MASINDI – The Minister for Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, has officially launched the 2026 Induction of Local Government Councils, kicking off the nationwide rollout of the programme in 35 Local Governments.
The launch held today in Masindi District marks the beginning of a comprehensive national exercise to orient newly elected local government leaders and technical staff who assumed office between 13th and 29th May 2026, following the expiry of the term of the previous councils on 12th May 2026.
Funded by the Government of Uganda, the induction is aimed at equipping leaders with the knowledge, skills and tools required to effectively execute their mandates, promote lawful decision-making and improve service delivery at the grassroots.
Speaking at the launch, Hon. Balaam challenged leaders to use their positions to champion accountability and fight corruption, stressing that they have the potential to protect public resources and ensure they benefit the communities they serve.
“Public money is not yours. It is for the people. Use it responsibly. Any illegal procurement, any abuse of office, you will be exposed,” Hon. Balaam warned.
The Minister said the induction is critical because many councils have inherited a system plagued by graft allegations, recruitment scandals and procurement irregularities, and must be reset to serve Ugandans better.
He issued three non-negotiable directives to all Local Governments with immediate effect:
- All Council Sittings Must Be Open to Media: “All councils should allow members of the press access to council sittings, just as Parliament allows media access to its proceedings,” to promote transparency and accountability.
- Display of Budgets: All Local Governments must display their approved budgets on main council notice boards to enable citizens to follow implementation, track public expenditure and conduct people-led audits.
- Zero Tolerance to Corruption: The induction will focus on financial management, oversight functions, roles and responsibilities under the Local Governments Act. Hon. Balaam said this approach is in line with President Yoweri Museveni’s directive for leaders to embrace grassroots anti-corruption barazas to expose and eliminate corruption in Uganda.
According to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, Government has set aside funds to facilitate the orientation exercise across districts, cities, municipalities and sub-counties in the FY 2026/2027.
According to the Commisioner of Local Councils Development at the Ministry of Local Government Mr. Swin Mugyema Kinga Said that under this programme, each Councilor will receive copies of the Constitution of Uganda, the Local Governments Act, participant handbooks and standard rules of procedure to guide them in execution of their duties.
The induction, which coincides with the start of the Ministry’s Anti-Corruption Campaign in Bunyoro, will run across the selected 35 local governments first, before scaling up to cover all local governments nationwide. The exercise is designed to strengthen leadership, improve cooperation between political and technical wings, and ultimately enhance service delivery.
