Be agents of development politicians advised

The minister for local government Tom Butime has challenged politicians to start personal businesses like shops and other agricultural projects to contribute to social economic development in the country

Butime said that politicians and civil servants need to be role models in the social and economic transformation of Uganda if the country is to move to a middle income country by 2020.

"You should have side incomes to contribute towards the development of your area as local leaders by being the first people to pay tax before collecting tax from other people with businesses,” he noted.

He made the remark during the commissioning of Kigumba town council administration block worth shs 260 millions in Kitwanga cell in Kigumba town on Friday.

Butime said that local leaders have a big responsibility to raise and increase local revenue to solve some local problems through better service delivery.

“Central government cannot provide enough money to local councils to solve all the local problems and yet people expect better services in form of roads, health centers, clean water, power, proper hygiene and sanitation”

Speaking at the same function Helen Kahunde the woman MP Kiryandongo district appealed to government to construct a modern market in Kigumba to save the market vendors from suffering.

Hellen Kahunde the woman Mp Kiryandongo( left) Tom Butime the minster for local government (cneter) and Gabreil Akugizibwe the town clerk Kigumba during the commisioning on friday

 
“Whenever it rains my women in the market swim in water and mud because of the poor structures in the market and the town council cannot build a modern market for them without government help,” she said.

Charles Ntairaho the district chairperson Kirynadongo district noted that the district was faced with lack of road equipment which has made it difficult for them to maintain the roads in the district.

“We only have a tipper, tractor and grader. We need and an excavator, compactor and dumpers for the main roads which are currently in a sorrow state,” said.

Linos Ngompek the resident district commissioner Kiryandongo expressed dismay over the poor attitude of most head teachers towards work.

He added that most head teachers and health workers were absenting themselves from work while others reported late at work places, which was impacting greatly on service delivery in the district.

Gabriel Akugizibwe the town clerk Kigumba town council appealed to the ministry of local government to provide them with more support to complete the second phase of the administration block saying that they need over shs 360 million to complete the project within two years.

He added that they have been paying rent totaling to shs 12 million annually and yet the office space was not enough.

Faruk Tumusiime the LC III chairperson Kigumba town council appealed to government to stretch the rural electrification project to all the cells and wards in the town council saying most people had a problem of accessing power in the town council.