Written By | Joshua Nahamya
Bumbaire sub county leaders engaged to mobilise enough revenue to fully monitize their sub county.
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BUSHENYI
Local government leaders in Bushenyi District have intensified efforts to strengthen revenue mobilisation, with a focus on property rate taxes, as new development funding under the Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) project promises to boost household incomes.
Push for Property Tax Compliance
The District Revenue Officer, Godwin Ahwera, led a sensitisation meeting at Bumbaire Sub-county headquarters, where he urged property owners to comply with property rate taxes levied on commercial buildings.
Ahwera noted that commercial structures in Bumbaire Sub-county are expected to generate about UGX 6.2 million annually to support local service delivery.
Judith, the Senior Assistant Secretary (SAS) for Bumbaire, pledged to extend the sensitisation campaign to all parishes to ensure taxpayers understand their obligations.
LC III Chairperson Celestine Bagampangire welcomed the initiative, describing property tax as critical to improving the sub-county’s low local revenue base.
Godwin Ahwera, Bushenyi District Revenue Officer engaging Bumbaire Sub County leaders on revenue enhancement.
LEGS Project to Boost Farmers
Meanwhile, the District Commercial Officer for Bushenyi, Christine Hope Komujuni, revealed that the district is among the first beneficiaries of the Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) project funded by the Islamic Development Bank.
The project targets smallholder farmers and cooperatives, particularly in key sectors such as tea and coffee.
“We have a project called LEGS that will benefit tea farmers and coffee cooperatives. It is going to be beneficial to the people of Bushenyi District,” Komujuni said.
She urged prospective beneficiaries to prepare for the programme and invest the funds in sustainable income-generating activities.
Christine Hope Komujuni, Bushenyi District Commercial Officer
SACCOs Positioned for Development Financing
In neighbouring Sheema District, leaders are positioning Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) to support financial inclusion under the Local Economic Development (LED) framework.
LC V Chairperson Jemima Tumwijukye Buhanda said Shuuku SACCO and Kigarama People’s Financial Services are among the institutions selected to channel affordable credit to communities.
The SACCOs are expected to provide loans at low interest rates of about 0.8 percent to enhance access to capital, especially in rural areas.
Tumwijukye called on residents to support local SACCOs to ensure the success of government programmes.
“As leaders, we must prioritise our local SACCOs and encourage communities to utilise them so that wealth remains within our areas,” she said.
Jemimah Tumwijukye Buhanda, L C V Chairperosn Sheema district.
Driving the Shift to a Money Economy
The renewed focus on revenue mobilisation and access to affordable credit aligns with the Government’s broader strategy to transition households from subsistence farming to a money-based economy.
Since the 1990s, several initiatives—including Bonabagagawale, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), the Youth Livelihood Programme, UWEP, Emyooga, and the Parish Development Model (PDM)—have been implemented to commercialise rural livelihoods.
According to the 2024 Population and Housing Census and data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the proportion of households in subsistence farming has declined from 64 percent in 2014 to about 33 percent today. Authorities say the current interventions in Bushenyi and Sheema are aimed at transitioning the remaining population into sustainable income generation and economic participation.
