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We needed Barugahara, Nameere long ago
Uganda must strengthen oversight of local governments to ensure public funds translate into better services for communities, writes Moses Byaruhanga
Moses Byaruhanga. (Courtesy)
By: Admin ., Journalist @New Vision
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OPINION
By Moses Byaruhanga
Many Ugandans are happy with the work ministers Balaam Barugahara and Justine Nameere are doing to expose corruption in local governments. To the two of you, your efforts are welcome. Barugahara means they come from far; indeed, we needed Barugahara long ago; good enough, he has come from far.
The Baganda have a saying that “Eryokanga netonya netulaba ensisira bwezekanya emyooyo.” Meaning: It’s when it rains that you identify a leaking hut. In the dry season, you would not easily identify it. So, Barugahara is exposing the leaking huts (local governments).
The President has time and again said the reason for decentralisation was to give powers to the people to elect local leaders who would be accountable to the people who elected them, but also, it was hoped they would “kulumirwa” (work in the interest of the voters) and do the right things.
He adds that during the colonial times, he observed the corruption of the civil servants, especially among the chiefs who would sell veterinary drugs to the farmers when they were not supposed to do so.
In response to the corruption in the civil service, he and the National Resistance Movement introduced the local councils to check on the powers of the civil servants. The Local Government Act of 1997 gave powers to the people in their local settings to govern themselves. Among the powers that were decentralised are the district’s power to appoint its own staff, through the district service commission, which is appointed by the district chairperson with the approval of the district council.
The commission also has powers to discipline the local government staff, including dismissal. Other powers/ services that were decentralised are primary education, health services up to the district hospital, provision of water in the villages, agricultural extension, district and community roads.
Some of the concerns you hear is lack of enough staff in the local governments. Who appoints staff in the local governments? The district service commission. I have been hearing that some of the service commissions sell jobs.
If the commission is selling jobs to the people who elected the chairperson, who in turn appointed the district service commission, why is the district chairperson quiet? Why are the district councillors who approve the commission not saying anything about the commission selling jobs to the people who elected them?
At the end of every financial year, government systems; both central and local governments, return to the Treasury what is called “unspent wage”. This means that there was a provision to appoint staff at both central and local government levels, but they were not appointed. In FY2023/24, the unspent wage was sh301b; in FY2024/2025, it was sh357b; in FY2025/2026, it was sh325b.
This unspent wage is shared between the central and local governments. For instance, in FY2024/2025, out of the sh357b unspent wage, sh182b was unspent wage in local governments. The question now goes to the councillors both at the sub-county and district level: Do you have schools and health centres without enough teachers and health workers in your parishes and sub-counties?
If yes, how come, year in, year out, your district is returning money to the Treasury as unspent wage? Where is the chief administrative officer or the town clerk in all this? Why should a contract of a chief administrative officer/town clerk, whose district or city returns money as unspent wages, be renewed? In a majority of primary schools, the number of children is inflated. Barugahara should get what the district education officers have as learners in the schools under them and do some headcount in some selected schools and where the numbers do not tally, the district education officers and the headteacher should be held accountable through dismissal. While the minister does not have the power to dismiss, the President can dismiss a public officer in public interest.
The commission also has powers to discipline the local government staff, including dismissal. Other powers/ services that were decentralised are primary education, health services up to the district hospital, provision of water in the villages, agricultural extension, district and community roads.
Some of the concerns you hear is lack of enough staff in the local governments. Who appoints staff in the local governments? The district service commission. I have been hearing that some of the service commissions sell jobs.
If the commission is selling jobs to the people who elected the chairperson, who in turn appointed the district service commission, why is the district chairperson quiet? Why are the district councillors who approve the commission not saying anything about the commission selling jobs to the people who elected them?
At the end of every financial year, government systems; both central and local governments, return to the Treasury what is called “unspent wage”. This means that there was a provision to appoint staff at both central and local government levels, but they were not appointed. In FY2023/24, the unspent wage was sh301b; in FY2024/2025, it was sh357b; in FY2025/2026, it was sh325b.
This unspent wage is shared between the central and local governments. For instance, in FY2024/2025, out of the sh357b unspent wage, sh182b was unspent wage in local governments. The question now goes to the councillors both at the sub-county and district level: Do you have schools and health centres without enough teachers and health workers in your parishes and sub-counties?
If yes, how come, year in, year out, your district is returning money to the Treasury as unspent wage? Where is the chief administrative officer or the town clerk in all this? Why should a contract of a chief administrative officer/town clerk, whose district or city returns money as unspent wages, be renewed? In a majority of primary schools, the number of children is inflated. Barugahara should get what the district education officers have as learners in the schools under them and do some headcount in some selected schools and where the numbers do not tally, the district education officers and the headteacher should be held accountable through dismissal. While the minister does not have the power to dismiss, the President can dismiss a public officer in public interest.
The Ministry of Health introduced an IT system that monitors the distribution of medicines right from the National Medical Stores up to the patient at the health units. The system also monitors staff performance in real time. It also shows absenteeism. The system has been installed in all national referral hospitals, regional referral hospitals, district hospitals and a few health centres IV.
Dr Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, told me some time back that when they identify absentee staff, including those who absconded from duty, they write to the districts, the chief administrative officers and the health officers, but they do not take action.
I think the “man from far” should look at these cases and ask the chief administrative officers who have failed to act on absentee staff to show cause as to why they should stay in office.
On roads, apart from the money under the road fund, which is calculated according to the road network in the districts, the Government added an extra sh1b towards maintenance of district roads. I was informed by the engineers at the works ministry that on average, sh1b can maintain about 66km. Can all the districts account to this “man from far” how many kilometres were maintained last financial year, and for the current financial year, which roads adding up to 66km are going to be maintained?
On water, districts receive funds for provision of new water points and maintenance of the old systems where repairs are needed. In Uganda, 81% of the villages have at least one water point. The district water engineers should show us the villages in the district that will receive new water points. The political class — the councillors and MPs — should use this information to hold the civil servants in their districts accountable. At sub county level, there is an agricultural officer who receives sh500,000 per quarter to carry out extension services. This is not their salary. Barugahara should ask the farmers in the rallies if they have ever been served by the extension officers.
Lastly, the budgets that go to the districts are passed by Parliament. Every MP should know what is in the budget for their district and constituency. Take, for instance, under the Parish Development Model (PDM), every parish has been getting sh100m annually for the last four years. When the President was touring the country, he was being informed about corruption in the PDM.
You wonder what the resident district commissioners, chief administrative officers, district chairpersons and other politicians were doing. As pointed out earlier, why should your district return money as unspent wages when you have a shortage of teachers and health workers in your constituency? So, MPs, please get involved. For you, you are near; you are not coming from far, like Barugahara.
The writer is the senior presidential advisor/political affairs, State House
Dr Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, told me some time back that when they identify absentee staff, including those who absconded from duty, they write to the districts, the chief administrative officers and the health officers, but they do not take action.
I think the “man from far” should look at these cases and ask the chief administrative officers who have failed to act on absentee staff to show cause as to why they should stay in office.
On roads, apart from the money under the road fund, which is calculated according to the road network in the districts, the Government added an extra sh1b towards maintenance of district roads. I was informed by the engineers at the works ministry that on average, sh1b can maintain about 66km. Can all the districts account to this “man from far” how many kilometres were maintained last financial year, and for the current financial year, which roads adding up to 66km are going to be maintained?
On water, districts receive funds for provision of new water points and maintenance of the old systems where repairs are needed. In Uganda, 81% of the villages have at least one water point. The district water engineers should show us the villages in the district that will receive new water points. The political class — the councillors and MPs — should use this information to hold the civil servants in their districts accountable. At sub county level, there is an agricultural officer who receives sh500,000 per quarter to carry out extension services. This is not their salary. Barugahara should ask the farmers in the rallies if they have ever been served by the extension officers.
Lastly, the budgets that go to the districts are passed by Parliament. Every MP should know what is in the budget for their district and constituency. Take, for instance, under the Parish Development Model (PDM), every parish has been getting sh100m annually for the last four years. When the President was touring the country, he was being informed about corruption in the PDM.
You wonder what the resident district commissioners, chief administrative officers, district chairpersons and other politicians were doing. As pointed out earlier, why should your district return money as unspent wages when you have a shortage of teachers and health workers in your constituency? So, MPs, please get involved. For you, you are near; you are not coming from far, like Barugahara.
The writer is the senior presidential advisor/political affairs, State House