I am pleased to welcome you to the Ministry of Local Government website which is intended to inform the public about the decentralization policy and how it has transformed the local governance of Uganda. The Minister of Local Government is Hon. Adolf Mwesige. Functions and Mandate of the Ministry: The Ministry is mandated to carry out a number of responsibilities in the Local Government Act as follows:- · To inspect, monitor, and where necessary offer technical advice/assistance, support supervision and training to all Local Governments. · To coordinate and advise Local Governments for purposes of harmonization and advocacy. · To act a Liaison/Linkage Ministry with respect to other Central Government Ministries and Departments, Parastatals, Private Sector, Regional and International Organizations. · To research, analyze, develop and formulate national policies on all taxes, fees, levies, rates for Local Governments.

Mission					Vision
To coordinate, support and advocate for Local Governments for sustainable, efficient and effective service delivery in the decentralized system of governance.					To have a democratic, participatory, decentralized local government system that can sustain development and deliver services efficiently and effectively to the people.

The Government of Uganda will host the Global Forum on Local Development between the 4th – 6th October 2010 and immediately afterwards host the Pan African Ministerial Workshop on Leadership Capacity Development for Decentralised Governance and Poverty Reduction in Africa on the 7th October 2010.

This Global Event will bring together Government Officials, leading experts, hight level representatives of Local Government Associations and members of the private sector, civil society and media.

For details of this, please visit the website www.uncdf.org/gfld.

Below is the latest map of Uganda showing both Districts and Counties as of July 2010.

You can right click and save a copy onto your computer.

You can also download the Map in MS Word Format by clicking here.

Government has formulated a new 5-year national Development Plan (NDP). The NDP replaces the 3-year PEAP and under this framework, Local Governments will continue to play a front-line role in planning, budgeting, monitoring, supervision, etc. of public services in line with the LGA Cap 243.

We have already proposed amendments to the LGA Cap 243 to align the 3-year LG planning cycle to the 5-year NDP. The Ministry under the sub-national development thematic area of the NDP will among other things facilitate revision of current planning guidelines and subsequently, LG Development Plans.

Next year general elections at national and sub-national levels will be held across the country. Elections of local government councils are expected to be held in the first half of 2011. We have already tabled in Parliament amendments to the LGA Cap 243 to take account of the multiparty political dispensation.

However, after the local council elections, we shall need to conduct a comprehensive orientation programme for all councilors in order to appraise them on their expected roles and responsibilities in governance and service delivery, among others. From past experience, we expect that the turn-over in local council elections is likely to be as high as 70%, thus the need to orient and induct the new councils to enable them take up their roles effectively and minimize avoidable “errors of omission”.

Last year, the Ministry proposed a number of amendments to the LGA Cap 243 in order to bring it into conformity with the Constitution, streamline local government management functions, procedures and operations and remove impediments and obstacles so as to make the enforcement of the Act easy, fair and clear. The amendments cover, among others, planning functions, creation of cities, local council elections and operations, etc. The Bill for this purpose is currently in Parliament for consideration and enactment.

Article 5 of the Constitution directs Government to enact a separate law to govern and manage Kampala as the Capital City of Uganda. This law is expected to give the Central Government authority over some key aspects of the management of Kampala City Council in order to address the enormous institutional and financing challenges inherent in the running of a modern City. The Bill for this purpose was developed a while ago and laid before Parliament for debate and enactment. In my view, this is an important piece of legislation for the country and merits to be considered expeditiously.

H.E. the President directed the responsible Department(s) of Government to put in place the necessary measures to bring Regional Governments into being.  In line with the Constitution of Uganda, and after further consultations with stakeholders, a draft Bill was developed and submitted to Parliament for debate and enactment. This constitutional provision has taken rather too long to be actualized and needs to be considered as quickly as possible. Once the enabling legislation which will, amongst other things, define structures and functions has been enacted, Regional Governments will come to being. MFPED has made a provision of shs 4bn in the FY 2010/11 budget for this purpose.

Over time, Lower Local Governments have increasingly become important entry points for planning, and implementation of government programmes. In view of this, a decision was made to strengthen the capacity of the political leaderships at this level to monitor public programmes and for this purpose, motorcycles were procured for Lower Local Government chairpersons to facilitate them in supervision of Government programmes and mobilizing the people for development. By the end of the FY 2009/10, distribution of the motorcycles to Sub-counties and Divisions around the country should have been completed.

In the same spirit, Government took a decision to provide bicycles to Chairpersons of Parishes/Wards and Village Councils. MFPED has allocated shs 10 bn in the Budget for FY 2010/11 for this purpose.

In the FY 2009/10, Government took a decision to pay gratuity, specific allowances and ex-gratia payments to selected categories of local government political leaders in appreciation of the important role they play in facilitating development in the country. These categories of political leaders include District Chairpersons and their Executive Committee members; District Speakers; Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons who draw salary from the Consolidated Fund.

Later in the course of the financial year, Cabinet took a decision to extend payment of gratuity (at 30% of consolidated salary) to other local government political leaders namely; Deputy Chairpersons of Municipalities/City Divisions and Chairpersons of Municipal Divisions. In the same spirit (and in response to political pressure from Local Governments), other categories of political leaders have also been considered. In this regard, Deputy District Speakers and District Councilors are to receive a specific monthly allowance. Chairpersons of Parishes/Wards and Villages are to be given a lump sum payment (Ex gratia) once a year. The total cost of this scheme to Government is shs 14.5 bn.

In addition, we have also proposed that ex-gratia allowances be paid to executive committees of Sub-counties, Town Councils and Municipal Divisions. These committees are playing a significant role in guiding the management of Government programmes at lower local government levels. The additional cost to Governments in this regard would be shs 1.35bn.

It has however been observed that there is need for these payments to be reflected as specific line items, rather than  lumped together with Unconditional grant transfers.

Local Governments in Uganda

(a) Local Governments of Uganda –  1^st July 2010

On 1^st July 2010, Uganda will have the following Local Governments and administrative units:

	Category	No
1.	City	1
2.	Districts	111
3.	Municipalities	22
4.	Counties	162
5.	City Divisions	5
6.	Municipal Divisions	56
7.	Sub-County	1,116
8.	Town Councils	144
9.	Town Boards	207[1]
10.	Parishes/Wards	7,138
11	Villages/Cells	66,036

In addition at least two Municipal Divisions will be created in each of the nine new Municipalities upon becoming effective to ease and facilitate administration and management.

(b) Local Governments Taking Effect on 1^st July 2010

Article 179(4) of the Constitution provides for the creation of districts and/or Administrative Units based on the necessity for effective administration; the need to bring services closer to the people; to take account of the means of communication, geographical features, population density, economic viability; and as a response to the wishes of the people concerned. After considering a number of requests from Local Government Councils across the country, Government, recently found it necessary to create 25 new districts, effective FY 2010/2011.

Besides, in a bid to ensure that fast growing Centers are properly guided in terms of orderly physical planning, organized settlement and development, Government has elevated a number of Urban Councils to a higher status. In this regard, nine Town Councils have been elevated to Municipal status and 23 Trading Centers to Town Councils. The list of the new Local Governments coming into being on 1^st July 2010 is shown in Annex 4.

The new local governments need direct support from the Ministry to enable them effectively take on their mandates. Besides, the increase in the number of LGs in the country comes in with an added responsibility to the Ministry in terms of inspection, support supervision, mentoring, etc. In turn, this calls for additional resources (financial, human and time). The organizational structure for the Ministry and the staffing list are attached in Annex 1.

(c) Policy Consideration for Creation of New Districts

My colleague and I have incessantly received requests for creation of new Districts and other Administrative Units from various interest parties. In view of concerns about impact on the overall cost of public administration, and questions about viability of smaller Administrative Units, the Ministry has commissioned a study to examine all issues surrounding creation of new districts and other local government Administrative Units. We expect the study results early in FY 2010/11. The findings therefrom should give all of us a basis for informed discussion and help determine an appropriate future course of action.

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[1] This number included 42 Town Boards which take effect 1^st July 2010