By Aggrey Baba
[A good deed delayed is not a good deed denied]. After years of waiting, Local Council (LC) leaders and sub-county councillors are set to receive long-overdue ex-gratia payments, following Parliament’s approval of a Ugx 7.3 billion allocation in the recently passed Ugx 4.2 trillion supplementary budget.
Ex-gratia, a goodwill payment without legal obligation, will benefit over 90,000 LCI and LCII leaders, as well as sub-county councillors, who have gone unpaid for the past four to five years. According to Minister of Finance (General Duties) Henry Musasizi, these funds will cover outstanding arrears, though sources at the Ministry of Local Government indicate the total owed exceeds Ugx 15 billion.
Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi welcomed the decision, emphasizing that these leaders play a crucial role in grassroots governance. “Let us provide them with resources and then hold them accountable,” he remarked, underscoring the importance of their work in overseeing government programs.
In addition to the ex-gratia payments, Parliament also approved Ugx35.2 billion to purchase official vehicles for district chairpersons, city mayors, and municipal mayors, many of whom have been operating without transport since assuming office in 2021.
The approval, however, was not without contention. Opposition MPs, led by Kira Municipality’s Ibrahim Ssemujju, criticized the supplementary budget, arguing that the items included were not urgent enough to justify bypassing standard budgetary procedures.
Erute South MP Jonathan Odur echoed similar concerns, stressing the need for thorough scrutiny before funds are allocated.
Despite the resistance, Speaker Anita Among defended the approval, citing time constraints as a limiting factor.
With the financial year ending in June 2025, institutions now have just over three months to utilize the funds effectively.
In the end, as the saying goes, “A cow that has no tail must rely on God to shake off flies.” Local leaders, often the first point of contact between the people and government, will finally receive their dues after a long and patient wait. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
