Economic sense of tiny districts in Uganda

During the Capital Gang political talk show on 91.3 Capital FM, on Saturday, 23rd August 2025, gangster Elder Ofwono Opondo, fondly referred to as OO, truthfully enlightened on Uganda’s decentralization debate – splintering of districts into tiny units; from 33 in 1986 to 135 as of 2020. Elder OO pointed out how, for example, the…

During the Capital Gang political talk show on 91.3 Capital FM, on Saturday, 23^rd August 2025, gangster Elder Ofwono Opondo, fondly referred to as OO, truthfully enlightened on Uganda’s decentralization debate – splintering of districts into tiny units; from 33 in 1986 to 135 as of 2020.

Elder OO pointed out how, for example, the original Tororo District has since been curved into seven districts. Being of Pallisa District, I can appreciate why my late father, Engineer George William Owaraga, the Chief of Ikaribwok Isekelio Clan of Iteso, now rested and his generation of elite leaders from Pallisa successfully lobbied for the separation of our district from Tororo. The distance alone is huge.

But I never envisaged, neither did they, my late father and co, I think, that the Pallisa which was curved out of Tororo would end up further curved into three districts – Pallisa, Budaka and Kibuku. I honestly think that as separate units they aren’t doing well and would do better as one Pallisa District.

Take for instance, according to Pallisa District Local Government, the annual budget for Pallisa for the year 2022/23 was 45.38 billion shillings. Of which the budgeted local revenue was only 350.78 million shillings, and moreover only 77% of it, 271.162 million shillings of local revenue was actually realized. Meaning, Pallisa’s local revenue generation contributes 0.6% to its budget.

How does it make economic sense that Pallisa is represented in the Parliament of Uganda by five Members of Parliament (MPs) at the estimated cost of at least 310 million shillings per month, more than the annual revenue of the district?

For context, read “National Budget allocates more to MPs than to doctors”

The push for districts from the perspective of the people or is it rent-seeking leaders is higher financial grants from central government, enlightened Elder OO. Including, apparently plans for “every district should have a public district hospital and a road unit,” case in point.

Certainly, the debate needs to be had about the cost effectiveness of tiny districts to the State and therefore the tax payer. What is the value for money?

Is it really true that public services are necessarily better when the districts are tiny?

I have my doubts.