The newly sworn-in leadership of Ntungamo District has begun its 2026–2031 term facing the demanding task of monitoring and commissioning stalled government projects, completing key infrastructure works, and addressing persistent service delivery gaps.
Top priorities include the renovation of Itojo General Hospital, recruitment of critical staff, clearing pension and gratuity arrears, and tackling shortages in road equipment and maintenance funding.
District leaders say several projects inherited from the previous administration have already been incorporated into the 2026/2027 financial year budget, estimated at more than Shs76.1 billion.
Among the flagship projects is the construction of St Benedict’s Seed Secondary School in Kagarama Town Council, alongside completion of classroom blocks at schools such as Nyaburiza Primary School and commissioning of completed structures at Burama Primary School.
Fildeus Kizza said the district leadership would immediately embark on monitoring and supervising completed projects before handing them over to beneficiaries.
“As we receive the new council, executive and chairman, we are going to embark on monitoring and supervision of all completed projects and hand them over to beneficiaries,” Kizza said.
In the health sector, priority has been placed on the ongoing renovation of Itojo General Hospital by the UPDF Engineering Brigade.
“The UPDF was engaged and now they are renovating Itojo General Hospital. The two wards are being completed by the end of May and we shall hand over the facility to the users,” Kizza added.
District officials say several projects under the 2025/2026 financial year have already been completed, while others are nearing completion.
Despite the progress registered by the previous administration, the district continues to face major challenges in the roads sector, particularly inadequate road equipment and limited maintenance funding.
Leaders are now pushing for an increase in the road fund allocation from Shs1 billion to at least Shs3 billion, alongside additional road units and equipment to improve the district road network.
The new leadership has also pledged stronger lobbying efforts for additional government funding, arguing that Ntungamo remains underfunded despite its size and growing population.
Bernard Ahabwe Mupenda said leaders would focus on ensuring implementation of projects approved in the district budget while working with stakeholders to mobilise more resources.
“Expect the implementation of the projects passed in the recently approved budget. We are going to make sure we work with stakeholders to lobby funds. This is one of the underfunded districts in the country despite being big,” he said.
Meanwhile, LC5 Chairperson Samuel Muchunguzi Rwakigoba highlighted the urgent need to clear pension and gratuity arrears estimated at about Shs3 billion affecting retired civil servants.
“In the first 100 days, I want to make sure I look into gratuity and pension for our old brothers and sisters. In Ntungamo, we have had a problem with gratuity which goes to about Shs3 billion,” Rwakigoba said.
Leaders have also appealed for an increase in Parish Development Model funding from Shs100 million to at least Shs300 million per parish, warning that failure to increase allocations could continue to affect service delivery unless the district is subdivided to ease administration and improve access to services.
