MITOOMA, Uganda — Leaders in Mitooma District have approved a proposal to carve out a new administrative unit to be named Bitereko District, a move aimed at improving service delivery and bringing government services closer to residents.
The resolution was passed during a district council session held on April 29, 2026, with councillors overwhelmingly backing the proposal to split Mitooma District. Leaders cited long distances to district headquarters, poor road networks, population growth, and increasing demand for public services as key reasons behind the push for the new district.
According to district officials, communities in Ruhinda North Constituency, represented by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, face major challenges accessing essential services due to the area’s distance from Mitooma’s administrative center.
If approved by the central government and Parliament, the new arrangement would place Tayebwa’s constituency under the proposed Bitereko District, while Internal Affairs Minister Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire would remain in the current Mitooma District.
District leaders say the creation of Bitereko would reduce pressure on Mitooma’s existing resources and strengthen service delivery in critical sectors such as health, education, and agricultural extension.
Located in Western Uganda, Mitooma District borders Bushenyi, Rubirizi, and Ntungamo districts. Officials argue that establishing Bitereko District would support decentralization efforts and accelerate local development planning.
The proposal will now be forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government for further consideration before being tabled before Parliament for final approval. If endorsed, Bitereko would become one of Uganda’s newest districts under the government’s decentralization policy.
