Local Council three (LC3) chairpersons from the newly created sub-counties and Town councils across Busoga subregion are dissatisfied with the manner Parliament has been appropriating the national budget without paying attention to vulnerable entities.
Government through the Uganda’s Ministry of Local government between the 2017/2018 and 2020/2021 financial years embarked on creating new electoral areas, cutting them off from the greater sub-counties.
The government has repeatedly failed to ensure established town councils effectively operate. This, according to the local leaders, has negatively impacted on the their delivery of mandated services to the electorates.
The discontented group on Thursday, April 11, 2024, stormed Parliament, demanding the speaker Anita Annet Among, to intervene their challenges that area leading the electoral areas to lose relevance.
The local leaders, through their comprehensive document submitted to the office of the speaker, argue that since their creation, the new town councils have been affected by the non allocation of the indicative planning figures (IPFs) for road fund by the Uganda Road Fund Agency.
Non remittance of honoraria for the urban councillors and ex-gratia for the cell and ward chairpersons, respectively, has also been a significant challenge to the town councils. The group accuses the parliament of turning a blind eye to the financial setbacks of the new areas.
Mr Ibrahim Ndhoga, the chairperson of Bugweri town council in Bugweri district who led the delegation of LC3s, says they launched the demand of funds amidst Parliament embarking on the budget allocation for the financial year 2024/2025.
“We don’t get ex-gratia. We don’t get road funds in our new town councils and probably the main sub-counties, and we are doing badly,” said Mr Ndhoga.
Mr Ndhoga suggests that the shs1 billion campaign launched by government to district local governments should be allocated to sub-counties to facilitate the maintenance of feeder roads.
“We have established that the one billions shillings given to districts, the district chairpersons have instead been turning it to their pockets. It has not played the respective necessary role. It should be given to sub-counties,” Mr Ndhoga suggested.
Receiving the unpleased chairpersons, Hon Sanon Bwire Nadeba, the Bulamogi county lawmaker, and a member of the local government and public committee informed the group to remain patient as Parliament starts on the journey of addressing the challenges.
Hon Bwire said the electoral areas were officially gazetted, and they are known by the August house. According to him, the areas once received a supplementary budge, and it was not the end.
“The Ministry of Local government envisions to increase the salary of village, parish and subcounty chairpersons. We are also looking at procuring vehicles for district chairpersons who haven’t received the vehicles,” said Hon Bwire, who added that the Ministry also pledges to undertake the construction of town council headquarters.
