Tororo Municipality, comprising the Eastern and Western Divisions, covers approximately 30.79 square kilometres and has a population of over forty-one thousand people.
Elevated from a town council to a municipality in the early 1980s, the area is now grappling with growing urban challenges that threaten its aspirations for city status.
To guide its growth, authorities developed a ten-year Physical Development Master Plan, which is reviewed periodically.
Among its key provisions is a requirement that buildings within the Central Business District must be at least three storeys high.
However, despite the existence of this plan, last reviewed in 2018 and set to run until 2028, the reality on the ground paints a different picture.
A walk through the central business district reveals widespread non-compliance, with illegal and substandard structures dominating the town landscape.
The Mayor-Elect of Tororo Municipality, Bernard Ochieng, acknowledges the challenge, noting that enforcement of the physical plan remains a major hurdle.
Municipal authorities further point out that the problem extends beyond the proliferation of illegal structures.
Several buildings have been erected on road reserves, while in some areas, access roads are created without proper planning, complicating urban management.
Town Clerk Ayub Alikwan Kisubi emphasizes the need for stricter enforcement and coordinated planning to restore order within the municipality.
In addition, dilapidated buildings, many dating back to the 1950s, continue to pose safety and aesthetic concerns, having long outlived their intended lifespan.
According to Peter Ekikina, President of the Municipal Development Forum, these aging structures require urgent attention.
Poor drainage systems also remain a persistent challenge. Heavy rains often lead to flooding, disrupting businesses and affecting livelihoods in the border municipality.
Authorities say plans are underway to address the drainage problem, although implementation remains key.
While municipal leaders remain optimistic that renewed efforts will bring order, stakeholders warn that failure to act decisively could see Tororo Municipality degenerate into a slum, casting serious doubt on its ambitions to attain city status.