Local leaders and residents in Bughendera County have renewed calls for the creation and operationalization of the proposed Bughendera District, expressing concern over prolonged central government silence despite previous commitments.
Stakeholders had expected the new local government unit to become operational ahead of the 2026 General Elections, particularly after the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus resolved on September 11, 2025, to back its creation, subject to parliamentary approval.
However, nearly a year after the resolution and subsequent consultative drives conducted by the Ministry of Local Government, the proposal remains stalled.
For over 16 years, residents of the mountainous enclave in Bundibugyo District have awaited the realization of repeated presidential pledges dating back to 2010.
Mounting frustration
Speaking to this publication in an interview on Tuesday, Mr Moses Bagamba, the Ngamba Sub-county district councillor, noted that the protracted delay has left both political leaders and the community in uncertainty.
“Government assured us that following the NRM Caucus resolution and ministry consultations, the proposal would be tabled before Parliament for approval before the elections. Since then, everything has gone quiet. Neither the Cabinet nor Parliament has spoken about it,” Mr Bagamba said.
He emphasized that carving Bughendera out of Bundibugyo District remains the area’s top development priority due to its difficult, mountainous terrain, which severely complicates decentralized service delivery.
“Our county is largely hard to reach. An independent district would allow us to receive a direct budget, plan according to local priorities, and improve infrastructure. The current district road allocation is far too insufficient,” Mr Bagamba added.
Service delivery deficits
Leaders point to severe gaps in basic infrastructure across the county’s 14 lower administrative units, noting that eight still lack a government-aided secondary school, while existing primary schools and health centres remain in poor condition.
Areas such as Ngite, Mbatya, Ntandi Town Council, Kisitu, Ntotoro, and Kagughu have no government secondary school. Furthermore, Mbatya lacks a functional health facility, while Ngite relies solely on a Health Centre II unit.
“With a dedicated budget for the new district, we can directly prioritize building schools and upgrading health facilities so that every sub-county benefits, in line with government policy,” Mr Bagamba stated.
His concerns were echoed by Mr Alpha Asuman, the Harugale Sub-county Chairperson, who highlighted the strain on local revenue.
“Harugale Sub-county receives only about Shs4 million annually for routine road maintenance despite managing an extensive road network in mountainous terrain. Creating the district was part of our commitment to voters to fix persistent underfunding,” Mr Asuman said.
Residents have similarly voiced disappointment over the stalled process.
Ms Sarah Biira, a resident of Kisiti Sub-county, said: “We were happy when the government announced plans to create the district because we believed services would move closer. Now, people are losing hope and still traveling long distances to the district headquarters in Bundibugyo town.”
Mr John Baluku, from Mbatya Sub-county, expressed fears that the long-standing promise was being reused for political leverage ahead of the upcoming elections.
“The silence is worrying. We urge the government to explain the delay and expedite the process because Bughendera deserves better service delivery like other new districts,” Mr Baluku said.
Parliamentary process stalled
When contacted, the Bughendera County Member of Parliament, Mr Christopher Kibanzanga, clarified that the proposal is currently at the parliamentary stage, awaiting formal executive action.
‘All arms of government are aware of this issue; the Cabinet is aware, and the NRM Caucus passed a resolution. What is delaying it now is the Minister for Local Government bringing a motion for a resolution in Parliament. Let the voters remain calm-anytime, we shall have our district,’ Mr Kibanzanga said in a phone interview on Wednesday.
Efforts to get a comment from the Senior Minister for Local Government and the State Minister were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to their official numbers went unanswered by press time.
District leadership reacts
The Bundibugyo District Chairperson, Mr Moses Tibakunirwa, acknowledged the lack of recent communication from the central government, attributing the pause to potential boundary disputes and wider fiscal constraints.
“When the NRM Caucus passed the resolution, momentum was high. However, during consultations, some communities supported the proposed boundaries while others wanted adjustments. Government may have decided to allow time for consensus,” Mr Tibakunirwa said, adding that Bughendera is among several regions seeking district status amidst limited national resources.
Mr Tibakunirwa stressed that whether Bughendera is created or not, Bundibugyo District urgently requires enhanced central government intervention.
“Bundibugyo receives about Shs1 billion annually for district roads, yet we have massive rehabilitation needs. Following the severe 2019 floods, an assessment showed that Shs19 billion was required to restore damaged roads and bridges, but that funding has never been provided,” he noted.
He further criticized central government agencies for inflated infrastructure implementation costs, arguing that district local governments deliver better value for money.
“A ministry can spend up to Shs70 million to construct one kilometer of road, whereas a district local government can execute similar work at roughly Shs15 million. Government should strengthen districts by sending funds directly to local governments,” Mr Tibakunirwa urged.
Boundary petitions and tribal friction
The delay in operationalizing Bughendera District comes against a backdrop of complex boundary disputes and tribal sensitivities that emerged shortly after the NRM Caucus endorsement.
Several petitions were addressed to President Museveni and the Ministry of Local Government opposing the proposed demarcations.
In a three-page petition, the Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba (OBB) Cultural Institution-through its Prime Minister, Mr Charles Bukantwa-asked the Ministry of Local Government for fairness, claiming that external political interests were driving the split.
Mr Bukantwa alleged that key agitators for the district were not residents of Bundibugyo, but actors from neighboring Kasese District using local politicians as proxies.
“One wonders what interest the people of Kasese have in Bughendera. This is not about service delivery. Communities in the affected administrative units have made it clear that they do not want to belong to the new district,” the OBB petition reads in part.
The petition further cited incidents where flags of the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu (OBR) were allegedly hoisted across parts of Bughendera County following the NRM Caucus announcement-areas predominantly inhabited by the Baamba, Babwiisi, and Bavanuma communities.
Conversely, a separate petition dated September 19, led by Rev. Christopher Babiiha on behalf of Ntotoro Sub-County residents, warned President Museveni against altering Bughendera’s boundaries on ethnic grounds.
“Detaching Ntotoro Sub-County on cultural, tribal, or hidden political grounds will strain our inter-community relations with the Bakonzo and undermine peaceful coexistence as guaranteed under Articles 21 and 237 of the Constitution,” Rev. Babiiha stated, arguing that residents’ sole interest lies in accessing decentralised services and employment opportunities.
Following the conflicting petitions, the Ministry of Local Government convened harmonization meetings with cultural leaders and local stakeholders, including a major dialogue at Buhundu Primary School in Bukonzo Sub-County, to resolve the stalemate.
About Bughendera County
According to the 2024 National Housing and Population Census, Bughendera County comprises 99,771 households. The proposed district brings together the Bakonzo, Baamba, Babwisi, Batuku, Bavanuma, and Batwa ethnic communities across 12 sub-counties, two town councils, 65 parishes, and 405 villages.