Kikuube leaders beg for more road construction equipment
According to the leaders, the district has over 1600 km which they are supposed to maintain every financial year.
Minister of Bunyoro Affairs, Grace Mary Mugasa, addressing the stakeholders during the budget meeting. (Photos by Peter Abaanabasazi)
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Kikuube district leaders have listed inadequate funding and a lack of road equipment as some of the challenges responsible for the deteriorating poor condition of roads in the district.
According to the leaders, the district has over 1600 km which they are supposed to maintain every financial year.
Kikuube district chairman Paddy Kisembo says that the fleet needs include: a compactor, a dumper truck, a water bowser and an excavator, among others .
Kisembo voiced the concern at a 2027-2028 budget conference held at Davila hotel in Kikuube Town Council in Kikuube district on Thursday, November 05.
He noted the government offered the district a wheel loader and road grader, but these machines cannot work in isolation from the above machines.
He noted due to lack of these machines; the district is sometimes forced to hire from service providers which makes it expensive amidst inadequate funding.
Kikuube district stakeholders attending the budget meeting
He noted that, as much as the district is stepping up efforts to transform agriculture, poor roads are one of the setbacks affecting their efforts, and he called the Ministry of Works and Transport to intervene and save the situation.
Susan Kabasindi, the Kikuube district secretary for works, said that apart from a lack of road equipment, the district is facing Inadequate Road funding.
She expressed concern that over sh1billion, which the district gets every financial year, is inadequate to rehabilitate the 1600km road network.
She noted that there are several roads in poor condition that need rehabilitation, but the district is unable to work on these roads due to a lack of road equipment and funds.
About the Budget
According to the indicative figure presented to stakeholders, including political and religious leaders and development patterners, the district is expected to spend Sh36.7 b in the financial years 2027-2028 declining from sh40b for 2026-2027 financial year.
Of this amount sh21.1b will be allocated to wage expenditure, sh10.9 will go to non-wage expenditure, sh4.7b will go to development expenditure, and sh26.2b will be allocated to human capital development programs.
According to the district planner, Faustin Twesigye said the budget shortfall is as result of decline of donor funding and the phasing out of the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program (UgIFT).
Addressing the stakeholders during the budget conference, the Minister of Bunyoro Affairs, Grace Mary Mugasa, warned the district leaders against diversion of funds and urged them to ensure the budgets they make serve it’s intended purpose of offering services to local communities.
She called on the technical staff and political leaders to double their efforts in popularising Government programs such as the Parish development model and Emyooga, among other programs, to ensure they benefit the local person.
“Government is investing a lot of money in these programs, but our people are embracing these programs because the community doesn’t know what to demand from us, the government.”