Kampala, (UG):- Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has announced that the government intends to operationalize the remaining five cities by July 1, 2025, in preparation for the 2026 general elections.
The Prime Minister was responding to a question raised by Hon Michael Kakembo, MP for Entebbe Municipality during a plenary that sat on Tuesday, August 8, 2024.
Kakembo had asked Hon Nabbanja to explain the timeline for operationalizing Entebbe City, referencing the 10th Parliament’s approval of new cities. He emphasized the need to activate these cities to facilitate preparations for the upcoming elections and the demarcation of constituencies.
In her response, Nabbanja recalled that the government had created 15 cities in April 2020, with a phased plan for their operationalization. The first group of ten cities, including Arua, Mbarara, and Gulu, became operational on July 1, 2020.
The next five cities Entebbe, Moroto, Nakasongola, Kabale, and Wakiso were scheduled to follow, with Entebbe originally set for July 1, 2023. However, an amendment to the Local Government Act in August 2020 delayed this process, stipulating that new administrative units could only be operationalized six months before general elections.
She revealed that the Ministry of Local Government is now conducting technical studies and consultations to ensure the remaining cities are ready by the new target date.
The issue of city operationalization also surfaced earlier in April 2024, when the Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, sought guidance from Parliament’s Committee on Public Service and Local Government.
Magyezi questioned whether to proceed with the new cities or focus on fully operationalizing the existing ones, citing ongoing challenges. The former Auditor General’s report from December 2022 highlighted these challenges, noting unspent funds and delays in implementing new city structures, which have affected service delivery.
Nabbanja also addressed concerns regarding the creation of new administrative units, revealing that 327 of the 740 units need office blocks, which the government plans to construct over two financial years starting in 2025/26.
Finance minister Matia Kasaija speaking at the National Budget Conference in Kampala last week said government now has the resources to make the cities operational and in the next financial year, these will be operational.
“Cabinet and Parliament approved the creation of 15 cities to be operationalised in a phased manner. In the Financial Year (FY) 2020/2021, 10 were operationalised. I now have the honour to announce that we have secured resources to operationalise the remaining cities effective July 1, 2025.”
“I, therefore, urge the affected municipalities that as you start the budgeting process for the FY2025 /2026, beware that there are lower local governments that will be annexed to the cities. Therefore, prioritise and allocate funds for preparatory activities such as physical planning, surveying and mapping of the gazetted areas of jurisdiction and avoid conflict with the neighbouring lower local governments,” he added.
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