Imagine a community where residents need a health centre, a classroom block is incomplete, or a road becomes impassable whenever it rains. People want answers, but the officials making decisions may seem far removed from their daily struggles.
This is one of the reasons Uganda adopted decentralisation: to bring government closer to the people and give local leaders a greater role in addressing community needs.
Through this system, government responsibilities are shared between central government and local authorities, including districts, cities, municipalities, sub-counties and other administrative units. The intention is to ensure that decisions about local development are informed by the realities of the people affected.
The Ministry of Local Government plays a central role in guiding, monitoring and coordinating these institutions to ensure they operate within the law and fulfil their responsibilities.
Why Uganda Needs Decentralisation
Before decentralisation, decision-making was more concentrated at the centre, making it difficult for government to respond directly to the different needs of communities across the country.
Uganda began implementing its current decentralisation policy under the National Resistance Movement government in the late 1980s, with the Local Governments Statute of 1993 providing an important legal foundation. The framework was subsequently strengthened through the 1995 Constitution and the Local Governments Act of 1997.
The principle was straightforward: people who understand their communities should have a meaningful role in deciding what those communities need.
A district experiencing poor access roads may prioritise road maintenance, while another struggling with access to healthcare may focus on improving health facilities. Local governments are better placed to identify these differences and incorporate them into their planning.
Decentralisation also creates opportunities for citizens to engage their councillors, attend local council meetings and raise concerns about services in their areas.
However, bringing government closer to the people only works when local leaders listen, institutions function properly and public resources are managed responsibly.
How Decentralisation Affects Everyday Life
For many Ugandans, decentralisation is not a technical government term. It is reflected in the condition of the nearest public school, the availability of healthcare, the state of a community road and the responsiveness of local leaders.
Local governments have responsibilities in areas such as primary education, primary healthcare, local roads, water and sanitation, agricultural extension and community development, although the precise division of responsibilities varies by service and level of government.
Central government ministries establish national policies, standards and programmes, while local governments carry out assigned responsibilities and help translate those policies into action.
For example, a national education policy must eventually be reflected in how schools are supported and supervised locally. Similarly, national health priorities must connect with the facilities and services available to people in their communities.
This makes coordination between ministries and local governments essential. When the different institutions work together, public programmes have a better chance of reaching their intended beneficiaries.
During an interview in August, the Ministry of Local Government’s Permanent Secretary, Ben Kumumanya, described the practical questions used to assess service delivery.
“Are the schools operating? Are the health facilities working? Are people’s complaints and issues that they table to the leadership being responded to?” he asked.
These questions offer a simple way of understanding the purpose of decentralisation: government must be judged by what people experience, not simply by what appears in official plans.
The Challenge of Accountability
Despite its importance, decentralisation faces challenges that can weaken its impact.
Concerns about corruption, poor procurement practices, misuse of public funds and delays in implementing projects continue to raise questions about accountability in some local government institutions.
When money intended for a road, school or health facility is mismanaged, the consequences are felt directly by the communities that depend on those services.
This is why the Ministry of Local Government has a responsibility to inspect, monitor and coordinate local authorities, while other oversight bodies investigate suspected wrongdoing and enforce accountability through the appropriate legal processes.
In September 2026, Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee questioned ministry officials over audit queries concerning expenditure beyond the approved budget and other financial transactions.
Such scrutiny highlights the importance of proper financial records, transparent procurement, effective supervision and clear explanations for public expenditure. Audit queries and allegations must be investigated fairly, with responsibility established through evidence rather than assumption.
Citizens also have a role to play by asking questions, reporting suspected wrongdoing and following up on projects promised by their local leaders.
Can Local Governments Become More Effective?
For decentralisation to deliver better results, local authorities need capable leaders, competent technical staff, reliable funding and effective systems for monitoring public services.
Improving local revenue collection is one part of the solution. Local governments need to identify legitimate revenue sources, collect what is due and account for how the money is spent. At the same time, central government transfers remain important for financing services and development programmes.
Newly elected local government leaders also need to understand their legal responsibilities, budgeting procedures and oversight duties. The Ministry of Local Government’s induction programmes in 2026 are part of efforts to prepare leaders for these responsibilities.
But training and stronger systems must ultimately translate into action: better-managed projects, more responsive leadership and improved services.
Decentralisation Must Deliver for Ordinary Ugandans
Uganda’s decentralisation system was established to make government more accessible and responsive to the people. Its success depends on whether communities can see meaningful improvements in their daily lives.
A resident should be able to raise a concern and know which local authority is responsible. A community should be able to follow a public project and understand how resources are being used. Local leaders should be able to explain their decisions and answer questions about their performance.
Decentralisation is not simply about dividing the country into districts and administrative units. It is about making public institutions work closer to the people they serve.
When local governments are properly funded, well managed and held accountable, decentralisation can become a practical tool for improving services, strengthening public participation and supporting development across Uganda.
