Otafiire blasts leaders over district split

By Chris Ahimbisibwe

The Minister of Local Government, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, has described leaders agitating for the split of Bushenyi district as selfish people.

“Such people are promoting personal interests,” Otafiire said at the launch of a motorcycle loan scheme for the district civil servants.

He said demanding for a district is a sign of backwardness and that leaders of the district that were split lacked vision.

Leaders of the counties of Buhweju, Ruhinda, Sheema and Bunyaruguru, led by MPs Gaude Tindamanyire (Bunyaruguru), Elioda Tumwesigye (Sheema North), Deus Bikwasizehi (Buhweju) and Ephraim Kamuntu (Sheema South) want their counties granted districts status.
Ministers Richard Nduhura, Otafiire and Tarsis Kabwegyere are against the split.

“I will stand alone and fight this issue because we are talking about the East African Federation,” Otafiire said. Earlier on during the district NRM delegates meeting at Katungu Mothers’ Union Centre, Otafiire, who is also the district NRM chairman, said counties agitating for district status cannot sustain themselves and that creation of more districts will be a burden to tax-payers.

Otafiire had invited the chairperson of the local government finance commission Jonhson Bitarabeho, to explain to the leaders the disadvantages and advantages of new districts.

Nduhura, MPs Mary Karooro, Tindamanyire and Deus Bikwasizehi attended.