Museveni: We cannot afford new districts

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  President Yoweri Museveni has said that there should be an end to the creation of new administrative units in the country.

Opening a retreat of NRM party MPs at the National Leadership Institute-NALI in Kyankwanzi on Friday, Museveni noted that the cost of financing new administrative units is high.

He explained that money meant for the operationalization of the new administrative units could instead be diverted to improve Agriculture, the Youth Livelihood programme and Women Fund which he says are crucial to the development of Uganda’s economy.

This is not the first time, the President has spoken against creation of new administrative units.

Last year while meeting MPs on the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee on Local Governments Museveni said that he was against the creation of new districts because some of the people who have been asking for districts have been doing it for selfish reasons.

Critics argue that the creation of new districts is simply driving the cost of administration up as opposed to bringing services closer to the people.

Museveni also said that the government has embarked on a poverty eradication drive by ensuring that all Ugandans participate in commercial agriculture.

Museveni also said that Ugandans should welcome investors in the country, warning government officials against extorting money from investors.

He said that through partnership with various investors, the government has been able to establish 4,026 factories currently employing 600,000 Ugandans.

Museveni also criticized the Ministry of Environment for failing to evict people who have encroached on forest reserves, wetlands, swamps and river banks.

The eight-day retreat runs under the theme, Industrialization for Job Creation and Shared Prosperity.

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