The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, has called on local governments across Uganda to enhance their capacity to identify, collect and manage locally generated revenue. This, he said, is a critical source of financing for sustainable service delivery and local development. Kumumanya made the remarks through Ruth Gyayo, the Principal Inspector in the Ministry of Local Government, at a five-day Local Revenue Enhancement Plan Training Workshop held in Masaka from September 28 to October 2, 2026.
Kumumanya emphasised that effective revenue mobilisation, coupled with transparency and accountability, is essential for local governments to meet their responsibilities and improve services to communities. He stressed the need for local governments to improve their revenue identification, collection and management systems to maximise available opportunities and reduce dependence on other sources of funding. This, he said, will enable local governments to deliver better services to their communities.
The workshop focused on addressing persistent challenges affecting local revenue mobilisation, including inadequate revenue data, reliance on manual collection systems, weak enforcement mechanisms and limited accountability in the management of locally generated funds. Financial management consultant Patrick Kandole, who facilitated the training, challenged local government officials to prioritise the identification of potential taxpayers as a foundation for improving revenue collection.
During the training, participants worked on revenue projections, institutional reform proposals and implementation work plans aimed at improving revenue mobilisation in their respective local governments. The training also emphasised the need to connect improved revenue collection with better public services, ensuring that taxpayers can see tangible benefits from the money they contribute to local government budgets.
Kumumanya further underscored the importance of transparency and public accountability, urging local government leaders to regularly organise public barazas and community meetings to explain how locally generated revenue is collected, allocated and spent. He said open engagement with taxpayers would help build public confidence in local government financial management and encourage voluntary compliance.
The Permanent Secretary also cautioned local government officials against incurring excessive administrative expenses during revenue collection, warning that high collection costs could undermine the benefits of improved mobilisation. He called for greater efficiency in revenue administration, urging officials to ensure that the resources invested in collecting taxes do not outweigh the revenue realised.
The Masaka workshop provided an opportunity for economic planners and finance managers from the Greater Masaka Subregion to examine existing revenue mobilisation challenges, identify opportunities for improvement and develop practical strategies for addressing revenue shortfalls. The training's focus on revenue databases, digitalisation, enforcement, accountability and realistic planning aims to equip local governments with the necessary tools to improve revenue collection and management.
Key points
- Local governments in Uganda are urged to prioritise revenue collection and management to improve service delivery and local development.
- The Ministry of Local Government emphasises the need for transparency and public accountability in revenue mobilisation and management.
- Uganda's local governments are encouraged to adopt digital systems to improve revenue administration and minimise revenue leakages.
