Muntu says to boost local govt funding for better service delivery

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If elected President of Uganda come January 2026, Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) flag-bearer Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu says his administration will significantly increase financial allocations to local governments and newly created cities to turn around service delivery in towns and rural areas.

Addressing voters in Apac municipality on November 13, 2025, Muntu outlined a concrete fiscal plan that seeks to fund road maintenance, school infrastructure development, government health centres, and maintain security installations in the country.

“The government of President Yoweri Museveni has failed on three things: Health, education and addressing food insecurity, which are basics in life,” Muntu said.

“All local governments at the district get only shillings one billion for road maintenance, which is not enough, yet all the districts are given equal amounts of money irrespective of the different kilometres of roads in particular districts,” he added.

He insisted that this amount is insufficient to even do half of the roads in each district because of recurrent maintenance and fuel costs, which need to be revised.

“When elected into power, I will double the amount of money disbursed from the Consolidated Fund to improve or even open new roads in the districts,” Muntu said.

Muntu’s pledge follows local government minister Raphael Magyezi’s pronouncement before Parliament that the central government will raise funding for local councils, promising shillings two billion for every new city, 300 million for each municipal council, and 50 million for every town council to improve planning and curb slum growth,” he elaborated.

He also promised new budget lines for road equipment, double‑cabin pickups for district chairpersons, city mayors and municipal mayors.

“These funds will ensure that our towns develop into better‑planned, liveable, and attractive urban centres,” Muntu told the rally, echoing Minister Magyezi’s assertion that the increased allocations are essential to deepen decentralisation and empower local leaders.

From roads to schools, health to sanitation, Muntu’s five‑point agenda for Lango, which he said has repeatedly highlighted on the campaign trail, dovetails with the budget push.

At Akideba village, Teboke parish, Teboke sub-county, Muntu pledged to tarmac the 16Km Teboke-Cegere road to facilitate transport in the area.

Co-operative movement to get Apac farmers out of poverty

Muntu said member‑owned co-operatives will give Apac’s smallholders the collective bargaining power needed to negotiate better prices, access bulk inputs at lower costs, and tap financing options previously out of reach.

“When we pool our resources, we can secure loans, purchase quality seeds in bulk, and even venture into value‑adding processing,” explained Muntu, whose experience mirrors the cooperative success stories emerging.

With Uganda’s agricultural sector still underfunded, facing a $74.5 billion financing gap in sub‑Saharan Africa, the co-operative route offers a pragmatic path for Apac farmers to regain fiscal stability and thrive beyond the budget cycle.

Muntu to invest in quality education

Muntu pledged to invest in quality education to improve the research base in the country, insisting, “With education, the government would have shaped the mindset of citizens whose souls have been crushed by an exploitative and oppressive system.”

“The poor and the rich should access quality education to improve their capacities to handle workforce challenges and equitable job qualification opportunities. Currently, the rich are the only ones paying to access jobs in government without considering merit because the poor get knocked out at the application process,” he said.

When you trust and vote for me, I will create zero tolerance for corruption and make sure that we are all equal before the law, he said.

I shall streamline the army, the Police and other security services in the country to serve everybody irrespective of class, religion and political affiliation, where the rich have been favoured at the expense of the poor, Muntu insisted.

“I shall deal with the errant army officers and the police who have been cited in various land-grabbing scandals in the country and arrest them without fear or favour,” he assured.