Local leaders in Bududa district have asked President Yoweri Museveni to consider carving out a new district, to be named Namaatso, citing administrative inefficiency and limited access to public services.
The leaders made the appeal during Museveni’s presidential campaign rally held at Nangako town council playground on Saturday.
Bududa, which has a population of about 300,000 people, currently comprises 23 sub-counties and five town councils, making it one of the smallest yet densely populated districts in the Bugisu sub-region.
According to Wekhola Mukhwana Koloto, NRM district chairperson, some areas such as Lutsekhe and Mabono remain hard to reach, hindering service delivery and administrative coordination.
He said the district is too large and inaccessible and creating Namaatso district would bring services closer to the people and create employment opportunities for our youth.
While Museveni did not directly respond to the demand for a new district, he announced that the government had approved funds for the construction of the 29-kilometre Bubulo-Bududa circular road.
The road, he said, will improve transportation and ease the movement of agricultural produce from Bududa to Mbale and neighbouring markets, a development he described as key to unlocking the region’s economic potential.
But for heaven and hell’s sake the largeness or smallness of a District is not the issue. The problem is the regime dishonesty (Corruption), lip service and/or the absence of service delivery.
In 8 years (1962-1970) 24 Hospitals, until Amin ousted Obote I (UPC Administration) on 25th Jan 1971; the Bududa residents should have asked Mr. M7 where was he (M7) in the 60s, when Obote (RIP) was on average every year opening 3 Modern and fully equipped hospitals and Secondary schools, staffed and complete with staff houses?
In other words, there were only 16 Districts. Vis-à-vis population growth, what mattered was honesty and not the number of districts but strategic planning, proportional/balanced budgeting and programming for equitable and quality service delivery to all Ugandans.