Overview
Kitgum is one of the seven Districts in the Acholi sub-region in Northern Uganda. At independence in 1962, Kitgum was part of Acholi District. In 1974, under the provincial administration the then Acholi District was divided into two districts, West Acholi and East Acholi. The latter became Kitgum District in 1980 (Fountain, 2011). In 2000 Pader County was carved off Kitgum District to form Pader District. And in 2010 Lamwo County was similarly carved off to form Lamwo District, leaving Kitgum District comprising of Chua East and Chua West Counties. Kitgum District is located between Longitude 320E and 340E and Latitude 020N and 040 N. It is bordered by the Republic of Southern Sudan to the north, Karenga District to the east, Kotido District to the South East, Agago District to the South, Pader District to the Southwest and Lamwo District to the Northwest. Kitgum District has a total land area of 4,042 square kilometers. According to Population Census 2014, Kitgum District has a total population of 204,012 which is There are 98,438 males constituting 48.3% of the district population and 105,574 females constituting 51.7% of the District Population. The annual growth rate now stands at 1.69%.
(I) THE DISTRICT VISION.
“A prosperous and peaceful district with good communication link”
(II) THE DISTRICT OVERAL GOAL
“Improved service delivery for poverty reduction in Kitgum District”
(III) THE DISTRICT MISSION.
“To deliver services to the people of Kitgum district focusing on National priorities and local needs for poverty reduction and improvement in the quality of life”
Banking institutions
Stanbic Bank, Centenary Bank, DFCU Bank, Post Bank, Kitgum SACCO
Hotel Facility
Bomah Apartment Hotel, Royal Hotel Kitgum, Little Palace Kitgum
JAFLO Garden TIMBO, Acholi Pride, Loss Angles, Pelican motel, Queen’s palace hotel, Travis motel, Village court, Kitgum royal hotel, Olympia guest house, Dewalt hotel, Little palace, Pleasant view, Cactus hotel, De-leve guest house, Vages motel etc
Population density
The population density of Kitgum is 51.5 persons per Sq. km compared to 42.2 persons per Sq. Km in 2002 The population is however unevenly distributed with some sub counties having high population densities, Example Kitgum Municipal has 1,462.4 Sq. Km while Orom Sub County stands at 14.9 Sq. Km. According to the population density of the various Sub Counties, it’s clear that opportunity of largescale farming is huge in all the 9 Sub Counties of Kitgum District except Kitgum Municipal.Household size
Kitgum District has a total of 39,959 Households, giving an average size of 5.2 persons per household. Most families are extended in nature leading to economic pressure on the head of the household. Orom, Omiya Anyima and Labongo Layamo have average HHs size above the District’s average.
Population Characteristics, Size, Distribution and Growth
The Total population of Kitgum (204,012) is 0.59% of the Total National Population (34,856,813) according to the 2014 Provisional census results. The Total males of 98,438 in Kitgum District is 0.58% of the Total National population of Male (16,935,456) and the Total female of 105,574 in Kitgum is 0.59% of Total National population of Female (17,921,357).
Urbanization
Kitgum District had an Urban population totaling to 44,604 (21.86%). The urban area in this context comprise of only Kitgum Municipal excluding other trading centers in the various Sub Counties. This implies that the majority of Kitgum District’s Population 159,408 (78.14%) lives in rural areas.
Household Number, Size, heads
According to 2014 census, total households in Kitgum district was 39,959 with household size of 5.2 persons. 24.2% (9,675) of the households were in Urban area while 75.8% (30,284) of the households are living in Rural area.
Administrative structure
The district consists of three (03) constituencies (Chua East, Chua West and the
municipality).
· The municipality has three divisions with 11 wards and 43 villages. There are nineteen
rural sub counties and two town councils with a total of 72 villages/wards.
· The district has a total of 22 divisions/Sub Counties, 83 parishes/wards and 687
vilages/cells.
· The district is 4,039 sq. km, the total land area of the district is 3956.5 square kilometers.
· Total population (Mid-2021 Projection) is 226,857 comprising 114,539 (51.9%) females
and 106,257 (48.1%) males and a population density is estimated at 57.34 persons per
Km2.
· The youth are 27.9%, those of 60+ years are estimated at 4.2% and the young population
stood at 55.1%.
· Kitgum District currently has an urban population totaling to 56,714 (25.0%). The national
urban population is estimated at 27%.
· The current projected household number stands at 45,371 with an average size of 5.0
while the national average stands at 4.6 persons.
· The approved budget for FY. 2020/21 was Ugx. 33,388,762,000
· There are 45 members of the district council with four sectoral committees. The
composition of the members of these committees is gender responsive.
· The district staffing level stands at 72%. In the FY. 2020/21, the district lost a total of 25
staff; 17 were on mandatory retirement whereas 5 died, two transferred their services and
one (1) was granted early retirement.
· The total number of staff required to run the Sub Counties is 300, but the staffing position
stands at only 27.3%.
· The district has 25 government Health Units of different categories with a fair distribution.
The district staffing position for the health department stands at 77%.
· There are a total of 941 boreholes of which only 577 are functional and access to safe
water stands at 77.2% whereas the national figure is 79%.
· There are a total of 19,404 households with functional latrines and this translates into
58.1% latrine coverage. Households using pit latrine increased from 52% in 2016 to
66.3% in 2021, hand washing increased from 22.5% in 2016 to 28.5% in 2020, and
national average is 37%.
· The district received an average of monthly 136.9 mm of rainfall during the year. The
average monthly maximum temperature is 270 c and average monthly minimum
temperature is 170 c.
· Pupils’ enrolment increased from 43,603 in 2016 to 48,271 pupils in 2020 while Students
enrollment increased from 1,987 to 2,532 over the same period.
· The performance index (PI) in PLE dropped from 55.1% in 2019 to 45%in 2020.
· Whereas the ideal pupil – classroom ratio is 1:45, the situation has worsened from 1:53 in
2016 to 1:72 in 2020. Teacher to pupil ratio stands at 1:58.
· Indicators under Inspectorate
v Inspector Primary School ratio: 1:61
v Number of schools Inspected in 2020/21 financial year:133
v Number of school inspectors 2
· Kitgum district has a total of 1,598.43 km of roads. These consist of National Roads,
District Roads (DRs) and Community Access Roads (CARS).
i.83% of the National Roads are motorable whereas 17% is in poor state;
ii. 89.9% of the district feeder roads are motorable and only 10.2% are in poor state;
iii. 75% of the Community access Roads are motorable and 25% are in a poor
conditions.
· 450.04 km of the rods are graveled and the rest 827.39 Km are earth roads; and 827.39
km of Community Access Roads (CARs) all of which are earth roads. 89.8% of the DRs
are in good motorable condition; 10.2% are in fair condition; and 20 km (9%) are in poor
condition.
· A total of 2,018 girls aged 10 – 19 years became pregnant between January and
December 2019. 1,778 were pregnant in the year 2020 and during the first half of the year
2021, nine hundred seventy one (971) girls of the same age bracket became pregnant.
· The district has a total of 1,337 community development groups which include youth
groups, women groups, and civil society organisations.
· Number of Households involved in Agriculture is 41,766 and the Ratio of Agriculture
Extension workers to farmers is 1:1,920.
· There are 9 animal clinics within Kitgum District and 06 Pharmacies within Kitgum
Municipality.
· The district has 10 vibrant and active SACCO groups and cooperatives in the different
Sub Counties.
NB. For more details refer to the district annual statistical abstract 2020-2021