Jinja City Council fails to spend Shs4.2 billion, sparking serious concerns about stalled development and poor service delivery. The funds targeted key areas like road maintenance, waste management, education, and health. However, bureaucratic delays and poor planning forced the council to return the money to the National Treasury. Residents worry about the impact on critical projects.
In the 2024/2025 financial year, Jinja City Council received a supplementary allocation of Shs11.7 billion. Yet, it spent only Shs7.4 billion. This left Shs4.2 billion unutilised. The Jinja City Council fails to spend Shs4.2 billion while roads and infrastructure worsen. Mr Noroodine Isabirye, a resident of Oboja Road, said, “How can the council fail to use such a large sum when our roads are in terrible condition? This shows clear incompetence.”
Residents also fear the council requested more money than it could effectively use. This inefficiency may deny other local governments the resources they need. Mr Isabirye added that if planners were politicians, voters would hold them accountable. However, this accountability has yet to happen.
Attempts to reach Jinja City Town Clerk Edward Lwanga for comment failed as calls went unanswered. Veteran politician Meddy Mbentyo blamed late fund releases by the central government. He believes delays may sometimes aim to frustrate or undermine local governments. Mbentyo stressed that handling large funds requires dynamic leadership that prioritizes service delivery over personal interests.
Part of the unspent funds were meant to recruit teachers. But a government recruitment ban stalled this plan. Even though the Ministry of Public Service approved Jinja City’s recruitment plan, the council has not yet completed hiring. This freeze partly explains why the Jinja City Council fails to spend Shs4.2 billion.
The funds also targeted farmer mobilisation, agricultural extension, inspection, and support for secondary and tertiary education. Farmer Florence Ndimwiza from Budondo Ward expressed disappointment that none of the money reached agriculture. She said counterfeit pesticides harm farmers and that the money could have funded education on safe products. She also noted that many officials lack a connection to local communities, reducing their commitment to urgent issues.
Auditor General Edward Akol directed the City’s Accounting Officer to ensure the council only requests supplementary funds when it has clear plans and capacity to spend them. This order aims to stop future failures like the Jinja City Council fails to spend Shs4.2 billion.
The council’s failure to use Shs4.2 billion exposes deeper management problems. It shows the need for better planning, accountability, and leadership. Without these, residents will continue to see delays in development and lose trust in their leaders.
To fix this, city officials and the central government must work together. They must ensure budgets turn into real improvements. Otherwise, the Jinja City Council fails to spend Shs4.2 billion may become a common story across Uganda, holding back progress and hurting service delivery.
Read: Uganda’s 2025/26 Budget Grows 25% to 71.9 Trillion Shillings
