A History of local government in Uganda: A case of former Kigezi District, 1955-2005

Abstract

The study set out to establish the factors underlying formation of new districts, Kigezi region in particular and Uganda generally from 1955 to 2005. It was conducted in the districts of Rukungiri and Kabale involving the District Administrative Officials, the traders, the elders and the cultural leaders. It was guided by a number of objectives which include to determine whether ethnicity, resource allocation, centre politicians, among others, influenced the creation of new districts.

The historical background to the study is a springboard for understanding the nature and form of Local Governments in Uganda before and after independence. It also acts as a premise to examine the nature of colonial institutions and show how they played a role in the Local Government structures. The study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire and an interview guide that was administered on an individual basis. The data collected was entered in the computer and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS).

From the study, a number of conclusions were made which include the fact that the element of resource allocation was instrumental in the process of creating new districts; the central government politicians played a substantial role in the creation of the new districts; and, the issue of ethnic differences had a substantial influence on the demand for the new districts. It was also found out that the respective “tribes” were not satisfied with the extent to which they were involved in decision making. Some tribal members highly complained of neglect and that their concerns were not given priority at all.