Two districts to be carved from Masaka
MASAKA district leaders have agreed to create two new districts out of Masaka. President Yoweri Museveni on Monday met the district leaders at his home in Rwakitura, where it was agreed to create Kalungu and Bukoto districts.
By Ali Mambule
MASAKA district leaders have agreed to create two new districts out of Masaka. President Yoweri Museveni on Monday met the district leaders at his home in Rwakitura, where it was agreed to create Kalungu and Bukoto districts.
Kalungu will consist of Kalungu East, Kalungu West and Bukomansimbi constituencies, while Bukoto district will cover Bukoto South, Bukoto West and Bukoto Midwest constituencies.
Masaka will retain the municipality, Bukoto Central and Bukoto East constituencies.
Museveni, however, told the leaders that the decision taken in Rwakitura was not final and he would send a team from State House to collect the views of the residents.
Museveni also asked the district councillors to pass resolutions in favour of the creation of the new districts before Parliament resumes in February, according to some leaders who attended the meeting.
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, reportedly told the President that people were demanding separate districts because there was no fairness when it came to disbursing funds to local governments.
Ssekandi wanted the Government to increase funding to districts with bigger populations to ease service delivery to the people.
Kyazanga sub-county chairman Vincent Kaitana had earlier told the President that his sub-county and Malongo had resolved to break away from Masaka to join Lyantonde district.
But after the Bukoto South MP, Matia Nsubuga, suggested the creation of two new districts, the idea of the two sub-counties breaking away from Masaka was dropped.
The district chairman, Vincent Sempijja, was opposed to the creation of the new districts. However, MPs Sauda Namaggwa, Umar Lule Mawiya (Kalungu East) and Anthony Iga (Kalungu West) supported the idea.
The meeting was attended by religious leaders in Masaka, including Sheik Huzairu Kiruuta, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa and Bishop Kefa Kamya Semakula.
Parliament approved 17 new districts in December. However, the decision on the creation of another five districts, Kalungu, Maracha, Butambala and two to be carved out of Tororo, was postponed due to disagreements among local leaders and MPs from the respective areas.
MASAKA district leaders have agreed to create two new districts out of Masaka. President Yoweri Museveni on Monday met the district leaders at his home in Rwakitura, where it was agreed to create Kalungu and Bukoto districts.
Kalungu will consist of Kalungu East, Kalungu West and Bukomansimbi constituencies, while Bukoto district will cover Bukoto South, Bukoto West and Bukoto Midwest constituencies.
Masaka will retain the municipality, Bukoto Central and Bukoto East constituencies.
Museveni, however, told the leaders that the decision taken in Rwakitura was not final and he would send a team from State House to collect the views of the residents.
Museveni also asked the district councillors to pass resolutions in favour of the creation of the new districts before Parliament resumes in February, according to some leaders who attended the meeting.
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, reportedly told the President that people were demanding separate districts because there was no fairness when it came to disbursing funds to local governments.
Ssekandi wanted the Government to increase funding to districts with bigger populations to ease service delivery to the people.
Kyazanga sub-county chairman Vincent Kaitana had earlier told the President that his sub-county and Malongo had resolved to break away from Masaka to join Lyantonde district.
But after the Bukoto South MP, Matia Nsubuga, suggested the creation of two new districts, the idea of the two sub-counties breaking away from Masaka was dropped.
The district chairman, Vincent Sempijja, was opposed to the creation of the new districts. However, MPs Sauda Namaggwa, Umar Lule Mawiya (Kalungu East) and Anthony Iga (Kalungu West) supported the idea.
The meeting was attended by religious leaders in Masaka, including Sheik Huzairu Kiruuta, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa and Bishop Kefa Kamya Semakula.
Parliament approved 17 new districts in December. However, the decision on the creation of another five districts, Kalungu, Maracha, Butambala and two to be carved out of Tororo, was postponed due to disagreements among local leaders and MPs from the respective areas.