By Nelly Otto
ITS disheartening to hear of endless fights in local government councils among the key different stakeholders instead of focusing on mobilisation of the population to appreciate and embrace government programmes and projects.
The Director Local Government Inspection John Genda Walala notes with concern that many councils have become synonymous with wrangles with the technical staff at the expense of service delivery.
Walala was addressing the Urban Council speakers and their deputies during the official closing ceremony of their Annual General Meeting of the Uganda Urban Council Speakers Association (UUCSA) held at Jinja Town Hall, the seat of the Jinja City Council on Friday 15th December,2023.
The Association, registered as a company limited by guarantee, has more than 1,700 members including Cities, Municipalities and Town Councils, is currently headed by Bonny Tashobya Karutsya who is also the Speaker Mbarara City Council.
He cited a scenario where a speaker chased away the mayor from the Council meeting as an example of poor leadership skills among some speakers who take themselves to be the alpha and the omega.
“…so, if the issue of disagreement in your council is expelling people to the level of a mayor from council meetings, how are you going to work, so I implore you to embrace dialogue even if you think you are right…” Walala counselled.
The very experienced civil servant was shocked by confessions of some urban council speakers that they have neither read nor touched the Local Government Act and the National Constitution which are their guiding legal tools.
Walala used the occasion to criticise urban council speakers who preside over councils which end up passing hilarious resolutions to dispose of public assets like land, buildings and vehicles cheaply.
“…no wonder some of you make weird decisions like chasing town clerks and other civil servants and purporting to appoint others in their places, who gave you that power and under which laws…”, he said in a rhetoric tone sending the audience into dead silence.
Without mentioning names, he also blamed this on some corrupt-minded councillors who always want to use their positions in councils to click deals for personal enrichment.
He also warned the speakers against acting like Okonkwo, the protagonist who became a tragic hero in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart because of pride and arrogance, but to use diplomacy to resolve issues than power.
The Minister of Local Government Raphael Magyezi assured the speakers that the central government will continue to create the necessary environment through policy guidelines, mentorship, advocacy and technical capacity to achieve transformation.
“…I call upon all of us to use such forums to share good experiences of strengthening Council’s legislative and oversight mandates than using Councils as battle grounds and bedrocks of conflicts…”, Minister Magyezi said in a speech read by Walala.
The UUCSA had invited the Speaker of Parliament Annette Anita Among who delegated Magyezi who in turn also delegated John Genda Walala.
The Association chairperson Tashobya earlier made a catalogue of requests to the Central Government to give them full salaries, fully-fledged offices, official four-wheel vehicles and that their study tours outside Uganda for bench making should be sponsored.
The very talkative Tashobya also demands that the Central Government builds for them an office which they can call a home where members can meet and share ideas and experiences.
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