Minister Musasizi Warns District Leaders Against Abandoning Anti-Corruption Duties to Balaam.

By Naboth Isaac Niwagaba

The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Minister Henry Musasizi has cautioned district local government leaders against abandoning their anti-corruption mandate to Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara.

Musasizi was the chief guest yesterday at the conclusion of a three-day induction for Kabale District local government leaders.

His Statements came after Barugahara put political leaders and heads of departments in Kabale, Rukiga, Rubanda and Kisoro district local governments on notice, ahead of a one-day district meeting on implementing President Museveni’s directive to expose and eliminate corruption in the country.

In a notification letter dated 7 October 2026 and addressed to the chief administrative officers of the four Kigezi districts, Barugahara announced that he would personally visit each district for a one-day engagement with district leadership, technical staff and other key stakeholders.

According to the schedule attached to the letter, the meetings will begin in Kisoro District on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, followed by Rubanda on Wednesday, 21 October; Kabale on Thursday, 22 October; and conclude in Rukiga on Friday, 23 October 2026.

Speaking at Kabale District Rukiiko Hall, Musasizi warned that relying on central government officials to investigate and implicate local government officials involved in corruption signified a failure by district leaders, who are mandated to oversee government business in their areas of jurisdiction.

“You have the Office of the RDC, the DISO, the LC5 Chairperson and their council, LC3 Councils, and Parish Internal Security Officers, yet you can’t deal with corruption in the district. Why are you abandoning your responsibility ? ” Musasizi asked.

He emphasized that Balaam’s anti-corruption campaign was happening because political leaders had failed to fulfil their mandate at the district level.

“In government, if you fail to do your work, someone else will do it for you. That’s exactly what Balaam is doing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Musasizi dismissed rumours that the government was planning to impose a 40% Pay As You Earn tax on district councillors’ allowances. The concern had been raised by the Kabale District LC5 Chairperson Denis Nzeirwe said the UGX 250,000 ex-gratia payment for councillors was already insufficient given the demands of their work, and that further taxation would leave them with almost nothing.

Musasizi said the rumour about a 40% tax was unsubstantiated, as that rate applied only to officials earning UGX 10 million and above. However, he also acknowledged that the need to improve the wage bill for elected leaders had reached concerning levels, and that the government was considering enhancements in later financial years.

He further urged the District Chief Administrative Officers and other accounting officers to respect the guidelines requiring them to submitting quarterly reports in time, exercise budget discipline and accountability, if they are to avoid getting caught up in the Anti-Corruption wave.

Meanwhile, the Ndorwa West MP Naturinda Eliab Mporera congratulated the Kabale District Councilors and Heads of Departments upon successfully completing their induction. He declared the resolute by the Greater Kabale MPs to work in unity and collectively address the needs of the region, putting aside the earlier differences such as religion and tribal sentiments that caused disharmony among leaders, especially towards and during the election season.

“We are now focussed on service delivery for the people who elected us into power. Therefore I call upon each of you to join us in ensuring that we serve the needs of our people and transform our region together, he said.

A total of 36 LC.5 Councilors from the 15 Subcounties of Kabale District and technical staff participated in the induction program whose facilitators included Retired Grade one Magistrate Ben Duncan Sunday, and other Senior Government Officials.

They were taken through training sessions on how to interprete and use key government literature such as the Local Government ACT, Rules of Procedure and other documents that guide District Councils and their Mandate.

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