CAOs, city clerks to get salary raise

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The Government is set to increase salaries for local government leaders in a renewed effort to enhance their welfare and improve service delivery.

Salaries are scheduled to rise from the current shillings 1.7 million to at least 13 million for chief administrative officers (CAOs), and from 940,000 to at least 11 million for town clerks.

Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Lucy Nakyobe-Mbonye confirmed this development, adding that plans are also underway to procure a new fleet of vehicles for local governments next year.

Nakyobe made these revelations during a quarterly meeting of CAOs and town clerks at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala city on Friday, June 27, 2025.

"I know you operate in constrained fiscal environments. As I arrived, I was struck by how many vehicles were borrowed from the Ministry of Health. We need to address this situation. We need to ensure that local government is adequately supported in the next financial year. If we pursue this, I believe we can achieve it," she stated while addressing over 100 local leaders.

Public standing order

Public service regulations specify that any official at the level of director must have both a vehicle and a driver. In local government, CAOs and town clerks hold director-level positions, yet many have been operating without vehicles.

Tororo District Local Government CAO, Gabriel Atama, also chairperson of the CAOs Forum, expressed his concerns about the low salaries.



"One of the challenges we face is that our salaries have been very low. While they are still low, we have been promised improvements in the new year. That is why our morale today is very high," he said.

Nakyobe urged local leaders to maintain the government's image and efficiency through integrity, discipline and a commitment to the public interest. She emphasised that the behaviour of public servants directly reflects on the government.

“What you do, how you present yourself, and how you serve is how people judge the Government,” she said. “If a CAO is efficient, that is the Government. If a town clerk fails to manage garbage that too is the Government. Let us do only what reflects positively on the institutions we serve.”

Nakyobe decried instances of misconduct among senior officials, narrating how one high-ranking local government officer came to her office smelling strongly of alcohol. “Even after they left, the smell lingered. I had to close my office briefly. Anyone walking in could easily think I was drinking or keeping alcohol,” she said.

She challenged civil servants to uphold professional standards and adopt modest lifestyles that align with the values of public service.

“You are not just implementers of government programmes. You are institutional stewards and civic leaders. Your leadership determines whether public policies are felt in villages and towns, or remain papers gathering dust in offices,” she said.

She outlined three core responsibilities for senior local government officials: stewardship of districts and municipalities, accountability for public resources, and fostering innovation in service delivery.

Tackling corruption

“The Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2023/2024 reveals that nearly sh720 b was mismanaged or unaccounted for in local governments,” she noted.

 “This mismanagement was largely due to irregular procurements, incomplete projects, and unsupported expenditures.”

She urged officers to strengthen internal controls, proactively address audit queries, and cultivate a culture of performance and transparency.

“Service delivery thrives where accountability is the norm, not the exception,” she emphasised.

Beyond accountability, Nakyobe stressed the significance of local-level innovation in addressing service delivery challenges.

“Understanding your communities is essential,” she said. “If you are a town clerk in a rapidly growing urban area facing unique waste issues, develop solutions tailored to that reality. Don’t wait for the central government to take action.”

She encouraged public servants to “take initiative” by mobilising resources, streamlining processes, and using data to meet local needs.

“If you know your health centre is understaffed, don’t stop at reporting. Seek partnerships and advocate for action. Leadership is not about sitting behind a desk; it’s about finding solutions to problems.”

Local Government ministry permanent secretary Ben Kumumanya echoed the call for reform, observing improvements in morale and performance following recent leadership training at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi.

“I have received messages from staff expressing their readiness and motivation for increased work,” he said.

To combat corruption, especially in local government recruitment, Kumumanya revealed that all districts have been instructed to publicly declare a zero-tolerance policy toward bribery.