The Ministry of Local Government has clarified the payment structure for Local Council (LC) officials following the recent transition of leadership across Uganda, ending weeks of uncertainty and disputes in several districts over salaries and allowances.
In a letter dated May 29, 2026, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, confirmed that outgoing LC officials are entitled to salaries and allowances for May 2026, while newly elected and sworn-in leaders will begin earning from June.
The clarification was communicated in a letter referenced HRM 55/414/01 addressed to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service after a number of local governments sought guidance on how payrolls should be handled during the transition period.
According to Kumumanya, the ministry reviewed the timing of the swearing-in ceremonies and established that most newly elected councils assumed office from May 18, 2026, meaning the outgoing leaders had effectively served for the larger part of the month.
“Payments of May, 2026 should go to the Old LC Officials and the New Ones Commence with the Month of June, 2026 as it has been the Practice in the Service,” Kumumanya stated in the letter.
The directive settles disagreements that had emerged in several districts and lower local governments following the conclusion of the Local Council elections and subsequent handover ceremonies.
Some newly elected leaders had argued that since they had already taken office before the end of May, they should also be considered for payment during that month. Outgoing officials, however, insisted they remained entitled to the salaries and allowances because they had served through most of May.
The disagreement reportedly disrupted operations in some local governments, with uncertainty affecting payroll processing, accountability procedures and the smooth handover of offices.
A Chief Administrative Officer from Eastern Uganda, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said the ministry’s guidance had eased tensions in several districts.
“We had LC III chairpersons refusing to hand over files because of the salary issue. Now we can tell both the old and new teams exactly what to expect,” the official said.
Kumumanya emphasised that the clarification does not introduce a new policy but rather reinforces an existing government practice that has traditionally been applied whenever elected leaders assume office midway through a salary cycle.
“The purpose of this communication is to forward to you the above advice for your consideration and further action accordingly,” he wrote.
The guidance is expected to be circulated to Chief Administrative Officers, Town Clerks and accounting officers across the country to ensure uniform implementation of payroll decisions during the transition.
The clarification affects thousands of elected leaders within Uganda’s local government system, including village, parish, sub-county, municipal and district council officials.
With more than 60,000 Local Council positions nationwide, the decision also carries significant implications for local government budgeting, payroll management and accountability during the transition to the newly elected leadership.
For outgoing leaders, the directive guarantees payment for services rendered during most of May. Newly elected officials, however, will have to wait until the June payroll cycle to receive their first salaries and allowances.
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