Hoima city residents challenge new leadership to deliver on development

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Residents of Hoima city have tasked newly elected leaders to prioritise issues affecting development and service delivery across the city.

Vicente Nyegenya, a resident of Rusembe cell in Hoima West Division, said residents expect the recently elected leaders to urgently address the persistent water crisis.

The call was made during a thanksgiving and victory party organised by the People’s Front for Freedom’s (PFF) Asinansi Nyakato, the Hoima city woman Member of Parliament, who was elected on February 7, 2026. The event was held at the PFF offices at Duhaga roundabout in Hoima city.

Nyegenya noted that piped water has not reached most parts of the city, yet borehole and shallow well construction had been halted, leaving residents to rely on unsafe water sources.

“We are in the city but it is like we are in rural areas, several place areas including my cell we have no piped water, water is serious challenge in the city, for some of us with capacity to buy tanks, we harvest water from our house, but when it is dry season like this one accessing safe and clean water is nightmare, so we hope that the elected new leaders will address this challenge,” he said.

Nicolas Tumusiime, a resident of Kiduma and a vendor at Hoima Central Market, said vendors want the new leadership to address the challenge of street vending.

Independent Hoima city Mayor-elect, Edward Isingoma (centre), with his wife on right, arrives at Nyakato's thanksgiving party.

He explained that despite the existence of a city market, street vendors continue to operate freely along major streets, disadvantaging those trading from within the market.

Another resident, James Murungi, said the new leaders should prioritise sanitation, noting that many houses in the city lack proper sanitary facilities. He added that uncollected garbage remains a major challenge that requires urgent attention.

William Musiguzi, the chairperson of vendors operating on pavements and walkways along the Duhaga Roundabout roads in Hoima West Division, demanded that the new leaders identify land and construct a market where vendors can be relocated.

He said more than 400 vendors are currently operating along the Duhaga roadside in an unfavourable environment.

Musiguzi noted that the vendors have been operating along the roadside for the past five years after they were evicted from the market where they previously worked. He said businessman Francis Kabambe evicted them after Hoima city allegedly failed to clear rent arrears.

Leaders respond

Independent Hoima city mayor-elect Edward Isingoma commended residents for overwhelmingly voting for him and pledged that service delivery would be a top priority.

He said he would work with all stakeholders to identify and address challenges affecting city residents.

“I'm going to work well with Nyakato as city woman MP, I'm going to work well with Kasule as MP for Hoima west division and Patrick Mwesigwa as MP for Hoima east division and all councillors to see that we develop our city, as Isingoma, when I am the mayor, I'm going to be a mayor for NUP, PFF, NRM and FDC. All of you, we are going to work together to build our city,” he said.

Nyakato applauded residents for giving her another term and promised to advocate for improved service delivery.

She said she would prioritise health services, noting that she has consistently advocated for the recruitment of more health workers and the construction of a maternity ward at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital.

"Since the construction of the maternal and paediatric complex building failed, mothers have suffered. It failed after they had demolished structures housing the maternity ward and other wards, so we need to address these challenges."

Nyakato also pledged to advocate for the establishment of Hoima city hospital to reduce pressure on the regional referral hospital.

She further promised to lobby for an increased city budget, noting that Hoima city is still operating on a municipal budget, which affects the smooth running of the city.