By Alan Mwesigwa
Hoima City's East division leaders have raised concerns regarding the challenges they face, including limited funding, understaffing, and insufficient office space, all of which are hindering efficient service delivery.
The division operates on an annual budget of 2.5 billion shillings, with a significant portion allocated to wages, leaving limited resources for development projects.
Located in Businsi along the Hoima-Fort Portal Road, the Hoima East City division headquarters currently occupies a small and outdated Bunyoro Kingdom structure, raising questions about the city's preparedness for its newfound status.
Although the division is expected to function at the level of a municipality, it currently has only eighteen technical staff out of the required fifty.
In a candid acknowledgment of their challenges, Town Clerk Smiling Obwana said,
"Now what can we do? This is the only space we have. You can also see the structure that houses a City division."
Deputy Mayor Nyangoma Alice echoed concerns about inadequate staffing and limited office space, emphasizing their need for more personnel to efficiently serve the population. She expressed hope that the government would intervene, referring to their current situation as "shaming."
"Imagine the whole town clerk sitting in this dilapidated room. I have to squeeze in myself here, but I have no option. This is my new work location, and it's disturbing, but I have to serve my country," said Maurice Obwana, the town clerk, who has been operating from the confined space for nearly a month.
Nyangoma pointed out that the challenges extend beyond staffing and office space. Many staff members lack means of transportation, and their long commutes to the office hinder their ability to provide consistent service.
"Our offices are in Businsi, and some of our staff stay in Kinubi Masindi road, others in Kyarwabuyamba. They have to travel every morning, and those who find it hard never turn up for duty, which results in a lack of services for our people," Nyangoma noted.
Town Clerk Obwana Maurice highlighted the issue of limited funding, stating that the division's budget is primarily allocated to wages, with minimal resources left for development projects.
"Locally, our budget is shs2.5 billion , but we only receive shs161 million from the central government for urban and unconditional wages. The rest of the budget funding has to be locally raised revenues, which are also minimal, and most resources go toward wages," Obwana explained.
As Hoima City strives to meet the challenges and expectations that come with its city status, a change in mindset is also essential.
Obwana emphasized the need for people to adapt to new standards of waste management, trade order, and tax compliance, as the city transitions from rural to urban living.
"In a city setting, a division is at the municipality level, but many questions need to be answered. With limited funding, limited office space, and inadequate staffing, how can leaders deliver the much-needed services to the population?" Obwana questioned.
The obstacles facing Hoima City East Division underline the need for both increased resources and a strategic approach to service delivery to meet the growing city's development goals.