KISORO; Councilors ask President Museveni to Legalize Council meetings despite the continued increase in Covid-19 cases

By; Kamusiime Barnabas.

A section of district councilors in Kisoro are demanding for reopening of District Council sittings in Uganda despite the covid-19 crisis in the country. They say that halting council meetings is in turn halting service delivery to locals yet Covid-19 may not be ending soon.

The councilors who spoke to voice of Muhabura said that Kisoro district may suffer economic setbacks once the lockdown is extended.

They add that some decisions by the District Chairperson need to be supported by the District councils, and this is going to affect the running of affairs of the district and service delivery.

The Rubuguri Town Council LC5 Councilor Byamugisha Deus noted that Covid-19 is not the only life threat, but also the nature of hospitals, roads and water access.

He said that local councils should be allowed to plan for their people because their councils are constituted of small numbers.

Byamugisha called upon Members of Parliament to table the issue for discussion because technocrats have also resorted to personal decisions because politicians have been left out of the game.

The Nyanamo Town Council LC5 Woman Councilor, Kamusiime Juliet pleaded to the national covid-19 taskforce to brief the president on the importance of local councils in development and the fight against Covid-19 so that it can be empowered to have their council meetings.

When president Museveni announced the fresh lockdown of 42 days almost two weeks ago, he said that the only meetings permitted were the Cabinet, Parliament and the Covid-19 National Taskforce. Parliament is currently closed, and calls to resume sittings from the MPs have met deaf ears from Speaker and his Deputy.