Rushenyi's Rural Service Gaps Persist Despite Urban Growth

What the report says

Nile Post reports that Rushenyi County in Ntungamo District is seeing visible commercial growth in trading centres such as Rubaare, Rwentobo and Rwahi, where shops, transport activity, financial services and new buildings have expanded. The report says that progress contrasts sharply with conditions in many nearby rural communities, where residents still face limited clean water access, unreliable or absent electricity, and recurring livestock disease.

According to the report, water shortages remain a major concern in parts of Ntungamo, including Ngoma, where some residents continue to use water sources also shared by animals. Rushenyi County MP Naomi Kabasharira is cited as calling for longer-term investment in a reliable water source for the wider district, rather than continued dependence on shallow wells that may fail during dry periods. Electricity gaps are also described as a constraint on small businesses, agro-processing, education, refrigeration and health services.

Nile Post also highlights the effect of Foot-and-Mouth Disease on livestock farmers, a key income group in the predominantly rural county. Movement restrictions and animal market closures during outbreaks have disrupted sales that households rely on for school fees, daily expenses and reinvestment. Rauben Kanyesigye, the NRM chairperson for Rubaare Sub-county, is reported as urging closer coordination between local leaders, district authorities and farmers to control the disease.

The service delivery concerns have emerged after the 2026 Local Council elections, with local leaders calling for reconciliation and joint planning after political contests. A Rushenyi County caucus brought together sub-county chiefs, NRM chairpersons and other leaders to discuss priorities. Some participants also renewed calls for Rushenyi to become a separate district, arguing that Ntungamo’s size stretches administration, though any such change would depend on central government action.