governance 4 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Six Years On, Mbale City Grapples with Unmet Expectations Due to Funding and Planning Deficits
Six years after its elevation to city status, Mbale City is struggling with inadequate funding, poor urban planning, and a lack of a specific legal framework to manage its rapid expansion, leading to a gap between public expectations and service delivery. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/mbale-city-struggles-with-funding-gaps-six-years-after-elevation-5484316
Mbale City, elevated to city status in 2020, continues to face significant challenges stemming from funding shortfalls and planning deficiencies, according to local officials and stakeholders. The city’s expansion, which absorbed seven sub-counties and two town councils, dramatically increased its administrative responsibilities without a commensurate rise in development financing.
Officials report that while the city’s budget has grown, a larger portion is now consumed by recurrent expenditures and staffing costs. For instance, the budget for road maintenance, a critical urban infrastructure need, has seen little increase despite the road network expanding by over 200%. This limited funding for infrastructure development contrasts sharply with the increased demands of managing a larger urban area.
The governance framework also presents hurdles. Mbale City still operates under the Local Government Act, which many feel is insufficient for addressing the unique complexities of urban management, such as waste disposal, traffic control, and spatial planning. The absence of crucial technical staff, including a substantive physical planner and a certified city engineer, has further hampered effective urban development and enforcement of planning regulations.
Furthermore, concerns have been raised about decentralisation weakening as financial control increasingly consolidates at the central government level, reducing local autonomy. While efforts are being made to improve local revenue collection through digital systems, the city’s overall reliance on central government grants remains substantial.
Stakeholders suggest that the city’s elevation was not adequately supported by a clear implementation framework, leading to ad-hoc expansion and service delivery issues. The current situation highlights a critical need for tailored legislation and increased financial resources to match Mbale City’s growing urban landscape and meet the service delivery expectations of its residents.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)