Maracha Town Council, the commercial center of Maracha District, has approved a Ugx 14.8 billion development plan and enhanced budget figures for the coming financial year.

The two documents were approved in a council sitting held on May 22, 2025, at the District Headquarters amidst a heavy downpour. The four-year development plan was approved without any objection from the councilors following a detailed presentation by the LC3 Chairperson Hon. Henry Orijabo.

The Speaker Maracha Town Council, Hon. Mark Azibo commended the executive committee and the technical staff for coming up with the plan saying the town council had endured enough embarrassment for lacking a development plan.

Hon. Azibo stated the town council will use the plan in growing the central business district and lobby resources from non-state actors to supplement local revenue and central government transfers.    

Male Councilor Baria Ward, Hon. Jimmy Alia stated the document should be used by the council members to align the development instead of keeping them to gather dust.

Hon. Orijabo said the document is not in cast in stone with room for amendment incase more ideas emerge and other stakeholders show interest in supporting the town council’s aspirations.

The town council plans to spend Ugx 2.8 billion on agro-industrialization in the development plan, key among the outputs is the training of 2,000 farmers on good farming practices, agriculture mechanization and installation for 300 farmers, and the establishment of 4 irrigation schemes.

On the approval of the Ugx 849 million budget for financial year 2025/26, Hon. Orijabo said the town council had set an ambitious local revenue target of Ugx 240 million whose collection depended on constant awareness creation on taxes and increased monitoring and supervision by both the political and technical leaders.

The main revenue sources include local revenue Ugx 240 million, Discretional Development Equalization Grant Ugx 14 million, Urban Unconditional Gant-Non Wage Ugx 36 million, Urban Unconditional Gant-Wage Ugx 435 million, Parish Development Model (PDM) Ugx 17 million, and Uganda Road Fund (URF) Ugx 105 million.  

To quell fears on the revenue projection and management, the principal town clerk.  Mr. Samuel Nickson Atiku called for optimism among the elected leaders emphasizing revenue collection in the town council has exponentially  grown since he took over office 3 years ago, from Ugx 100m to  Ugx 200 million that will be realized  by the end of the current financial year.

Atiku acknowledged several challenges with revenue mobilization but quickly added with endless support and commitment of the political leaders to identify the gaps and make proposals, the revenue projections can be realized.

“Challenges will always be there can we look for theses challenge and fix because if we conclude like this it is as if we are not doing work within the shortest time how much have we done,” he noted.

Odravu Ward town agent, Ms. Judith Amony agreed to the proposal the committee on revenue enhancement be facilitated every quarter instead of two quarters as captured in the budget due to increased workload and logistics required to reach traders.

Maracha Town Council Senior Community Development Officer, Mr. Damian Ongua pushed for the urgent construction of more sanitary facilities at the main market, the biggest revenue source for the town council, cautioning the market will be closed if the single facility collapses under the weight of heavy rain.

Ongua observed sectorial budgets continue to dwindle amidst clamor for increased resource allocation which sometimes occasions tension in budgetary meetings.

“This town is growing everyday whatever was there in 2010 if you compare with what is now, the demands have changed completely. The population at that time was very small and sure with time to come this  Council is going to collect Ugx 1 billion that money will not be enough the demands will also increase,” he remarked.

The Secretary Finance, Hon. Moses Omiku called for transparency in the management of the budget and a people centered approach in its implementation.  

 “As we embark on this financial year I urge each member of the council to put the needs of our constituents at the forefront of our decision making. This budget is a collaborative effort and it is essential we remain transparent and accountability while implementing,” he said.

In the coming financial year the town council intendeds to acquire more land and also secure the existing land by titling it.

Key among the resolutions agreed in the council for quick implementation was funds voted to fast track the repairing of the town council’s tractor in a bid improve garbage collection in the central business district, and a request be made to the higher local government  for the administrative unit to be considered under the Ugx 1 billion road grant.   

Maracha Town Council one of the 19 lower local governments of Maracha District is located on the Vurra–Arua–Koboko–Oraba road, approximately 39 kilometers, by road, north of Arua City.