Best LC5 bosses, districts named

A national performance assessment scorecard has named the best and worst performing districts and chairpersons of various local governments in the 2018/2019 financial year.
The assessment was done by Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) Uganda in 35 districts and scrutinised the performance of 33 chairpersons, who included female chairperson of Kanungu district.

The scorecard titled; “The Local Government Councils Scorecard FY 2018/19,” judged how the district persons performed on legislation, accountability, planning and budgeting, monitoring and service delivery in their districts.
Kabarole’s Richard Rwabuhinga was ranked the best performing district chairperson with a score of 96 per cent. He improved by six percentage points from the previous rating.
He is followed by Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, his Gulu counterpart, who scored 94 per cent, a three-point growth from the previous ranking.
Mr Alex Oremo Alot of Lira and Mr Sam Wadri of Arua tied in third place with a joint score of 84 per cent.

Improvement
However, the scorecard indicates that Mr Alot’s performance improved from 71 per cent in the previous ranking in 2016/2017 while Mr Wadri improved from 36 per cent in the previous rating to 84 in the latest assessment.
They were followed by Mr Tumusiime Bamuturaki of Mbarara, who scored 83 per cent, achieving a 30 point growth from the rating of the previous financial year 2016/2017.
In the worst performing category is Mr Abel Bizimana of Kisosro who scored 34 per cent followed by Mr Andrew Ssenyonga of Mukono at 56 per cent.
Mr Ssenyonga is tied with Mr Wilson Watira of Bududa, who also received the same score of 56 per cent.

Mr Kadiri Karungi of Hoima and Mr Williams Anyama of Moyo completed the list of worst performers, scoring 58 and 61 per cent, respectively.
The ACODE Local Government Councils scorecard project manager, Mr Jonas Mbabazi, said: “The assessment covered their performance on the legislative function of councils and how council was accountable to the citizens.”
An assessment of districts was also done and Kabarole emerged the best with 87 per cent score followed by Gulu with 86 per cent while Mpigi was third with 80 per cent.
Nebbi came fourth with 79 per cent rating and Soroti was fifth with 76 per cent. Bududa was rated the worst performing district with only 25 per cent rating.

It was followed by Tororo with 38 per cent, Nakapiripirit (40 per cent) and Kisoro and Sheema districts completed the lot of worst performers with each scoring 41 and 46 per cent, respectively. While releasing what he termed a good report, the Minister for Local Government, Mr Raphael Magyezi, said government has to work with ACODE to increase coverage of the scorecard to include all districts in the next assessment.
“As government, we are prepared. We shall have a discussion with you - ACODE, and all Uganda Local Governments Association to see how to develop a common assessment mechanism in order to reduce duplication, increase coverage and implementation of the recommendations,” Mr Magyezi said at Hotel Africana in Kampala yesterday.

Focus
“We are talking about 35 districts. We are interested in municipalities, town councils and even sub-counties,” he added.
However, Mr Magyezi blamed ministries and government departments for holding funds without releasing them to lower local governments for implementation of public projects. He promised to change the status quo.

“Magyezi is accused of touching very many things but I want to touch this one very strongly. Money cannot be held by people who are not on the ground to deliver services. We need to work together to see how we reverse this one,” he said.
Mr Magyezi also decried the continued return of funds to the Treasury by various government entities yet the public is deprived of vital social services on account of lack of funding. “Billions of shillings have been transferred to local governments, but at the end of the financial year are returned to Treasury. This is denying services to the people,” he said.

LC5 chairpersons’ rating

Chairperson District Rank
Richard Rwabuhinga Kabarole 96
Martin O Mapenduzi Gulu 94
Alex Oremo Alot Lira 84
Sam Wadri Nyakua Arua 84
Tumusiime J.B. Bamuturaki Mbarara 83
Wycliffe Ibanda Kaliro 81
Ronald Ndawula Luwero 80
Josephine Kasya Kanungu 80
Okello Oryema Nwoya 78
Bob Okae Apac 77
Titus Kisambira Mutanda Jinja 77
George Mutabaazi Lwengo 76
Agaba Kinene Buliisa 76
Bernard Mujasi Mbale 76
Matia Lwanga Bwanika Wakiso 75
Denis Simpson Singahache Ntungamo 75
Micheal Lakony Amuru 74
Patrick Keihwa Kabale 72
Cosmas Byaruhanga Masindi 71
David Kabigumira Sheema 71
Thomas Kategere Kamuli 70
Leonard Opio Ojok Agago 68
George Egunyu Soroti 68
Andrew Keem Napaja Moroto 66
John Nangiro Nakapiriprit 66
Robert Okitoi Erisat Amuria 63
Peter Claver Mutuluuza Mpigi 63
Andrewson C. Kateebire Rukungiri 63
Williams Anyama Moyo 61
Kadiri Kirungi Hoima 58
Wilson Watira Bududa 56
Andrew Ssenyonga Mukono 56
Abel Bizimana Kisoro 34

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