staffing, include Obongi curved out of Moyo, Kazo from Kiruhura, Rwampara from Mbarara, Kitagwenda from Kamwenge, Madi-Okollo from Arua and Karenga from Kaboong. They are among the 23 created in a September 2015 Government resolution, bringing the total number of districts in the country to 135.
As the norm, the new districts will share personnel from their mother districts and will be run by provisional leadership pending recruitment of staff and election of its political leaders.
However, on May 15, 2019, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, while opening a retreat of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus at National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi observed that the cost of financing new administrative units is high.
He argued that funds for the operationalization of the new administrative units could be diverted to improve Agriculture, Youth Livelihood programme and Women Fund which he says are crucial to the growth of Uganda’s economy. This is the same gospel he is spreading across the country since he launched his regional tours on Thursday May 9th.
Districts, which are political institutions with autonomous administrative, financial and operational capacity, have previously been formed under the view of bringing services closer to the people. However, this school of thought has been challenged by political pundits.
They argue that this diverts human and financial resources from the existing districts, hence undermining the capacity of local governments to effectively deliver services.
Oscord Mark Otile, a researcher with Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) argues that creation of more districts increases the cost of administration, exerting a lot of financial pressure on the national resource envelope.
“We all know that local governments rely heavily on central government transfers, usually over 95 per cent. The President himself has been quoted saying that it takes a lot of money to start a new district,” he says.
Nonetheless, leaders from mother districts have already embarked on a hand over exercise. On Monday, leaders from Mbarara Municipal Council handed over instruments of office to their counterparts of the new Rwampara District.
