Raphael Magyezi, the Minister of Local Governments (MOLG) has revealed that the newly created sub-counties and Town Councils will get funding for their operations in the FY2021/22 financial year.
The said administrative units are 364 sub-counties and 352 town councils created by the government across the country, which have been non-functional for close to a year due to a lack of funding.
While speaking to District Focus in an interview last year, Magyezi revealed that the ministry was working harder to secure funding for these administrative units but had put to an end creating more.
He however, didn’t disclose the amount of money expected to be allocated for the operations of the new administrative units.
His revelation comes amidst challenges faced by local governments to finance the operations of some of the newly created administrative units, which already have temporary staffs.
For instance, in Kitgum District, 17 sub-counties and two Town Councils created in the last financial year have remained nonfunctional due to lack of funds.
They include Lagoro, Labongo Akwang, Labongo Layamo, Kitgum Matidi, Labongo Amida, Namokora, Orom, Omiya Anyima and Mucwini sub-counties. Jackson Omona, Kitgum District LC V Chairperson told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that only Namokora Town council received Shillings 50 million from the Finance Ministry last year.
He also says that although the district had sent temporary staff to occupy the positions in the newly created administrative units, they were withdrawn due to financial constraints.
Omona says since the district hasn’t yet received any indicative planning figure from the Finance Ministry, it will maintain its budget for the nine traditional sub-counties.
He noted that recently the district came out with a draft budget of about Shillings 32 Billion that doesn’t capture funding for the newly created administrative units.
Omona expressed skepticism on the government’s position to fund the new sub-counties. He says to date, no communication on planning figures have been passed down to the district accounting officers in respective districts with newly created administrative units.
In Lamwo District, six Sub-counties and two town councils were created by the government. However, only Madi-Opei and Palabek town council got Shillings 50 million each for infrastructural development, according to the District Chairperson, John Komakech Ogwok.
Ogwok revealed to District Focus in an interview on Monday that the district has already received a budget call circular from the Finance Ministry, a move he says gives hope that government will fund the new administrative units.
