By Brian Atuhura

Masindi District has reported progress in education,health,road infrastructure and access to safe water during the 2025/2026 financial year,while calling for increased funding,stronger supervision and accountability to improve service delivery.

The District Chairperson,Patrick Wobusobozi,highlighted the achievements and challenges while delivering his keynote address at the Masindi District Local Government budget conference for the financial year 2027/2028,held at Country Inn Hotel in Masindi Town.

The conference was held under the theme,"Full Monetization of Uganda's Economy through Commercial Agriculture,Industrialisation,Expanding and Broadening Services,Digital Transformation and Market Access."The preliminary resource envelope for the 2027/2028 financial year stands at Shs 37.5 billion.

On education,Wobusobozi said the district had prioritised the renovation and construction of classrooms,improvement of sanitation facilities in schools and health facilities,and the supply of desks to enhance the learning environment.

He,however,noted that renovation works at Kimengo Primary School remained subject to the correction of identified defects.

In the health sector,he cited the ongoing redevelopment,expansion,renovation and equipping of Masindi General Hospital,alongside interventions in lower health facilities,as key investments aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure and improving access to services.

On road infrastructure,Wobusobozi reported that the district had maintained 71.9 kilometres of roads during the financial year,including the rehabilitation of 13.75 kilometres and construction of five bridges to improve connectivity.

Despite the interventions,he said 37 per cent of assessed district and urban roads remained in poor condition,calling for increased funding to address the maintenance and rehabilitation backlog.

He also acknowledged disparities in access to safe water,identifying Kijunjubwa as the least-served area.To address the challenge,the district has invested in piped water systems,with the Kikuube-Kikingura project at 72 per cent completion.

Wobusobozi said Bulima piped water project phases I and II had been completed,while the third phase was expected to follow to extend clean water access to more residents.

The District Chairperson,however,expressed concern over persistent challenges affecting service delivery,including staff absenteeism,weak project implementation and the return of unspent wage funds despite existing staffing gaps.

He also faulted inadequate supervision by Heads of Departments,saying it contributes to poor performance,misuse of public resources and delays in addressing service delivery challenges.

He urged departmental heads and other responsible officers to strengthen supervision,ensure proper utilisation of public funds and address implementation gaps promptly.

Speaking at the same conference,Buruli County Member of Parliament Hon.Aled Ronald Akugizibwe commended government for the ongoing expansion and renovation of Masindi General Hospital,saying the investment would improve healthcare services for the district population.

Akugizibwe also urged district leaders to expedite the processing and acquisition of land titles for government properties to safeguard public assets.

He called for increased wage allocations to facilitate the recruitment of additional teachers and health workers,citing staffing gaps in the education and health sectors.

The legislator further encouraged closer collaboration between district leaders and Members of Parliament to advance service delivery priorities.He also called for increased road funding to enable the District to maintain and improve it's extensive road network.

The budget conference brought together district leaders,technical officers and other stakeholders to assess service delivery performance,identify implementation gaps and set priorities for the 2027/2028 financial year.

The discussions are expected to guide the allocation of the projected Shs 37.5 billion resource envelope towards priority interventions aimed at addressing community needs and improving service delivery across Masindi District.