ENTEBBE, September 12, 2025 – The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus has thrown its weight behind a government proposal to create four new administrative units and elevate Tororo to a city status, aiming to decentralize services and resolve longstanding ethnic conflicts.
The decision was announced by the Government Chief Whip, Hon. Hamson Denis Obua, during a press briefing at Parliament on Friday. The announcement followed a caucus meeting held earlier at State House in Entebbe, where lawmakers deliberated on the report from the Minister of Local Government.
According to Obua, the caucus has approved the creation of three new districts from the current Tororo District: Mukuju District, Mulanda District, and Kisoko District. Concurrently, the existing Tororo municipality will be elevated to Tororo City. All these changes are slated for implementation in the financial year 2025-2026, pending final legal approval.
In a separate move, the lawmakers also endorsed the creation of Bughendera District, which will be carved out of the existing Bundibugyo District in western Uganda. This initiative is also targeted for the 2025-2026 financial year.
“The NRM Caucus… agreed to support the creation of Mukuju District, Mulanda District, Kisoko District and Tororo City in the financial year 2025-2026, subject to the law. To support the creation of Bughendera district out of Bundibugyo District… subject to the law,” Obua stated.
He further indicated that the creation of other districts, cities, and municipalities would be handled in a phased approach over the subsequent five years, from 2026 to 2031.
The government’s push for the new administrative units is driven by a dual objective. For the new Tororo entities and the city, the primary goal is to bring essential government services closer to the people. Regarding the split of Bundibugyo, lawmakers cited the additional need to “end ethnic conflicts” in the region, a persistent issue they believe can be mitigated through more localized governance.
This endorsement from the ruling party’s caucus is a significant step forward, making the formal approval by the full Parliament highly likely. The move continues a long-standing government policy of creating smaller administrative units to improve service delivery, though critics have often argued it increases public expenditure on bureaucracy.
The planned changes mark a significant reshaping of Uganda’s local government landscape, with more revisions expected in the coming years.
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