Africa-Press – Uganda. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has blamed the slow pace of development in Wakiso District is largely due to a lack of cooperation from opposition leaders, whom she accused of neglecting their responsibility to channel concerns to government offices, noting that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has now placed the district at the centre of its service delivery agenda as the country edges closer to the 2026 general elections.
“Wakiso has been led by members of the opposition who fail to report gaps affecting the people. They come to Parliament but rarely bring issues to my office, where we could resolve them.
The people of Wakiso are suffering, even though the government provides the necessary funds,” Nabbanja told journalists while addressing the state of service delivery in the district on Wednesday.
She stressed that Wakiso’s closeness to the capital city makes it a strategic hub for accelerated development, yet the district continues to lag because of what she described as weak leadership and poor utilisation of government resources.
NRM Director of Mobilisation Rosemary Nansubuga Seninde rallied party supporters to elect leaders who can harness state resources effectively.
“Wakiso had bad luck in the last elections, choosing many opposition leaders who are unaware of the funds and projects their district receives. This has slowed development and deprived residents of essential services,” she said.
Her remarks drew immediate rebuttals from opposition leaders in the district.
Wakiso Woman Member of Parliament Bethel Naluyima, a staunch member of the National Unity Platform (NUP) dismissed the claims as politically motivated and argued that she consistently raises development issues in Parliament.
“The claim that opposition leaders deter development is misleading. If the government had performed better, these gaps would not exist,” Naluyima said.
She added that many of the funds earmarked for Wakiso are either insufficient or poorly allocated, questioning the government’s narrative of adequate support.
Wakiso District Local Council Chairperson Matia Lwanga Bwanika also pushed back, accusing the NRM of playing politics with development.
“Wakiso has seen development in many areas, yet the government is framing the narrative to mislead voters. Taxes collected here are often redirected to other areas, and the people should question that,” he argued.
The debate underscores the growing tension between the ruling party and opposition leaders in Wakiso, reflecting how service delivery has become intertwined with electoral politics in Buganda’s most populous district.
While the government cites heavy investment in education, health, infrastructure, and social programmes, opposition leaders and sections of the local population remain skeptical of both the scale and impact of these interventions.
Between 2021 and 2025, the government reported significant allocations to Wakiso across multiple sectors. In education, Shs 25.6 billion was disbursed for new schools and rehabilitation of infrastructure, ensuring every parish has a government-aided primary school, while 21 out of 27 sub-counties now have secondary schools.
In health, seven of the eight constituencies have Health Centre IVs and all 27 sub-counties have Health Centre IIIs, with more than 1.5 million mosquito nets distributed during the latest campaign.
On roads, Shs 26.083 billion was released for the maintenance of 1,855 kilometres of district roads. In the business sector, the construction of Kitooro Central Market in Entebbe has improved working conditions for 1,327 vendors.
Water access has also seen heavy investment, with Shs 17.5 billion injected into clean water and irrigation projects, including a solar-powered piped water system in Bussi Subcounty.
Electricity coverage has reached all 27 sub-counties, and social support schemes have disbursed billions, including Shs 5.2 billion under the Social Assistance Grant for the Elderly, Shs 1.998 billion under the Youth Livelihood Programme, and Shs 2.538 billion through the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme.
Under the Parish Development Model, Wakiso received Shs 31.02 billion, benefiting more than 27,000 people, while the Emyooga initiative supported 270 SACCOs with Shs 4.99 billion.
Additionally, a Presidential Zonal Industrial Hub was established to skill youth across Wakiso and neighbouring districts, with 160 graduates recently trained in practical trades such as welding, tailoring, shoemaking, and construction.
Despite these figures, the political standoff continues to shape perceptions of progress in Wakiso. As both the ruling party and the opposition trade blame ahead of the 2026 polls, residents remain watchful of whether the promises of development will translate into tangible improvements in their daily lives.
Source: Nilepost News
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