West Nile leaders demand more funding for local governments

What the report says

West Nile local government leaders are pressing Uganda’s central government to increase and release funds on time for districts, arguing that heavy wage costs are crowding out spending on development projects and basic services. The concerns were raised during a local government budget consultative workshop for West Nile held in Arua as discussions for the 2027/28 budget cycle continue, according to The Independent Uganda.

Leaders said many districts are struggling to carry out approved plans because large portions of their budgets go to salaries, leaving too little for schools, health facilities and roads. Yumbe District chairperson Asiku Abdumutwalib Mahmoud said his district’s 2026/27 budget is 72.3 billion shillings, with about 35 billion shillings set aside for wages and only about 8 billion shillings available for development programmes. Zombo officials also cited delayed releases and administrative delays, including schools that have received wage allocations but are not yet fully operational, which can result in funds being returned to the Treasury.

The leaders also pointed to weak local revenue collection and understaffing as additional pressures on service delivery. Obongi County MP Fungaroo Kaps Hassan backed the calls for stronger funding, saying limited resources are making it difficult for districts to meet development targets and contribute to broader national plans.

A Finance Ministry economist, Moses Ssonko, said government is aware of the concerns and will consider them through the budget process. He said current priorities include sectors such as agriculture, roads and mineral development, while broader fiscal reforms are being pursued under the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy.