Kazo District Workers’ Councillor Mugabe Alex Kayabuki has warned that Uganda’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy risks falling short of its targets unless the government increases funding and grants local governments greater authority to implement and monitor development programmes.

Kayabuki said the government must shift more resources, staffing and operational authority to districts, sub-counties, town councils and parishes, which are responsible for translating national policies into tangible development projects and public services.

In a statement on the implementation of the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, he argued that although the government has prioritised strategic planning in ministries, Parliament and other government agencies, insufficient attention has been given to strengthening the institutions responsible for delivering services to communities.

He said local governments play a critical role in implementing programmes involving roads, schools, health facilities, water systems, agricultural extension services and household economic improvement.

However, Kayabuki noted that local governments continue to face operational constraints despite being expected to implement, monitor and account for government programmes.

“The reality is simple. Almost all the operational implementation of government projects and programmes happens at the local government level,” he said, adding that limited funding, staffing and authority weaken the ability of local leaders to oversee projects effectively.

He argued that the imbalance between responsibilities assigned to local governments and the resources available to them contributes to weak monitoring and limits the impact of national development plans at the community level.

Kayabuki said achieving the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy would require a deliberate shift from concentrating resources and decision-making at the centre towards empowering local governments to drive implementation.

He called for local government operations to be adequately funded and district councils equipped with the resources and authority necessary to monitor public projects, identify implementation gaps and enforce accountability.

According to Kayabuki, stronger local monitoring would help improve value for money, minimise resource leakages, identify failures early and ensure that government services reach the intended beneficiaries.

“Growth will not be achieved in boardrooms in Kampala alone. It will be achieved in the villages, trading centres and parishes of this country,” he said.

He argued that adequately resourced local governments would be better positioned to translate national development priorities into measurable improvements in people’s livelihoods.

Kayabuki said empowering local governments would be critical to ensuring that communities feel the impact of government programmes and that Uganda has a realistic chance of achieving its Ten-Fold Growth Strategy.