Minister Nameere warns Makindye Ssabagabo leaders against corruption, urges Councillors to prioritize service delivery

MAKINDYE SSABAGABO MUNICIPALITY, UGANDA — Newly elected leaders in Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality have been urged to reject corruption, uphold accountability, and prioritise service delivery over political differences following a high-level induction workshop organised to prepare political leaders for their constitutional responsibilities under Uganda’s decentralised system of governance.

The call was made by State Minister for Local Government, Hon. Justine Nameere Nsubuga, on Tuesday, who said the success of local governments would be measured not by political rhetoric but by their ability to improve the lives of ordinary citizens through transparent, accountable and effective leadership.

Addressing councillors, municipal officials and technical staff, the minister said the fight against corruption remains one of the Government’s highest priorities. She noted that recent Cabinet discussions had reinforced the need to safeguard public resources and ensure government programmes reach their intended beneficiaries.

“The direction from Cabinet is clear: corruption must be fought at every level of government, especially in local governments where services directly affect our people. Every leader has a duty to protect public resources and ensure they are used for the purpose they were intended,” Nameere Nsubuga said.

She warned councillors against the misuse of public funds, particularly resources allocated under the Parish Development Model (PDM), stressing that leaders must demonstrate integrity in managing programmes aimed at improving household incomes.

“I do not want to hear of councillors being arrested over corruption involving Parish Development Model funds. These resources belong to the people and should be managed with honesty, transparency and accountability,” she said.

The minister further urged leaders to remain focused on addressing community needs instead of engaging in unnecessary political conflicts.

“Let us serve the people well. Let us prioritise service delivery. We should remain focused as leaders, avoid unnecessary conflicts and work together for the development of our communities,” she emphasised.

According to the minister, citizens are more concerned with improved roads, better healthcare, quality education, reliable water services, cleaner towns and greater economic opportunities than political rivalry.

She also called on councillors across the political divide to work closely with technical officers, noting that effective service delivery depends on cooperation rather than confrontation.

The induction workshop also featured a keynote address by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, who described decentralisation as one of Uganda’s most significant governance reforms.

Kumumanya said decentralisation provides local governments with a structured framework for planning, budgeting and implementing development programmes that respond directly to community priorities.

He noted that local governments remain responsible for delivering essential public services, including education, healthcare, water supply, road maintenance, sanitation and environmental management.

The Permanent Secretary reminded participants that Article 176 of the Constitution of Uganda provides the legal foundation for decentralised governance and empowers local governments to deliver services while remaining accountable to the citizens they serve.

He also stressed the importance of prudent financial management, warning that abuse of public resources erodes public confidence and slows national development.

“Public funds must always be used in accordance with the law. Accountability and transparency are essential if local governments are to fulfil their constitutional mandate,” Kumumanya said.

He encouraged local governments to strengthen local revenue mobilisation while maintaining strict compliance with procurement procedures and financial management regulations.

Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality Mayor John Bosco Sserunkuma Galabuzi attributed the municipality’s improving local revenue performance to enhanced service delivery, saying residents are increasingly willing to pay taxes when they see tangible improvements in municipal services.

“Our local revenue continues to improve because people are seeing results. Better service delivery builds public confidence and encourages citizens to support the work of their local government,” Galabuzi said.

The mayor commended the Ministry of Local Government for organising the induction workshop and praised Kumumanya for personally attending the event.

“We came here ready to learn because leadership requires continuous improvement. We shall benchmark with the best-performing local governments and continue working closely with our technical team to improve service delivery,” he said.

Town Clerk Moses Otimong challenged councillors to embrace sound financial management and strengthen local revenue mobilisation, arguing that municipalities cannot sustain development without a reliable financial base.

He urged leaders to prepare realistic development plans, manage public resources responsibly and ensure every public expenditure translates into tangible benefits for residents.

Meanwhile, Resident District Commissioner Peter Mawolo called on leaders to safeguard the gains of peace and decentralisation while ensuring the effective implementation of government programmes.

He later led participants in singing “Muzeeyi waffe ono tumwagala nnyo, Maama,” in praise of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni before urging political and technical leaders to remain united in serving the public.

The induction programme also included sessions on development planning, programme-based budgeting, procurement procedures, financial management, and the implementation of Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV).

Facilitators reminded participants that local government development plans should be prepared through broad community consultations and aligned with national development priorities.

Despite the progress made under decentralisation, participants acknowledged that inadequate financing remains one of the biggest challenges facing local governments, particularly as their responsibilities continue to expand.

They recommended increased government funding, stronger local revenue mobilisation, enhanced financial discipline and stricter enforcement of anti-corruption laws to improve service delivery across the country.

As the workshop concluded, officials reiterated that public office is a public trust. For the people of Makindye Ssabagabo, they said, the true measure of leadership will not lie in campaign promises or political speeches, but in transparent governance, prudent management of public resources and measurable improvements in the quality of life of every resident.

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