In Summary: Sironko District has proposed a Shs48.68 billion budget for FY2027/28, with Shs32.32 billion allocated to salaries, leaving just 5.54 per cent for development projects. The budget conference also exposed concerns over staffing gaps, uneven resource distribution, insecurity at district headquarters and poor sanitation at a revenue-generating abattoir.
Sironko, Uganda — Sironko District has proposed a Shs48.68 billion budget for the Financial Year 2027/28, with more than 66 per cent earmarked for salaries, leaving a relatively small allocation for development projects amid concerns over service delivery.
The proposed budget was presented during a district budget conference held on Thursday at the Adaptation Centre, bringing together the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), district political leaders, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), security officials, heads of departments, councillors and representatives of non-governmental organisations.
The conference was held under the theme, “Full Monetization of Uganda’s Economy through Commercial Agriculture, Industrialization, Expanding and Broadening Services, Digital Transformation and Market Access.”
Presenting the budget estimates, Acting District Planner Ivan Madanda said Sironko expects to receive total grants amounting to Shs48,677,201,749 during the 2027/28 financial year.
According to the estimates, wage grants will take the largest share at approximately Shs32.32 billion, representing 66.41 per cent of the proposed budget.
Non-wage recurrent grants are projected at Shs13.65 billion, equivalent to 28.05 per cent, while development grants will account for approximately Shs2.69 billion, representing only 5.54 per cent.
The proposed allocation has raised questions about the resources available for infrastructure, service delivery improvements and other development priorities across the district.
District Chairperson Alex Gugga Nabende said the conference was intended to provide an opportunity for leaders and technical officials to identify priorities and plan how available resources could improve services for residents.
However, Nabende also raised concerns about staffing gaps and the composition of the District Service Commission, indicating that changes could be pursued during the next council.
“In the next council, we are going to move to suspend each member of the District Service Commission because you are appointed individually, so that we can form our own service commission. We have to recruit new staff to fill the gaps,” Nabende said.
The Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Lokol Jino Jesmiem, urged heads of departments to prepare realistic budgets, strengthen accountability and demonstrate commitment to their responsibilities.
Chief Administrative Officer Robert Mulondo cautioned technical staff against absenteeism and failure to deliver services, arguing that staffing constraints should not become an excuse for poor performance.
He also called for equitable distribution of the limited resources among the district’s numerous sub-counties, warning against regional divisions in the allocation process.
“The budget conference is listening more about the gaps in service delivery and proposals. On the issue of equity, let us see how we can balance according to the few resources at hand because sub-counties are many, so that we avoid these issues of East and West and have equitable distribution of resources,” Mulondo said.
RDC raises security concerns at district headquarters
Resident District Commissioner Denis Ephraim Balwaniregha urged councillors to maintain cordial working relationships with the district chairperson, CAO and technical officials to ensure that development programmes are effectively implemented.
He warned that confrontations among district leaders could undermine coordination and affect the programmes intended to benefit their respective communities.
Balwaniregha also raised concern about security at the district headquarters, saying the premises were in total darkness and calling on councillors to prioritise funding to address the problem. He said improved lighting was necessary to address security concerns and create a safer working environment for staff and visitors.
Abattoir faces closure threat over lack of toilet
Meanwhile, Phiona Nakayenze, the woman councillor representing Sironko Town Council, raised concerns over poor sanitation at the district abattoir, which generates local revenue.
Nakayenze said the facility lacked a toilet, creating inconvenience for people working at and using the abattoir, as well as residents living nearby. She warned that the sanitation problem had angered neighbouring residents, who were threatening to close the facility unless the matter was addressed.
The concern raises questions about the district’s management of revenue-generating facilities and the need to balance local revenue collection with basic public health and sanitation standards.
Mary Shadia Masibo, the woman councillor representing Bukiiti Town Council, Bugambi and Bunyafwa sub-counties, questioned what she described as continued reductions in district funding despite repeated calls for leaders to lobby for additional resources.
Masibo challenged district officials to explain why allocations were declining while demands for public services and development interventions continued to increase.
Her concerns reflected the wider challenge facing district authorities as they attempt to distribute limited resources among competing priorities, including staffing, infrastructure, sanitation and service delivery.
The proposed Shs48.68 billion budget now provides a framework for further scrutiny and prioritisation as Sironko prepares for the 2027/28 financial year.
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