This Report provides a situation analysis of the provision of public goods and services in Gulu and Mbale Municipalities from the perspective of local economic development and was informed by a survey that set out to determine the scope and quality of services provided by the municipality with a special focus on those areas where tradtionally disadvanaged groupings live and operate. More specifically, the survey set out to examine the social-economic outcomes of the mainly urban poor within the municipalities by providing an assessment of what hinders them from a more equitable participation in economic growth and how public goods and services can be made more gender-responsive for inclusive growth.

Local Economic Development (LED) is an approach towards economic development which allows and encourages local people to work together to achieve sustainable economic growth and development. In 2006, through the process of decentralisation, the Government of Uganda promoted LED in order to enhance people’s incomes. This was incorporated in the Decentralization Policy Strategic Framework (DPSF) and the Local Government Sector Plan 2013-2023, the Uganda Local Development Outlook (LDO) 2014 and subsequently had it addressed in a chapter on sub-national and rural development within the National Development Plan II.

Thus, the Local Economic Development Report on Gulu and Mbale Municipalities is meant to interrogate these broad issues on LED and its outcomes on specific segments of the population with the overarching objective of determining an LED roadmap for the municipalities in their transformation into a city.