Masaka City Mayor Calls for Special Government Funding to Boost Development

Mayor of Masaka City, Florence Namayanja, has voiced concerns regarding the financial constraints faced by regional cities, urging the central government to provide dedicated funding to foster development.

Namayanja highlighted that the current financial allocations are inadequate to tackle various social service issues within the city. She emphasized the need for a unique legal framework for cities, suggesting that operating under the same regulations as local governments hinders their potential to achieve desired progress.

“Funding for cities should be enhanced if they are to become regional centres of development to meet the expectations of city dwellers,” she stated, noting that Masaka City currently operates on a Shs 47 billion budget, with only 15% derived from local revenue, while the central government covers 75%.

Despite funding challenges, the mayor pointed to achievements during her first term, including improvements to the city’s road network with several roads being tarmacked in Nyendo Mukungwe Municipality. Her administration also paved numerous sanitary lanes and plans to continue this work, warning encroachers on road reserves to vacate.

Looking ahead, Namayanja is committed to securing land titles for public spaces and land within the city, aiming for all public land to be titled by the end of her second term.

Masaka City, historically significant and one of Uganda’s oldest urban areas, was elevated to city status in July 2020. It currently faces issues such as inadequate waste management, a lack of a developed physical plan, and insufficient administrative office space to match its current status, all exacerbated by low local revenue collections.

This report is based on information from the Daily Monitor.