Wakiso chairperson to push for city status

Mr Matia Lwanga Bwanika (Centre) jubilates with his new council team after swearing in as Wakiso District chairperson on Monday. Photo by Joseph Kiggundu

Kampala- The newly elected chairperson of Wakiso District, Mr Matia Lwanga Bwanika, has vowed to lobby for a city status.

“The process for the upgrading of the district [into a city status] was initiated by the last council. Our emphasis is now going to be the realisation of a master physical plan for the entire district aimed at improving the standards of district roads from murram to tarmac,” Mr Bwanika said after his swearing-in on Monday.

He asked government to support their calls to boost its funding from the central government.

“Most municipalities and town councils have been created within the district but are not remitting local revenue to the district,” he said.

Wakiso’s locally raised revenue has reduced by 70 per cent from Shs4.8 billion in the last financial year to Shs1.8 billion.

During the recently concluded presidential campaigns, President Museveni promised to elevate Wakiso to a city status to fast-track development in the area.

“I am reminding the President to act quickly to help us solve this problem by officially announcing that Wakiso be elevated to a city status,” Mr Bwanika added.

With a city status, he said all municipalities and town councils will be sending 50 per cent of their local revenue to the district.

The Local Government Act provides that for an area to qualify for a city status, it should have a population of 350,000 people.