Government has called on chief administrative officers (CAOs) to improve revenue mobilisation, as new figures show a handful of districts are leading in local revenue collection.
Districts such as Kiruhura, Nakasongola, Luwero , Isingiro, Mbarara and Gulu were highlighted as top performers among Uganda’s 147 districts.
Speaking at a quarterly meeting of chief administrative officers and town clerks in Kampala, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, said accounting officers must do more to strengthen local revenue systems.
Kumumanya said CAOs are responsible for implementing government policies and ensuring services reach citizens, adding that public resources must be used efficiently.
“I am glad that the districts mentioned are doing well in revenue collection. I urge the rest of the chief administrative officers to benchmark from them and improve,” he said.
He added that CAOs should understand how much their districts contribute to the country’s gross domestic product, rather than “folding their hands”.
Kumumanya said the government is also working to strengthen production departments at the district level. He noted that districts already receive extension service grants to facilitate extension workers.
At the same meeting, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Maj Gen David Kasura, cautioned district accounting officers to work closely with district veterinary officers to improve production.
Kasura said poor coordination between CAOs, production officers, and veterinary staff is affecting service delivery.
“It is the role of CAOs to supervise all these departments to ensure proper service delivery. Stop diverting production funds to other activities,” he said.
He also urged communities to stop encroaching on wetlands, warning that the practice is contributing to flooding that has recently affected farmers amid heavy rains.
