As elections for Chairpersons, Directly-elected Councillors and Women Councillors for Sub Counties, Town Councils and Municipal Divisions take place across the country today, Wakiso District Chairperson and former Busiro South parliamentary aspirant, Matia Lwanga Bwanika, has called on citizens to actively participate in the local government electoral process, warning against the continued erosion of the importance of local governments.
Speaking during NBS Morning Breeze on Wednesday, Bwanika questioned the limited attention accorded to local council elections compared to presidential and parliamentary polls, which are traditionally declared public holidays.
“The Presidential and Parliamentary elections offer a public holiday. That means you have time to go and vote. What would you do if your boss told you to report to work instead of going to vote for your LC3?,” he said.
Bwanika noted that the lack of a public holiday for local government elections has negatively affected voter turnout, particularly among working Ugandans, many of whom are unable to leave their workplaces to exercise their civic rights.
Bwanika further blamed the low participation on a long-standing perception, which he said has been fostered by government actions and messaging, that local governments are not important.
“There is a perception that was created by the government that the local governments are not useful,” he said.
According to Bwanika, this perception is misleading and dangerous, as local governments are the primary service delivery points for ordinary citizens. He expressed concern that many Ugandans are unaware of the critical role local authorities play in their daily lives.
“It’s unfortunate that people aren’t aware that the services of the common man are done at the local government level,” he said.
Citing government policy, Bwanika revealed that approximately 70 percent of services that directly affect citizens—including health, education, water, roads and community development—are meant to be delivered through local governments. However, he lamented that these responsibilities are not matched with adequate financial support.
“By policy, about 70 percent of the services of the common man are done by the local government. Unfortunately, the budgetary allocation is very low,” he said.
Bwanika emphasized that while local governments are legally mandated to serve the population, chronic underfunding has rendered them ineffective in meeting public expectations.
“Local governments have the mandate to serve people, but they are underfunded,” he said.
Reflecting on the country’s decentralisation framework, Bwanika maintained that the policy itself was well-intentioned and effective at the time it was introduced, but has since been weakened by inconsistent implementation and limited resource allocation.
“In reality, the enacted decentralisation policy was good at the time of its passing,” he said.
Bwanika further urged Ugandans to recognize the power of local government leadership and to turn out in large numbers to vote, stressing that meaningful change in service delivery begins at the grassroots.