Question & Answers

Dear Hajj,

Given my understanding of the potentials that Iganga has, I understand why you pose this important question.  Although it may appear improper to answer the question with a set of questions, i suggest that you ponder on the following in relation to the problem: a) What factors account for Iganga's inability to seize the opportunites availed by the transnational highway that traverses its territory? b) How can one explain the pace at which Idudi, along the same highway,  has developed? c) What is the Myaor's vision of the developmental state of  Iganga Municipality and the incorporating Iganga Local Governmentⁱ ten years from now? and d) What would be the appropriate strategies that the municaplity, the local government and other development partners in Iganga, including the farming communities and the private sector, to enable the realization of that vision?

In my view, the transnational highway offers two important complementary opportunities: a) improved access by people of Iganga to information, technology, resources and so on from places such as Jinja, Kampala, and  Malaba; and b) supply of services required by those who ply the highway and the urban-industrial centre of Jinja.

Your answeerrs to some of the questions I posed above will enable you to appreciate why Iganga has not optimally seized these opportunities despite the prevailing relatively conducive macro-economic and political environment, at leaset in the last two decades.  In addition there are some basic factors to consider:

• The entrepreneurail capacity of the private sector agencies including the farming communities in the hinterland to appropriately read and respond to the services demanded by those who ply the highway
• The ability of service providers in Iganga and other trading centres along the highway to provide quality services that attract and retain customer loyalty among those who ply the highway
• The quality of the basic infrastructure and utilities within the municipality.
• Security of person and property (remember the decline of Kakoge on the Kampala-Gulu Highway and rapid growth of Mijera along the same highway

The bottomline for Iganga Municpality is the existence ovibrant farming communities in the hinterland and the private sector firms operating within the community, which would provide a growing tax base to boost the municipality's revenue. WIth enhanced revenue generation capacity, the Municipality would be best placed to engage in puclic-private pertnaships for enhancing local development.

Best regards

Joseph Opio-Odongo