Mukono District has officially closed a significant political chapter following the handover of office by outgoing District LCV Chairperson Peter Bakaluba Mukasa and District Speaker Betty Nakasi ahead of the swearing-in of new district leaders scheduled for May 15.
The handover ceremony reflected on both the achievements and challenges that defined the five-year leadership tenure of Hon. Rev. Dr. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa and former Speaker Betty Nakasi.
While the outgoing administration was credited for spearheading key development programmes and improving institutional performance, the period was also marked by persistent political disagreements and administrative controversies that shaped governance within the district.
One of the most notable disputes involved the suspension of the Mukono District Service Commission by Hon. Bakaluba over allegations of corruption within the commission. The disagreement later escalated into investigations and arrests involving several district officials, including the district speaker.
Hon. Bakaluba leaves office at a time when Mukono District is still operating without a substantive District Service Commission, a situation that has reportedly affected recruitment and staffing across several departments within the local government. The district continues to face shortages of personnel in critical service delivery sectors.
Despite the challenges, Mukono Chief Administrative Officer Ddamba Henry commended the outgoing chairperson for his commitment to service delivery, strengthening district systems, and overseeing implementation of development initiatives such as the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP).
According to Mr. Ddamba, Mukono District improved its national performance ranking during Hon. Bakaluba’s tenure and expanded its budget to Shs193 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year.
In his farewell remarks, Hon. Bakaluba expressed gratitude to the people of Mukono, district staff, political leaders, and the Office of the Resident District Commissioner for the cooperation extended to him throughout his tenure.
He highlighted achievements in healthcare, road maintenance, water access, local revenue mobilization, and ongoing efforts to complete the district headquarters.
However, the outgoing chairperson also raised concerns over what he described as inadequate government funding to local governments, arguing that districts are expected to deliver essential services despite limited financial support. He called for increased funding to strengthen service delivery at the local level.
Mukono Resident District Commissioner Fatuma Ndisaba Nabitaka praised Hon. Bakaluba for peacefully handing over office and acknowledged his role in mobilizing communities to support government programmes despite political tensions within the district.
The leadership transition marks the beginning of a new political era in Mukono District, with expectations that incoming leaders will address existing administrative gaps, restore institutional stability, and reconstitute critical bodies such as the District Service Commission to improve public service delivery.
