By Henry Okello
TORORO
Tororo leaders have reached a consensus to elevate Tororo Municipality to city status and creation of two districts marking a significant milestone in resolving the administrative structure of the district.
This decision was made during a high-level meeting with Vice President Jesca Alupo, on Tuesday, 22nd April, 2025 at her office in Kampala where leaders from Tororo County and West Budama agreed to use the municipality’s current boundaries for the new city.
The Vice President proposed creating three administrative units: a city for Tororo Municipality, one district for Tororo County, and another for West Budama.
She emphasized that the government could not sustain too many administrative units at once but assured leaders that future splits could be considered as needed. Mukuju, already a gazetted district, was highlighted for fast-tracking its operationalization.
While the elevation of Tororo Municipality to city status has been agreed upon, disagreements persist over naming the new administrative units. Some leaders suggested neutral or compound names, while others argued that the new units should not retain the old district name.
Sarah Achieng Opendi, Tororo district Woman MP backed the Vice President’s proposal and expressed support for the new city Tororo.
West Budama South MP mentioned that Tororo district already exists and should not be considered for recreation under the same name.
Meanwhile, Tanga Odoi, NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson proposed that the delegation finalizes the city resolution first and revisit the naming issue later.
Former MP for Tororo North County, Annet Nyaketcho, urged the team to follow precedents set by other municipalities turned-cites like Soroti, Mbale which retained their original district names.
Defense Minister Jacob Oboth Oboth downplayed the naming issue, urging leaders to prioritize the resolution of the city status first.
“There is no way an administrative unit can go with the old name,” Oboth Mentioned.
This development is expected to bring administrative and economic benefits to the region, although further deliberations are needed to finalize the naming and operational details.
