Jinja wants city status
Jul 23, 2008
THE Jinja Mayor, Hajji Muhammad Baswali Kezaala, has called on the Ministry of Local Government to consider Jinja’s proposal to be accorded city status.
By Doreen Musingo
THE Jinja Mayor, Hajji Muhammad Baswali Kezaala, has called on the Ministry of Local Government to consider Jinja’s proposal to be accorded city status.
Addressing a press conference at the Mayor’s Parlour, Baswali said the minister promised to table Jinja’s proposal to the Cabinet and Parliament for discussion and approval.
“We heard the state minister, Hope Mwesigye, on a local TV station saying Mbarara municipality will achieve city status by October this year, yet Jinja municipality was the first to table the motion of city status,†Baswali complained.
Baswali said since people want more cities, Mbarara should be granted city status while Jinja municipality’s proposal is also considered.
“Jinja municipality is the centre of development in Busoga region, endowed with a pier that connects us to Mwanza in Tanzania; economic development is boosted by the highway from Mombasa. It also has an airstrip that can accommodate planes, a regional hospital with over 30 sub-district health centres and water from Lake Victoria and River Nile,†he said.
Baswali added that the municipality would engage the Government in constructive dialogue until the demands of the region were addressed.
He said the municipality has a strategic development plan sponsored by UN-Habitat.
THE Jinja Mayor, Hajji Muhammad Baswali Kezaala, has called on the Ministry of Local Government to consider Jinja’s proposal to be accorded city status.
Addressing a press conference at the Mayor’s Parlour, Baswali said the minister promised to table Jinja’s proposal to the Cabinet and Parliament for discussion and approval.
“We heard the state minister, Hope Mwesigye, on a local TV station saying Mbarara municipality will achieve city status by October this year, yet Jinja municipality was the first to table the motion of city status,†Baswali complained.
Baswali said since people want more cities, Mbarara should be granted city status while Jinja municipality’s proposal is also considered.
“Jinja municipality is the centre of development in Busoga region, endowed with a pier that connects us to Mwanza in Tanzania; economic development is boosted by the highway from Mombasa. It also has an airstrip that can accommodate planes, a regional hospital with over 30 sub-district health centres and water from Lake Victoria and River Nile,†he said.
Baswali added that the municipality would engage the Government in constructive dialogue until the demands of the region were addressed.
He said the municipality has a strategic development plan sponsored by UN-Habitat.