Newly-created districts begin operations
Jul 01, 2010
TWENTY-five new districts became operational yesterday having been created in the last financial year, bringing the number to 112.
By Catherine Bekunda
and Joyce Namutebi
TWENTY-five new districts became operational yesterday having been created in the last financial year, bringing the number to 112.
Nine municipalities and 14 new counties also became effective yesterday.
An additional 48 parliamentary seats will be added to the next Parliament as a result.
Each municipality and county is represented by an MP. Likewise, each district is entitled to one woman parliamentary seat.
Currently, Parliament has 328 MPs, 14 of whom are not elected (ex-officio). They became MPs by virtue of their ministerial appointments.
The ex-officio members include the Prime Minister and his three deputies.
The new counties are Katerera curved out of Bunyaruguru county in Bushenyi district, Ajuri from Moroto county in Lira district and Kasambya, which has been part of Buwekula county in Mubende district.
Parliament on Wednesday passed a motion for the creation of five other counties.
They are Dodoth West from Dodoth county in Kaabong district, Bunyole West out of Bunyole county in Butaleja district and Ikiki-iki county curved out of Budaka county in Budaka district.
Others are Agule out of Pallisa county in Pallisa district and Bukooli Islands cut out of Bukooli county in the new district of Namayingo.
The municipalities which became effective yesterday are Kasese, Hoima, Mukono, Iganga, Masindi, Ntungamo, Busia, Bushenyi-Ishaka and Rukungiri.
In a related matter, the five divisions of Kampala City have been given separate votes by the Ministry of Finance.
Funds for the divisions will now be sent directly to their accounts and not through the Kampala City Council.
Local government state minister Pereza Ahabwe informed Parliament that his ministry had written to the Electoral Commission (EC), requesting it to conduct elections on July 5 for interim district and municipal chairpersons in the newly-created districts and municipalities.
Spokesperson Charles Ochola said the commission had received the letter but the date had not been agreed on. “We are still mobilising resources and are working around the clock to see that elections are held early enough,†he said.
Interim mayors for the newly-created municipalities will be chosen by the councillors in the municipalities.
Interim chairpersons will choose their interim executive committees until substantial mayors and district chairpersons can be elected by adult suffrage in next years’ general elections.
In a separate interview, Ahabwe told The New Vision that his ministry had posted chief administrative officers to the new districts.
He argued that the new administrative units would bring services closer to the people and offer effective representation.
Ahabwe told MPs that many counties were very big, citing Dodoth, which was 163km wide, with 13 sub-counties and 314,000 people.
He said representatives of Bukooli islands were from the main land and could not understand the problems faced by the islands.
“I want to assure you that the Government has considered the financial implication of creating these counties,†Ahabwe said.
Nathan Byanyima (NRM) appealed to the local government ministry to table the whole list of counties to be created instead of bringing them piecemeal.
“This makes us look like children, we pass five today and three tomorrow, let us wait after the census and know which ones to split.â€
Isha Otto (UPC) refused to support the motion, arguing that the Government was favouring some areas.
“Are genuine procedures and guidelines being followed? Are we taking into consideration the wishes of the people? We are passing names of villages we even do not know,†he said.
He demanded to know why Bulambuli county in Sironko district had not been split despite a 2007 district resolution asking for the same.
Nathan Nandala Mafabi (FDC) said: “Issues of politics are going to make this country ungovernable.â€
He said representatives should be elected in the new counties since there are six months to the next elections. But deputy Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said the polls would be held during next years’ general elections.
and Joyce Namutebi
TWENTY-five new districts became operational yesterday having been created in the last financial year, bringing the number to 112.
Nine municipalities and 14 new counties also became effective yesterday.
An additional 48 parliamentary seats will be added to the next Parliament as a result.
Each municipality and county is represented by an MP. Likewise, each district is entitled to one woman parliamentary seat.
Currently, Parliament has 328 MPs, 14 of whom are not elected (ex-officio). They became MPs by virtue of their ministerial appointments.
The ex-officio members include the Prime Minister and his three deputies.
The new counties are Katerera curved out of Bunyaruguru county in Bushenyi district, Ajuri from Moroto county in Lira district and Kasambya, which has been part of Buwekula county in Mubende district.
Parliament on Wednesday passed a motion for the creation of five other counties.
They are Dodoth West from Dodoth county in Kaabong district, Bunyole West out of Bunyole county in Butaleja district and Ikiki-iki county curved out of Budaka county in Budaka district.
Others are Agule out of Pallisa county in Pallisa district and Bukooli Islands cut out of Bukooli county in the new district of Namayingo.
The municipalities which became effective yesterday are Kasese, Hoima, Mukono, Iganga, Masindi, Ntungamo, Busia, Bushenyi-Ishaka and Rukungiri.
In a related matter, the five divisions of Kampala City have been given separate votes by the Ministry of Finance.
Funds for the divisions will now be sent directly to their accounts and not through the Kampala City Council.
Local government state minister Pereza Ahabwe informed Parliament that his ministry had written to the Electoral Commission (EC), requesting it to conduct elections on July 5 for interim district and municipal chairpersons in the newly-created districts and municipalities.
Spokesperson Charles Ochola said the commission had received the letter but the date had not been agreed on. “We are still mobilising resources and are working around the clock to see that elections are held early enough,†he said.
Interim mayors for the newly-created municipalities will be chosen by the councillors in the municipalities.
Interim chairpersons will choose their interim executive committees until substantial mayors and district chairpersons can be elected by adult suffrage in next years’ general elections.
In a separate interview, Ahabwe told The New Vision that his ministry had posted chief administrative officers to the new districts.
He argued that the new administrative units would bring services closer to the people and offer effective representation.
Ahabwe told MPs that many counties were very big, citing Dodoth, which was 163km wide, with 13 sub-counties and 314,000 people.
He said representatives of Bukooli islands were from the main land and could not understand the problems faced by the islands.
“I want to assure you that the Government has considered the financial implication of creating these counties,†Ahabwe said.
Nathan Byanyima (NRM) appealed to the local government ministry to table the whole list of counties to be created instead of bringing them piecemeal.
“This makes us look like children, we pass five today and three tomorrow, let us wait after the census and know which ones to split.â€
Isha Otto (UPC) refused to support the motion, arguing that the Government was favouring some areas.
“Are genuine procedures and guidelines being followed? Are we taking into consideration the wishes of the people? We are passing names of villages we even do not know,†he said.
He demanded to know why Bulambuli county in Sironko district had not been split despite a 2007 district resolution asking for the same.
Nathan Nandala Mafabi (FDC) said: “Issues of politics are going to make this country ungovernable.â€
He said representatives should be elected in the new counties since there are six months to the next elections. But deputy Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said the polls would be held during next years’ general elections.