Mbarara city mayor wants reconciliation, teamwork

 The new Mbarara city mayor, Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, breathed a sigh of relief when the local government guidelines backed the former municipality mayors to remain in office as the interim mayors for the new regional cities.

Kakyebezi hailed President Yoweri Museveni for fulfilling his promise by granting Mbarara and other former municipalities city status.

However, he lashed out at some people, who he said wanted to grab his seat, adding that he signed a contract with the electorate when he was elected mayor.

"There was tension caused by some people, who did not want former municipality mayors to be the interim city mayors. But I am happy the local government minister, Raphael Magyezi, put it right and we were given the mandate to continue serving our people," he said.

 The mayor said his first priority will be to call for reconciliation and unity among local leaders and all stakeholders in Mbarara so that they can work together to develop their city.

"Mbarara is bigger than Kakyebezi. Therefore, I want to call upon all stakeholders, even those who have not been supporting me, to come and we work together as a team," he said.

"Before being accorded city status, the municipality had a master plan of solve the garbage and sewerage problems by expanding the sewerage lagoon coverage," Kakyebezi said.

He said they advised the landlords to sell the old structures that they could not develop or partner and sign a memorandum of understanding with investors to have shares on the buildings such that they are replaced with magnificent planned structures in order to give Mbarara city a new look.