As the next financial year’s budget for 2024/2025 considers the newly created cities and districts, political leaders in these areas express concerns over the impending gaps in service delivery.
Frustrated legislators, who played a role in the legislation to form these cities, are now demanding amendments to the laws, citing a lack of political will to fund the operationalization of the newly established urban centers.
Gulu, one of the 10 towns elevated to city status on April 28, 2020, alongside Fort Portal, Mbale, Arua, Moroto, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara, Soroti, and others, faces a funding dilemma.
Despite officially becoming cities on July 1 of the same year, the budget for their operationalization remains uncertain in the upcoming financial year.
Patrick Lumumba, the Mayor of Gulu West City, reminisces about the timely funding received before the city’s elevation, expressing concern about potential gaps in service delivery.
The sentiment is echoed by Albert Ahebwa, the Speaker of Fort Portal City Council, who emphasizes the need for funding to address infrastructure challenges.
Legislators on the local government committee, including shadow minister Naluyiima Betty Ethel and Mukono municipality legislator Betty Nambooze, express disappointment and accuse the government of lacking political will to support local governments and the newly created cities.
Naluyiima Betty Ethel states,
“The inadequate funding is deliberate, and yet all tax collections go to local government. When it’s about defense, they quickly approve the budget, but if it’s about service delivery through local government, they suffocate it.”
Former shadow minister for local government Betty Nambooze, who played a role in the creation of new cities, threatens to return to parliament and push for the recall of the decision due to underfunding.
“We approved thinking that the government is going to implement it; now that they have failed, we’d rather go back to our old setup,” warns Nambooze.
In response, the government defends its position, citing resource constraints and prioritization of the Production, Distribution, and Marketing (PDM) sector.
“We did not abandon funding cities, but with our small resource envelope, we chose to give priority to PDM that benefited all regardless of location,” states a government representative.
The funding crisis for newly created cities raises concerns about the government’s commitment to local development, prompting calls for urgent amendments and a reevaluation of budgetary allocations.