LC5 bosses want pay rise

Jul 27, 2011

District chairpersons want the Government to increase their salaries to the level of MPs. They said the increment would enable them implement and monitor government programmes better.

By Hope Mafaranga

District chairpersons want the Government to increase their salaries to the level of MPs. They said the increment would enable them implement and monitor government programmes better.

In a meeting organised by the Uganda Local Government Association, the chairpersons unanimously endorsed the demand. The meeting was held at Kalya Courts in Fort Portal town in Kabarole district on Friday.

Kabarole district chairperson Richard Rwabuhinga said the district chiefs should earn more money than the MPs because they represent bigger areas.

“It is befitting that district chairpersons get the same resource envelopes as MPs, if not more,” Rwabuhinga said.

District chairpersons earn a gross of about sh2m a month. Rwabuhinga said unlike MPs who work for three days and are given vehicles and other allowances like mileage, medical care and housing, local government leaders work seven days a week and have bigger constituencies.

Adolf Mwesige, the Local Government minister, promised to lobby Cabinet and Parliament to ensure that LC5 chairpersons get a pay-rise.

Democratic Party president Norbert Mao also supported the petition. “For the five years I was a district chairperson, I paid over sh30m as taxes, yet MPs who earn 10 times more than district chairpersons, pay less taxes. I have been an MP before and I know that,” Mao said.

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