The Uganda Local Governments Association (ULGA) and the Urban Authorities’ Association of Uganda (UAAU) have petitioned Parliament, raising alarm over the deteriorating state of service delivery in local governments.
The two umbrella bodies are calling for urgent and targeted reforms to restore efficiency, strengthen accountability, and improve services for communities.
The petition, submitted by ULGA President Andrew Awany, who also serves as Kole District LC5 Chairperson, was tabled before Parliament by Buyanja East County MP Hon. Emely Kugonza during a plenary session chaired by Speaker Anita Among on Wednesday, 03 September 2025.
Key grievances outlined in the petition include inadequate orientation, dismal remuneration, critical staffing gaps, transport challenges, neglected road works, weak planning mechanisms, mismanagement of revenue, and concerns about electoral scheduling.
According to Kugonza, urgent, well-financed, and coordinated interventions are indispensable if Uganda is to meet its development objectives and constitutional obligations.
“Elected leaders in the 2021–2026 term have not undergone proper induction, leaving them ill-prepared for their duties. ULGA is urging Parliament to finance a structured onboarding programme with clear timelines and measurable impact,” he noted.
The petition also underscored the issue of poor pay. District LC5 Chairpersons and Mayors currently earn Shs2.38 million, Vice Chairpersons Shs1.19 million, District Speakers Shs724,000, while LC1 Chairpersons receive a meagre Shs10,000 per month.
According to ULGA, low pay contributes to demotivation, high turnover, and weak supervision. They are therefore pushing for immediate salary adjustments.
Transport was identified as another major bottleneck, with leaders unable to effectively monitor projects or attend national meetings due to lack of vehicles. ULGA has therefore demanded urgent procurement of official vehicles for district, city, and municipal leaders, with a transparent implementation plan.
The petition further highlighted severe staffing shortages, with local governments operating at only 30 to 60 percent of capacity. New cities and administrative units are constrained by wage ceilings, leaving critical positions unfilled and undermining service delivery in education, health, and public works.
On infrastructure, ULGA decried the state of road maintenance and called for graders, rollers, and tipper trucks for cities and municipalities, alongside tractors for town councils to enhance waste management.
It was also revealed that hundreds of new town councils and sub-counties established in 2017/18 have yet to receive any road maintenance funding, stifling local economic activity.
To address planning and financing gaps, ULGA proposed creation of dedicated planning funds, with Shs500 million allocated per district, Shs300 million per municipality, Shs200 million for each town council, and Shs100 million per sub-county.
Speaker Among lauded the petition as an important expression of citizen participation, emphasising that local governments are the backbone of service delivery. “These concerns require urgent attention under Rule 31,” she stressed.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Raphael Magyezi, himself a former ULGA Secretary, requested one day to prepare a formal response, which he will present at the next sitting.
