The Uganda Local Governments Association (ULGA) and the Uganda Urban Authorities Association (UAAU) reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Government’s anti-corruption campaign while calling for accountability efforts to be implemented fairly and alongside measures to address long-standing service delivery challenges affecting Local Governments.
Presenting a joint statement during the Ministry of Local Government’s meeting on the implementation of H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s anti-corruption directive, ULGA President Andrew Moses Awanyi said Local Governments remained committed to promoting transparency, accountability and value for money in public service delivery. He appealed for monitoring and inspection exercises to allow political and technical leaders adequate opportunity to respond to concerns, provide supporting documentation and distinguish genuine accountability issues from political differences.
Speaking on behalf of the Uganda Urban Authorities Association, Dr. Sarah Birungi highlighted a number of structural challenges affecting Local Governments, including inadequate funding, staffing gaps in critical sectors, weak operation and maintenance financing, limited protection for whistle-blowers, delays in investigating reported corruption cases, lack of physical development plans and inadequate facilitation for elected leaders. She called for stronger support to Local Governments through increased funding, improved staffing, better protection for whistle-blowers, timely action by enforcement agencies and strengthened planning systems to improve service delivery and accountability.