Rubanda, (UG):- Government has resolved to suspend the creation and operationalization of more administrative units including regional cities to avoid crippling social services.
The State Minister of Finance Henry Musasizi revealed this while addressing locals who had gathered for a Parish Development Model sensitization meeting at Hamuhambo Town Council in Rubanda District on Friday, December 27, 2024.
Musasizi who is also the Rubanda East MP said on 16th December, 2024 Cabinet resolved to halt the creation of more administrative units after realizing that it would require a lot of funding which would in turn affect other social services such as road construction and maintenance, schools, health facilities, and the ongoing poverty alleviation programs, especially the Parish Development Model.
The Minister’s statements were in response to reports that a section of people from Kabale were mobilizing locals from Rubanda District for a planned meeting to devise means on how to pressurize Government into operationalizing Kabale City.
The locals told Musasizi that the alleged meeting was scheduled at the end of this month, and the venue was Kabale Municipal stadium.
However, Musasizi cautioned the unnamed people from Kabale to stop spreading confusion in Rubanda , noting that the District had a complete and independent local government structure that would address any concerns raised by its people.
“Tell those people from Kabale that we are an independent District, and they cannot decide how Rubanda is managed,” Musasizi said, adding that a meeting held in Kabale Municipal stadium could not alter a cabinet resolution, and asked people of Rubanda District not to waste time travelling to Kabale for the alleged meeting.
The minister also took a swipe at a section of Politicians whom he accused of selfishly pushing for the operationalization of Kabale City so that they could increase the number of elective political positions; at the expense of the people’s welfare.
“If you want to contest, prepare and show yourself before the electorate and convince them to choose you as their leader in any of the currently available Political offices. This idea of trying to pressure Government to cut off some piece of the political unit for you, will not work,” He said.
The Minister’s statements come at the back drop of a protracted debate on whether Government should operationalize a total of five cities that were approved by Parliament in 2020, but have never been operationalized by Government due to financial limitations in the subsequent annual budgets.
They include Kabale, Moroto, Wakiso, Nakasongola and Entebbe.
Other 10 regional cities that were given green light to operate were also reportedly struggling to survive by the standards expected of a city, due to insufficient operational funds collected in terms of revenue, and the Central Government releases.
They include Soroti, Lira, Gulu, Arua, Hoima, Fort Portal, Mbarara, Masaka, Jinja, and Mbale.
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