By Joshua Niyonshima
The newly created Town Councils in Uganda will not be operationalized in the next financial year of 2022-2023 because Government has no funds, according to Kisoro Chief Administrative officer Ismail Musa Onzu.
The development was confirmed during an interview with Voice of Muhabura.
Onzu said the central Government does not have resources for all new town councils adding that local Governments have been advised not to plan for the new town councils for this financial year and the one that will follow.
He further noted that Government has advised that the old sub county boundaries be maintained until further notice.
“The Status quo of town councils is that, whereas electoral commission went ahead and organized elections where we have complete councils in place, the central Government has said it has not yet got resources to operationalize the town councils, no resources for this year, no resources for next year, Onzu explained
The development following a decision by Government back in 2019 to create 162 new town councils countrywide that were expected to be operationalized by July, 1st 2020
Among the new town councils in Kisoro district that have been affected include Rukundo in Nyarubuye Sub county, Nkuringo and Nyanamo in Bukimbiri county as well as Mupaka in Busanza Sub county and Chahafi in Murora Sub county.
Onzu explained that the district is using Sub county chiefs from the mother sub counties to continue supporting the operations of the new town councils so that the new Political leadership of the town councils which was elected may continue to serve their people.
“That is why we have a sub county chief in charge of Bukimbiri overseeing the operations of Nyanamo, Mupaka is being overseen by Busanza and Chahafi is being overseen by Murora until such a time we are given resources to recruit independently. The good news is we have enough town agents to support in the process, Onzu noted.
Political Leaders speak out:
The Nkuringo LCIII chairperson Atanas Kajibwami says Government should have gone an extra mile to consult with the Political class before coming up with such a repressive policy.
“It is just last week when we met with Minister and he assured us that 29 billion has been set aside for operationalizing all new town councils and sub counties, we cannot keep operating in such confusion”, Kajibwami said
Chahafi LCIII chairperson Hadadi Nkunzimana says if Government has decided to delay operationalizing new town councils, then it is within their right. He further noted that Government has rolled out the parish development model project which is set to support new town councils.
“If this new project can support my people come out of poverty then, I can wait as long as my people are benefitting. I think town agents need to be recruited so that we have someone responsible for the accountability issues”, Nkunzimana said
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