Sub-county frustrates Fort Portal city plans
Efforts. A section of Nyakaana-Kagote Road in Fort Portal Town. The town is working on fulfilling all conditions required to gain city status. PHOTO BY ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- Background: The municipality needs to extend its boundaries to include Karambi Sub-county if it is to raise the required population for city status.
Kabarole. Karambi Sub-county councillors in Burahya County, Kabarole District, have shunned two consecutive meetings called to discuss the elevation of Fort Portal Municipality to a city status.
The two meetings were scheduled to take place on Monday and Tuesday but leaders from the sub-county did not show up despite earlier notifications.
One of the requirements for Fort Portal to be granted a city status is that the town has to expand by annexing some neighbouring sub-counties.
This can only be achieved if the urban authority lobbies these sub-counties to join it.
Currently, Fort Portal has West, East and South divisions covering about 40sq. kms against the required 120sq. kms, according to the town mayor, the Rev Kintu Muhanga.
Some local leaders in Karambi Sub-county are opposed to the expansion plan because of their alleged personal ambitions in the proposed split of Burahya County, which also covers Karambi.
Some of the local leaders in Karambi are opposed to the city expansion because they are allegedly pushing for Butebe Parish to be elevated to a town council where they would contest for high offices.
They argue that the city expansion would deter their plans as Butebe Parish is in Karambi Sub-county.
Karambi Sub-county council failed to sit and resolve whether it should be annexed to the proposed Fort Portal city as councillors shunned sessions convened by the speaker twice this week.
About six years ago, Fort Portal municipal council then headed by Mayor Asaba Ruyonga requested that Karambi, Bukuuku and Karago sub-counties and Ibaale Parish in Busoro Sub-county be annexed to Fort Portal.
Bukuuku, Karago, Ibaale earlier assented to the plan apart from Karambi leaders.
On Tuesday, residents of Karambi Sub-county led by the speaker, Mr Patrick Makune, held a demonstration and matched to the district offices at Kitumba, about 6kms away, in protest against the plans to annex their area to the municipality.
On Monday, Mr Justinian Niwagaba, the commissioner for Urban Administration in the Ministry of Local Government, assured Fort Portal Municipality leaders that they will be granted city status if they comply with all the requirements.
