Municipality mayors demand salary rise
Sep 13, 2011
MAYORS from the 22 municipalities in Uganda have called on the Government to increase their salaries from sh1m to sh5m per month.
By DOREEN MUSINGO
MAYORS from the 22 municipalities in Uganda have called on the Government to increase their salaries from sh1m to sh5m per month.
Under their umbrella body, the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda, the mayors also called for the increment of salaries for their deputies from sh500,000 to sh3m per month.
They made the appeal during an executive meeting held at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja municipality on Friday.
The meeting was attended by mayors and their deputies, town clerks and chief financial officers from the 22 municipalities.
The Masaka mayor, Godfrey Kayemba Afaayo, said they proposed a minimum wage of sh5m for mayors to help them improve service delivery.
He said since they represent wider areas compared to MPs, the Government should prioritise their request.
“Our salaries cannot enable us serve the communities well,†Kayemba added.
Jinja mayor Mohammed Baswale Kezaala blamed MPs for fronting personal interests of increasing their salaries without minding about other political heads.
“We receive sh710,000 from the central Government and sh500,000 as allowance from the municipalities. We spearhead urban development but earn peanuts,†Kezaala said.
He wondered why MPs earn sh20m monthly yet most of them are ignorant about people’s problems.
Kezaala urged the Government to come up with a uniform policy of paying political leaders in the country.
The members resolved to meet President Yoweri Museveni to address their grievances.
They also appealed to the local government ministry to revise the October 2010 policy, which recommended that taxi parks and markets be managed by the associations of those operating in them.
Tororo town clerk Edward Lwanga said the policy had led to the mismanagement of taxi parks and markets, leading to loss of revenue for the municipalities.
“The policy was written by the local government minister during election time but it is difficult to implement. We need its immediate revision because taxi parks are supposed to be owned by municipal councils not individuals,†he said.
“
MAYORS from the 22 municipalities in Uganda have called on the Government to increase their salaries from sh1m to sh5m per month.
Under their umbrella body, the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda, the mayors also called for the increment of salaries for their deputies from sh500,000 to sh3m per month.
They made the appeal during an executive meeting held at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja municipality on Friday.
The meeting was attended by mayors and their deputies, town clerks and chief financial officers from the 22 municipalities.
The Masaka mayor, Godfrey Kayemba Afaayo, said they proposed a minimum wage of sh5m for mayors to help them improve service delivery.
He said since they represent wider areas compared to MPs, the Government should prioritise their request.
“Our salaries cannot enable us serve the communities well,†Kayemba added.
Jinja mayor Mohammed Baswale Kezaala blamed MPs for fronting personal interests of increasing their salaries without minding about other political heads.
“We receive sh710,000 from the central Government and sh500,000 as allowance from the municipalities. We spearhead urban development but earn peanuts,†Kezaala said.
He wondered why MPs earn sh20m monthly yet most of them are ignorant about people’s problems.
Kezaala urged the Government to come up with a uniform policy of paying political leaders in the country.
The members resolved to meet President Yoweri Museveni to address their grievances.
They also appealed to the local government ministry to revise the October 2010 policy, which recommended that taxi parks and markets be managed by the associations of those operating in them.
Tororo town clerk Edward Lwanga said the policy had led to the mismanagement of taxi parks and markets, leading to loss of revenue for the municipalities.
“The policy was written by the local government minister during election time but it is difficult to implement. We need its immediate revision because taxi parks are supposed to be owned by municipal councils not individuals,†he said.
“