As the 2026 general elections draw near, residents of Toroma County are urging the NRM government to prioritize the establishment of Toroma as a standalone district.
They argue that elevating Toroma to district status would enhance service delivery and bring government services closer to the people.
Local leaders and cadres from the Toroma administrative unit have expressed strong support for the proposal, promising overwhelming electoral support for the NRM if the district is created before the election.
They claim that if President Museveni approves the creation of Toroma District, the NRM can expect up to 99 percent of votes from the area.
A record from December 9, 2017, shows that the Katakwi District Council formally requested the creation of Toroma District from Katakwi District, in accordance with the constitutional mandate to decentralize services and improve local governance.
The 2017 proposal included the formation of 11 sub-countiesAmusia, Akoboi, Getom, Okulonyo, Angodingod, Okore, and Guyaguya while others such as Olupe, Kamenu, Ominya, and Odoot were pending at the time. Several town councils, including Usuk, Magoro, and Toroma, were successfully established, though only Ngariam County became fully operational out of the proposed counties, which also included Magoro.
Additional operational town boards include Aketa, Ngariam, Odoot, Olilim, Angodingod, Apapai, Ocorimongin, Orungo, and Olupe.
The council had also resolved to create 63 new villages, though these have yet to be operationalized.
Charles Okorom, an NRM mobilizer in Toroma County, emphasized that the president should honor the will of the people by approving the district’s formation. According to him, granting district status would be seen as a reward to loyal voters and would strengthen trust between the president and the people of Toroma.
Michael Irimaut, LC3 Chairperson of Kapujan Sub-county, also stressed the urgency of the matter.
He noted that while the government has rolled out various development programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Fund (UWEF), the formal creation of Toroma District remains a missing link in effective service delivery.
Raphael Magyezi, Minister of Local Government, recently visited Katakwi and assured residents that once the necessary budget is approved by Parliament, new administrative units including Toroma District will be established.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to decentralization and bringing services closer to the people.
