Masaka at 64: roads, clinics and classrooms, and the work still ahead

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda reports that Masaka’s experience of Uganda’s 64th independence anniversary is being framed through visible local development and the question of whether public investment is turning into usable services. The piece highlights road works in and around Masaka City, including upgrades to Broad Way Road, the Nyendo–Kitovu Cathedral Road, Villa Road, Kigamba, Somero and Kooki Street, alongside the installation of more than 1,000 solar streetlights. The article says these projects are meant to improve movement, access to markets and safety after dark, while noting that residents will ultimately judge them by durability, drainage and maintenance.

The report also focuses on Kitabaazi Health Centre III, which it says was upgraded from Health Centre II in May 2025. According to information supplied for the story, the facility is handling heavy patient numbers, has nine health workers and 25 beds, and still needs more clinical and support staff. A local resident is quoted describing a free blood test, while health workers say the investment has helped extend services. The article gives a project cost of about Shs1.32 billion, funded through the Ministry of Health with support from the International Development Association, though it cautions that some figures should be verified against official records.

Education is the third major example. Bukakata Seed Secondary School, which opened in 2012 with 12 students, is reported to have grown to more than 450 learners on land provided by the Masaka Catholic Diocese. Its connection to electricity is presented as an important step, but the story stresses that classrooms, teachers, materials and sanitation must keep pace if enrollment is to translate into learning. Overall, the report argues that decentralisation in Masaka should be judged by whether roads, clinics and schools remain functional, staffed and accessible.