Continue operating in cities until we get money - govt tells districts

Government has directed leaders of districts which were affected by creation of new regional cities to continue operating at their current premises until funds are secured to facilitate their relocation.

This follows a prolonged contention between city authorities and their district counterparts with the former saying the latter have to relocate their headquarters to new sites outside the city boundaries.

“Where should they relocate? Should they vacate the buildings and go under the trees?” Local Government minister Raphael Magyezi said on Monday while responding to concerns from Masaka City leaders who have continued to accuse their counterparts at the district of failing to vacate their current headquarters in the city centre.

However, the minister did not disclose how much money is needed to relocate districts headquarters. Masaka is among the 10 regional cities which have been operational for three years. Others are Jinja, Arua, Gulu, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Mbale, Hoima, Lira and Soroti.

On Monday, Magyezi urged the parliamentary committee on Public Accounts [Local Governments] to come up with a resolution to be presented before Parliament for allocation of funds to all the affected districts.

“As the committee on public accounts [Local Government] is traversing all these districts and cities to diagnose this matter, I request that they convince Parliament to allocate funds for construction of new headquarters for those districts,” he noted.

Last week, the committee led by Hoima East legislator Dr Patrick Isngoma engaged political and technical teams from Masaka City and district on the same matter.

Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja told the committee that they want the Masaka District leadership to vacate their current premises in the city “to create room for them to implement their work plans.”

“For instance ,the site  they are occupying at Kitabiro is where we resolved to erect our city hall , we’re set to commence construction works because we have some funds,” she said.

Before the same committee, Masaka District chairperson Andrew Lukyamuzi vowed not to leave their current premises because there are no structures at Nkuke Village in Buwunga Sub-county where thr council resolved to set up the headquarters.

“Unless they [city authorities] agree to buy all our properties which are here in the city, we shall be very free to move, as we’re looking for funds to start construction works,” he argued.

But Isingoma said their findings will be put in   a report that will be tabled before Parliament to take a final decision.

Background

During the creation of new cities in 2020, several districts, mainly those which had their headquarters in municipalities that were elevated to city status with areas annexed from neighboring districts, found themselves operating outside their areas of jurisdiction.

Following the elevation of Masaka Town to a city status on 1 July, 2020, the district headquarter located within the city centre had to be shifted to a new location outside the city, according to the existing local government policy.

Ever since new cities were elevated to city status, some local leaders have been pushing to have the district headquarters remain in the city but councillors and other district leaders have opposed this idea, saying it is against the decentralization policy.