The government is set to introduce independent road financing for town councils as part of a broader strategy to improve urban road infrastructure, Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi has announced.
Speaking during the opening of the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda’s (UAAU) 56th Annual General Meeting in Tororo Municipality, Minister Magyezi said town councils will soon receive direct road funds alongside new road equipment for cities and municipalities.
Acknowledging current funding gaps, Magyezi noted that President Museveni’s directive for an additional one billion shillings for urban councils has not yet been fully implemented.
“The President guided that the one billion was in addition to the road fund, but it appears the initial allocation was cut,” Magyezi said.
“We must address this. The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Works will ensure that, in the next budget, town councils receive their road funds. New road equipment for cities and municipalities is also underway.”
Urban leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about insufficient road machinery and inconsistent funding, which they say have worsened the state of urban roads.
“We have only one grader in the entire municipal council,” said Kenneth Orono, Mayor of Tororo Municipality.
“With just one billion for maintenance, it’s difficult to manage roads when we must borrow equipment from neighboring councils that receive funds at the same time.”
UAAU President Wilson Sanya emphasized the need for sustainable, long-term solutions that go beyond murram road improvements.
“We no longer need money just for marruming cities,” Sanya said. “We need funds and equipment that allow us to tarmac at least one or two kilometers each financial year.
The one billion is helpful, but it would be better and more sustainable if we had bitumen equipment at regional level.”
Corruption remains a major obstacle to road works, with UAAU leaders urging the government to fast-track e-governance systems to enhance transparency and accountability.
“The only way Uganda and cities like Tororo can ensure transparency is through e-governance and automation,” Sanya said.
“Even procurement is done online. Let’s embrace automation because everything is becoming digital.”
The UAAU Annual General Meeting, which began this morning, will run until Friday. Over the two days, delegates will discuss physical planning beyond current municipal boundaries to accommodate future expansion and tour key sites, including Tororo Rock and the Malaba border, as part of efforts to promote local tourism.