Uganda: Three Months On, Arua District Yet to Relocate to New Shs1bn Headquarters

What the report says

Arua District in northwestern Uganda has not yet moved into its new headquarters at Odumi in Vurra Town Council, even though the building was commissioned in May and described as ready for use. The delay was reported by Nile Post and has triggered renewed debate among local leaders and residents about why a public facility built at an estimated Shs1 billion remains underused.

According to the report, former district LC5 chairperson Alfred Okuonzi criticized the continued use of offices in Arua City, saying the new complex should already be hosting most departments. He argued that the project was meant to give the district a permanent administrative base and reduce reliance on rented or city-based offices. The article says he believes only a few senior offices, including those of the CAO, human resources and finance, may need to remain elsewhere.

Current LC5 chairperson Cosmas Ayikubua defended the district’s approach, saying the move will happen in phases because office equipment is still based in the city. The report also notes that the location of the district headquarters has been disputed for years, with some leaders previously preferring Arivu Sub-county. Residents are now waiting for clarification from Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara, who has been touring the West Nile region, on when the facility will be fully occupied and put to use.