Let's wipe out corruption in local governments - Magyezi

The minister vowed to lead the struggle against corruption urging leaders to ensure that any rotten eggs do not spoil the good ones in the basket.

 

Accordingly, he has already submitted proposals to the ministry on how he plans to tackle corruption, including strengthening the local government accountability committees and empowering citizens to speak out, talk and blow ‘vuvuzelas' and whistles against any local government officials who are corrupt.

 

He also wants to hear that in one or two years, local governments are the most transparent institutions in the country and pledged to champion the struggle with support from the stakeholders.

                  Magezi addressing members at the ULGA

 

Recently speaking at a party organized by the Uganda Local Governments Association (ULGA) at their head office at Najjanankumbi along Entebbe Road, Magyezi said corruption would be one of his major campaigns during his term of office.

 

 The function was attended by the representatives of the district chairpersons led by Lwengo LC5 chairman George Mutabaazi, district speakers and officials from the ministry of local government.

 

Joseph Lomonyang, the incumbent ULGA President LC5 chairperson for Napak and his wife Ruth decorated the new minister by dressing him with a Karamajong dress and handed him a stool and walking stick to bless his works in his new appointment.

 

"I am here to lead the struggle against corruption," he told the leaders and appealed to them to ‘give back to President Yoweri Museveni during the coming general elections', who he said as their patron who had approved of their association by appointing him a minister after serving the association for 12 years as their secretary general.

 

"We have always talked to the President and requested him to list the profile of local governments and ULGA in the country, the only thing I can ask from you is to give back to him, local governments should support and love Museveni and the NRM party," he said. 

He, however, challenged ULGA that if they were intending to rebrand local governments, they must go back to the reason for its , which he said was about service delivery to the population.

 Minister Raphael Magyezi stretches his hand to greet former ULGA President, George Mutabaazi (right) as ULGA President, Joseph Lomonyang (second left) and PS local government, Ben Kumumanya (middle) look on. PHOTOS: Eddie Ssejjoba

 

"When we don't deliver on the expected mandate then we get bashed by the population. I want therefore to appeal to ULGA and the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU) to setup the gear of delivering to the people so that they feel that decentralisation is for their benefit," he explained.

 

 He also asked ULGA to help communities get out of poverty by helping them to setup model projects.

 

"We need to bond more closely with the masses, we can have good roads, electricity and beautiful schools and hospitals but the people must be helped to come out of poverty and the local governments should champion this since you are closest to the people," he stressed.

 

 He also urged them to as well support women, youth and the disabled in their respective communities.

 

In other requests, Magyezi appealed to ULGA members to minimise unprincipled conflicts in local governments including fights over district and sub county boundaries, saying it was regrettable that in some areas some people die while fighting over a wetland or a forest boundary.

 

During his submission, Lomonyang appealed to the minister to implement immediate procurement of motorcycles for the sub county chairpersons as ‘confirmed' by the ministry in July 2019, 41 vehicles for the mayors, vehicles for the Chief Administrative Officers and the district speakers.

 

He said the association also wants him to increase the National Budget share of local governments to at least 40 percent.

 

The local government leaders also want government to organise for a retreat to Kyankwanzi for sub county chairpersons to enable them engage with the President.