Hoima District Chairman Uthuman Mugisha has sounded alarm over persistent land grabbing and an under-resourced health sector, calling them the biggest challenges of his tenure so far.
Speaking to Nile Post, Mugisha said wealthy individuals continue to collude with local land boards to dispossess residents, undermining community stability and development.
Mugisha, who took office in September 2023 after winning a by-election following the death of his father and predecessor, Kadir Kirungi, said he remains committed to empowering citizens against illegal land dealings.
“We have resolved to empower our people. No one should issue a land title without engaging the local community. Area land committees have been compromised before, and that must stop,” Mugisha said.
He added that despite his age—he was one of the youngest district chairpersons elected—he has exceeded many expectations, delivering key infrastructure projects and social services.
“Most feeder roads have been rehabilitated using Shs1 billion in district funds. Many schools have been renovated, and more teachers have been recruited despite wage bill limitations,” he said.
According to Mugisha, over 85% of targeted improvements in water access have also been achieved, with new supply points constructed in several areas.
But health care delivery remains a concern. The district has only one Health Centre IV, and entire counties like Buhaguzi lack a major public health facility.
“We are pushing for Kigorobya Health Centre IV to be upgraded to a district hospital. That’s our priority for improving access to health care,” he said.
Emmanuel Ssempala, the Hoima District Chief Administrative Officer, said the district has prioritized roads, water, and education.
“We’ve extended water to Kiganja Sub-county, improved road networks, and fully constructed Kidukukuru Seed Secondary School in Buraru at Shs 3.5 billion,” Ssempala said.
Mugisha also cited gains in agricultural support and poverty reduction programs.
“We’ve secured two tractors, distributed hand hoes, and heifers, and we’re lobbying for an irrigation scheme to cope with erratic weather,” he added.
However, funding remains a serious bottleneck. The district currently operates on a Shs 32 billion budget, of which only Shs1.2 billion is generated from local revenues.
Leaders say this is far below what’s needed to meet the growing population’s service demands.
“We need at least Shs 100 billion. But we are working to raise local revenues by targeting fishing communities, sand mining, and a newly identified stone quarry,” said Ssempala, expressing hope of doubling collections to nearly Shs 2 billion.
Despite the hurdles, Mugisha says he remains committed to fulfilling his mandate. “We are not yet where we want to be, but we are firmly on the path.”