Mayors, LC3s must have A-level qualifications

Parliament has passed the Local Governments Amendment Bill, 2019, which requires mayors of Cities, Municipalities, Divisions and Town Council chairpersons to have an advanced level certificate of Education or its equivalent.

In the past, only LC V chairpersons were required to have a minimum education qualification of Advanced level or its equivalent.

However, Parliament wants the same education requirements imposed on mayors of cities, municipalities, Divisions and LC 3 chairpersons.

The proposal to impose the minimum education requirements on the mayors, division and Town Council LC 3 chairpersons was made by the Kasilo County MP, Elijah Okupa.

Mr Okupa argued that Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA) has in the past advocated for the introduction of educational requirements on local government leaders to streamline their operations.

“These leaders carry out a supervisory role on highly qualified technocrats which makes it difficult for them to understand most of the information being transmitted from the central government. I therefore propose a minimum of Advanced Level certificate or its equivalent,” Mr Okupa said.

However, the proposal divided the House. Some MPs rooted for qualifications while others argued that it would be too much to ask rural areas to meet those qualifications.

Several MPs led by Masindi Woman MP, Jalia Bintu also opposed the proposal. She noted that 330 sub counties across the country currently lack a single secondary school, which makes it unfair to require the chairperson to have an A level certificate.  

“There are people who did not go to school and can lead. That issue of qualification can only be put in cities like Kampala,” said Mr James Waluswaka, Bunyole West MP.

Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, said the requirement of a senior six certificate from Sub county chairpersons is a bit high.   

“Consequently we should try as much as possible to avoid putting barriers. For instance to require the chairman of a town council to be at an advanced level of education is very discriminatory. If an MP is required to have an advanced level certificate, how can we require the same for a town council,” he said.

Some MPs went ahead to persuade the Speaker to reject the amendment because the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Act as amended is silent on the qualification for political leaders in the city.

But, Mr Asuman Basalirwa (Bugiri Municipality) referred the House to Section 78 of the KCCA Act which provides that elections in Kampala shall be organized in accordance with the provisions of the Local Governments Act. He was supported by Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee Chairperson, Mr Jacob Oboth-Oboth.

Maracha East MP, James Acidiri, however said that it is ironic that MPs are opposed to the minimum qualifications when government has been implementing the Universal Primary and Universal Secondary Education programs for the last 20 years.  

Following a heated debate, the Kampala Central MP, Muhammad Nsereko proposed that sub county

chairpersons and councilors be exempted from the provision. 

The Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga thereafter moved that the provision is passed, in partial fulfillment of the demands from ULGA.     

Parliament also approved provisions relating to the creation of new administrative units.

The Bill, among other things aims at amending the Local Governments Act, 1997 to provide for the creation of local government and magistrate units at least two years before the due date for the next general elections.   

However, Parliament says the newly created local government units shall only take effect 6 months to the general elections.

This is meant to reduce the financial costs of holding elections to fill elective positions for newly created local government units. 

This provision stems from the difficulties Electoral Commission (EC) has faced due to creation of new administrative units. 

Parliament approved the creation of several districts in phased manner in 2015 effective July 1st, 2016 up until 2019.  They include among others Nabilatuk, Kapelebyong, Bugweri, Kwania, Kassanda and Kikuube district.  However, Electoral Commission has since failed to conduct polls in the new districts citing lack of funds.   

Additional Reporting by Thembo Kahungu Misairi