Uganda to review district creation

May 15, 2013

President Yoweri Museveni has blamed the elite for causing distortions by agitating for the creation of districts in order to enable them achieve their own selfish interests.

By Pascal Kwesiga, Raymond Baguma and Tadeo Bwambale

President Yoweri Museveni has blamed the elite for causing distortions by agitating for the creation of districts in order to enable them achieve their own selfish interests.

Museveni said in order for the decentralisation programme to operate well in local government, there is need for ideological clarity. Uganda has 112 districts today, up from 50 a few years ago.

“You may have multicultural groups with a number of tribes living in one local government area. If one group takes a sectarian line and marginalises the weaker group, it becomes dangerous,” he said.

He said the electorate must be empowered through education to enable them scrutinise their leaders as well as the implementation of programmes in the local government units.

“We have 35 million Ugandans with seven million homesteads, most of which are in the district local government areas. So, local governments must be one of the principle instruments of wealth creation,” said Museveni.

Opening the Commonwealth Local Governments conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo last evening, the President said the Government is in the process of creating scientific parameters for district creation, some of which include a consideration of the radius from the district borders.

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Sri Lanka President Rajakesha and President Museveni touring an exhibition by Beneticta Nanyonga of Kinawataka Women Initiatives

The ongoing conference at Munyonyo was also addressed by visiting Sri Lanka president, Mahindra Rajapaksa, Local Government minister Adolf Mwesige and the Secretary General Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Carl Wright.

The Commonwealth Local Government Conference (CLGC) secretary general, Carl Wright through a video link, said the Commonwealth local government forum appreciates the role of decentralization program in consolidating democracy for the benefit of the grass root populace.

“Decentralization is at the heart of development and provides tools for building resilience and local governments play a big role in building safe and stable communities,” he observed.

Over 800 from the Commonwealth region are attending the conference under the theme, ‘Developmental Local Government: Putting Local Government at the Heart of Development.’

The four-day conference which brings together heads of state and experts from will discuss the role of local government in development.

During the conference, Commonwealth states will explore ways through which decentralisation can be used to improve service delivery, address poverty and spur economic development.

Uganda becomes the first country in East Africa to host the highly competitive forum. Experts will study Uganda’s decentralisation model which is ranked one of the best in Africa.

Delegates are also expected to present proposals on a new framework to replace the Millenium Development Goals which will end in 2015