Published on 25/10/2024
The government is set to review a proposal to establish new administrative units ahead of Uganda’s 2026 general elections, according to Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi.
Speaking to Parliament on Wednesday, Magyezi noted that Cabinet had directed him to submit a proposal on the creation and operationalization of administrative units.
“On Monday, Cabinet authorized me to present a paper on this issue within two weeks. We’re considering creating new units while operationalizing existing ones. As we approach the next election, we’ll seek a government stance on this matter,” Magyezi stated.
His comments followed a query from Butambala District Woman MP Aisha Kabanda, who questioned why the Ministry of Local Government has yet to officially recognize parishes created by the Electoral Commission (EC) in 2021, where Councillors were already elected.
Kabanda highlighted that despite the EC’s demarcation of these parishes, the Ministry has withheld essential services, such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), from them. Consequently, the intended beneficiaries of the UGX100 million annual parish fund have been consolidated into larger administrative parishes.
Kabanda criticized the delay, stating, “People supported creating new administrative units, and the Electoral Commission took action. Yet, the Ministry of Local Government refuses to recognize these parishes. Some parishes encompass up to 15 villages, but residents are denied services.”
Magyezi emphasized that the government’s moratorium on creating new administrative units—such as districts, cities, municipalities, and sub-counties—remains due to funding challenges for units established before the 2021 elections. Speaker Anita Among advised prioritizing the operationalization of existing units over the creation of new ones. “Why not first operationalize what we already have before expanding further? Let’s prioritize the existing units,” she advised.
Magyezi did not specify which types of units he would propose to Cabinet. Uganda currently has 146 districts, the Kampala Capital City Authority, 10 regional cities, 41 municipalities, and over 2,100 sub-counties. He added that it is illegal for the EC to organize elections in parishes that the Ministry of Local Government has not officially recognized, as the ministry is responsible for establishing lower local governments.
Terego, the most recent district, was created in 2020 after Parliament approved 10 new cities, including Masaka, Fort Portal, Mbarara, Jinja, Hoima, Mbale, Soroti, Lira, Gulu, and Arua. Five more cities—Nakasongola, Entebbe, Moroto, Kabale, and Wakiso—are slated for operationalization by July 1, 2025.
A source within the Ministry of Local Government, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that Minister Magyezi has not yet received a certificate of financial implication from the Ministry of Finance, a requirement to present new administrative unit proposals to Cabinet.
Without financial approval, Magyezi will focus on operationalizing the five previously approved cities. Although there are proposals for additional districts, municipalities, town councils, and sub-counties, budgetary constraints necessitate adherence to the current moratorium.
The calls for division have been particularly strong in certain regions, notably in Tororo, where the Japadola and Iteso communities have longstanding tensions, and Bundibugyo, where the Bakonzo seek a separate Bugendera District to address Bamba/Bawisi influence.
Kasese District, one of Uganda’s largest with 44 local governments, has faced ongoing calls for division since 2010. Although various proposals to split Kasese have been made, strong resistance persists, especially among the Bakonzo majority.
In 2020, Minister Magyezi held consultations in Kasese and met with Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere, highlighting the ongoing complexities and sensitivities around the district’s potential split.
