Mbarara North MP Bakashaba Urges City to Improve Services Before Raising Taxes

What the report says

Mbarara City North MP Christopher Bakashaba has urged Mbarara city leaders to improve basic services before adding new taxes on residents and businesses, according to Nile Post. He said priorities such as electricity access, roads and clean water should be addressed alongside efforts to raise more local revenue.

Bakashaba made the remarks on Tuesday at the Mbarara City Budget Conference held at Adit Mall, where city officials, technical officers and community representatives discussed the next financial period’s revenue and development plans. He acknowledged the council’s push to broaden its revenue base, including through commercial rates and other levies, but argued that people are more likely to comply if they can see clear benefits in their communities.

The conference took place as Mbarara City targets Shs12 billion in local revenue for the 2026/2027 financial year, up from Shs10 billion in 2025/2026 and Shs5.5 billion in 2021/2022. City officials said the money is meant to support urban planning and infrastructure, while residents’ representatives called for a fairer spread of services across city divisions.

Bakashaba said he would press for faster electrification of underserved areas in Mbarara City North and called on local leaders to work with the Ministry of Energy to extend the grid. The meeting ended with a commitment to review tax collection approaches and service delivery priorities together.