Communities in Uganda’s Maracha and Yumbe districts are demanding urgent improvements in essential public services, accusing local leaders of presiding over chronic failures in education, health care, roads and access to clean water.
Residents say the government has not matched their long-standing demands with meaningful investment, leaving schools congested, health facilities under-equipped and key roads impassable.
‘We have been demanding for construction of more classrooms and latrines for our school,’ said Sabino Aluma, a teacher at Kamaka Primary School in Maracha.
He added: ‘Though our efforts are getting paid off when the leaders come and do assessment, we still need the services. The pupils deserve to study under a better environment.’
Aluma said leaders must show greater transparency in how public resources are allocated, arguing that communities want projects that benefit everyone rather than ‘extravagant, self-serving developments.’
Residents say population growth has stretched already-strained schools and health centres. ‘Communities have been able to demand for construction of more classroom blocks. But still, they feel dissatisfied because of the growing number of pupils,’ Florence Amaguru told Monitor on Saturday.
‘This means that the government should set their priorities right.’
Local officials acknowledge the pressure but cite financial constraints.
‘As the locals demand for better services, the government needs to improve on the funding, otherwise the citizens will lynch duty bearers when the services are not provided,’ said Yumbe District education officer Swali Olega.
He added: ‘Sometimes we feel the pinch from the locals and so equate it to over-demanding.’
Civil society groups say community engagement has grown through new grassroots accountability initiatives backed by the European Union.
‘With strengthened social accountability, citizens are now able to demand for the services because they want to see an accountable leadership,’ said Feni Tuaib, Executive Director of the West Nile Civil Society Organisation Network (WECISNET).
‘If citizens know what the leaders or government is supposed to provide, then the district leadership will have better work,’ he opined.
He urged citizens to prioritise demands that benefit entire communities, saying this would make accountability easier.
The Uganda National NGO Forum says civic awareness has widened sharply. ‘There was a gap between communities and the government leadership,’ Senior Associate Rebecca Ariokot observed, adding that: ‘But with an empowered community, there is growing demand for improved services. We managed to reach 25,000 people in both West Nile and Bukedi. So, people can now demand for accountability and services.’
Local leaders say they support citizens’ demands but lack resources to meet them.
‘We have created demand but there are some unmet demands,’ said Maracha District Health Officer Dr Paul Onzubo. ‘The LC5s and MPs should push for an increment in funding.’
Yumbe’s Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Sulai Ejosiga noted that residents were increasingly asserting their rights.
‘People have been demanding for the road from Kei to Yumbe town to be worked on so that they can move their goods. We need to lobby for funds to support the lower local governments.’