The assessment, conducted by the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, reviewed the progress of 14 municipalities that received World Bank-funded support through USMID.
Tororo, despite earlier acclaim for its paved roads and newly installed streetlights, now finds itself near the bottom of the list, drawing scrutiny over project delays, poor supervision, and mounting financial penalties.
Launched in 2013, the USMID programme was designed to improve urban infrastructure and build municipal capacity through significant financial and technical backing.
Tororo, like its counterparts, received billions of shillings under the initiative.
Although the funding visibly transformed parts of the town’s landscape, weaknesses in project execution and accountability have tarnished that progress.
Tororo Mayor Kenneth Orona blames much of the municipality’s poor performance on the contractor’s failure to deliver within agreed timelines.
“Up to now, the contract period has ended but the contractor is still fixing several things on the ground. In brief, the contractor’s poor performance cost us the award that other municipalities received,” he said.
But others suggest the problems go deeper. Peter Ekikina, president of the Municipal Development Forum, attributed the failings to political interference and weak oversight.
“There was also a political issue. As you are aware, our politicians had challenges with supervision and monitoring. Some of those in charge of the project fell short in that regard,” Ekikina said.
Mayor Orona also pointed to delays caused by the project consultant, whom he accused of failing to issue timely payment certificates—disrupting cash flow and incurring penalties.
“My consultant did not support me in processing payments on time. When certificates stay unpaid for a month, penalties apply. That delay has cost us. As we speak, we are dealing with interest charges totaling Shs600 million, money that could have been saved,” Orona explained.
The Ministry’s report highlights systemic failures across multiple municipalities, including gaps in financial management, procurement efficiency, and community engagement.
Top performers like Mubende, Mbarara, and Gulu were lauded for their adherence to planning guidelines and timely implementation.
In contrast, municipalities such as Moroto, Fort Portal, and Tororo struggled with incomplete projects, delayed disbursements, and internal governance weaknesses.
In response to the underperformance and as USMID draws to a close, the government has rolled out a new programme—the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) initiative.
Under UCMID, Tororo has been allocated 10.2 kilometres of roads for upgrade, offering the municipality a fresh opportunity to rebuild public trust and demonstrate institutional competence.
Apollo Yeri Ofwono, the area Member of Parliament, welcomed the new funding but urged vigilance.
“We are organising ourselves better this time. When a contractor fails, we must raise complaints immediately so that the contract is terminated without delay,” Ofwono said.
The shadow of past missteps still looms, but Tororo’s inclusion in UCMID presents a critical test.
Residents, stakeholders, and government watchdogs will be keen to see whether the lessons of USMID have truly been learnt—or whether history is set to repeat itself.
As Uganda accelerates its urbanisation agenda, the USMID report serves as a cautionary tale about the costs of poor leadership, weak supervision, and politicised project implementation.
For Tororo, the challenge is clear: rebuild credibility or risk falling further behind in the country’s infrastructure race.