Constitution of Uganda / Article 178 Regional governments
Principles and structures of local government
178.Regional governments
(1)Two or more districts may cooperate to form a regional government to perform the functions and services specified in the Fifth Schedule to this Constitution.
(2)A district shall not be taken to have agreed to enter into a cooperation arrangement to form a regional government unless—
(a)the proposal to join the regional government has been approved by resolution of the district council by a majority of two-thirds of the members of the district council; and
(b)the decision of the district council has been ratified by not less than two-thirds of the subcounty councils in the district.
(3)Subject to clause (1) and to the provisions of this Constitution, the districts of the regions of Buganda, Bunyoro, Busoga, Acholi and Lango, specified in the First Schedule to this Constitution, shall be deemed to have agreed to form regional governments for the purposes of this Article.
(4)The headquarters of the regional governments deemed to have been established in clause (3) of this Article shall be as follows—
(a)in Buganda, Mengo Municipality which shall be created by Parliament;
(b)in Bunyoro, Hoima Municipality which shall be created by Parliament;
(c)in Busoga, Jinja Municipality;
(d)in Acholi, Gulu Municipality; and
(e)in Lango, Lira Municipality.
(5)The districts forming the regional government shall form a regional assembly.
(6)A regional government shall be a body corporate with power to sue and be sued and shall have power to do all things that may be done by a body corporate and shall be subject to all obligations to which a body corporate is subject.
(7)Notwithstanding Article 180, a regional government formed under this Article shall be the highest political authority within its region and shall have political, legislative, executive, administrative and cultural functions in the region.
(8)A regional government shall in particular have in relation to the region, the functions and services conferred upon a regional government in the Fifth Schedule to this Constitution and may make laws which shall have the force of law in the region.
(9)A regional assembly shall have power to legislate on matters within its jurisdiction.
(10)Subject to this Article and to the Fifth Schedule to this Constitution, the executive and administrative powers of a regional government shall extend to the execution and implementation of the laws enacted by the regional assembly and other laws operating in the region and the management of the affairs of the regional government.
(11)The laws made by the regional assembly shall be in conformity with this Constitution and the national laws shall be consistent with national policies.
(12)The provisions of the Fifth Schedule to this Constitution shall have effect in respect of the matters specified in it in relation to regional governments.
(13)Regional governments shall commence on the first day of July, 2006.