Uganda: 'Not all public servants at local governments entitled to hard to reach allowance'

Résumé détaillé

Henry Musasizi says that public servants working at districts , cities and town councils are not entitled to an allowances even when they are stationed in area designated as…

The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi says that public servants working at districts , cities and town councils are not entitled to an allowances even when they are stationed in area designated as hard-to-reach .

Musasizi stated that the allowance is intended for public officers deployed in remote and underserved areas where government has experienced persistent difficulties in attracting and retaining skilled personnel.

“Payment of hardship allowances excludes civil servants working at district head quarters, in cities and town Councils of the designated local governments,” Musasizi said.

In a statement presented to Parliament on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, he clarified that the allowance is calculated at 30 per cent of the approved salary structure under the 2017/2018 financial year rather than the beneficiary's current salary.

Government introduced the hardship allowance under the Public Service Reform Programme to address staffing shortages in areas affected by geographical isolation, insecurity, poor infrastructure and limited access to essential social services. The programme took effect on 01 July 2010 initially covering 24 designated local governments.

Members of Parliament queried the criteria used to determine areas that qualify for the allowance arguing that some communities face difficult living and working conditions despite being located in districts that are not classified as hard-to-reach.

Rubanda West MP, Hon. Bruce Balaba cited Kabale District which is off the list but has hard to reach which is a modern district but has areas where students and teachers must use canoes over Lake Bunyonyi to access schools and many of them end up dying,” said Balaba.

Hon. Alfred Edakasi (NRM, Kaberamaido County) also said communities on peninsulas in Kaberamaido have teachers travelling by boat to reach schools but do not benefit from the allowance.

Musasizi undertook to present the MPs' concerns to Cabinet for consideration.

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