Minister Balaam Returns to Mbarara for Oversight Visit, Anti-Corruption Drive

What the report says

Uganda’s Local Government Minister, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, is scheduled to return to Mbarara City next Tuesday for an oversight visit centered on government programme implementation, service delivery and anti-corruption efforts in local administration, according to Nile Post. The trip also carries personal significance for the minister, who said Mbarara is the city where he was born in 1979 under difficult family circumstances.

Nile Post reported that Balaam linked his homecoming to the history of his parents, saying they traveled from Karamoja to Mbarara after his father was arrested by the then government. The minister said the hardships surrounding his birth helped shape his values and his focus on public service, accountability and transparency. The article also notes that his father, the late Akiiki Davidson Balaam Byenkya, had worked as a civil engineer on water dam and road projects in Karamoja.

As part of the visit, Balaam plans to hold a public baraza at Mayor’s Park in Mbarara City starting at 4:00 p.m. and continuing into the evening. The forum is intended to give residents a chance to raise service-delivery concerns, report corruption-related issues and speak directly with government officials. The Ministry of Local Government has also encouraged residents to take part, saying public involvement is important in ensuring state resources are used effectively. The visit fits into a broader push in Uganda for local accountability and citizen engagement in governance.