Bicycles not good enough for us, say LC1 chairpersons

Village Local Council chairpersons in Mbarara District have complained that the bicycles government gave them are not suitable for their transport needs.

While receiving 85 bicycles at Rubindi Sub-county headquarters, Kashari North in Mbarara District last Saturday, the chairpersons said they are too old to ride bicycles given the poor road infrastructure in their areas.

“We thank the government for giving us bicycles but they are not the ideal transport means for us because some of us are too old to ride these bicycles. At least if they give us motorcycles, this would ease our work,” Mr Jackson Kamukama, the chairperson of Rubaare Cell in Rubindi Town Council, said.

Ms Grace Mugumya, the chairperson of Kandeere Village in Nyamiriro Parish, Rubindi Sub-county, said much as she received a bicycle, she cannot ride it.

 “As a woman, I cannot ride a bicycle. It would be better if they chose another way of motivating us as chairpersons,” she said.

Ms Mugumya added that the government should revise the decision on both bicycles and allowances given to chairpersons every month because they deserve better.

“Shs10,000 which is given as our monthly salary, is insufficient for chairpersons because we do a lot of work. That is why we are asking the government to enhance it for us to have morale in doing our work,”  she said.

She blamed other top leaders in government, including Members of Parliament, who she said have not done much to address their grievances.

“We ask our leaders and area representatives to table our issues on the floor of Parliament on the enhancement of our salary,”  she said.

Mr Basil Bataringaya, the MP for Kashari North constituency in Mbarara District, said the government had fulfilled its pledge to all LC1 chairpersons in his constituency.

“I thank the government for not segregating on the distribution of bicycles. That’s why you see even ladies are here. For those of you who can’t ride the bicycle, get someone to ride it for you so you can send messages or whatever service you want to offer in your respective areas,”  he said.

Mr Bataringaya said he will be tabling a motion in Parliament about the remuneration of LC1 chairpersons.

“I sent a draft motion to Minister of Local Government, Mr Raphael Magyezi, about the issue of LC1 chairpersons’ salaries. It was to be tabled on the floor of Parliament this week but we were given a recess, so I will table it in January next year,”  he said.

Mr Magyezi said bicycles given to LC1 chairpersons are meant to facilitate community mobilisation.

“LC1 bicycles are for service delivery and community mobilisation. The chairperson is the custodian of the property of the government. If for any reason the chairperson is unable to ride, the chairperson may assign it to a member of the executive to use it for the purpose,” he said, adding: “Salaries and allowances of Local Government political leaders will be addressed as part and parcel of the public service reform and review of the remuneration of public officers.”

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