By Joshua Walakira.
Town clerks and mayors have been warned to either chose siting in offices to enjoy air conditioners and mess up things or going to the field and work for the people. While interacting with the Urban Leaders under their umbrella organization, Urban Authorities Association of Uganda the minister in-charge local government Mr. Tom Butime faulted the leaders of not minding about duty and instead chose to sit behind the desks waiting for papers to sign. Butime sounded the warning while in an annual meeting with members of the UAAU held at hotel Africana in Kampala recently. Butime stunned the meeting when he said that some of them have no clear records on top of being bad in record keeping, none valuation of properties, monitoring, none remitting of taxes among others as if they are waiting the ministry from workers house to go down and do what is supposed to be done locally. The minister wondered on how the full elected mayor or appointed town clerk can start lamenting on market records and supervision of the vendors. The Minister revealed that because of too much absenteeism, the ministry will introduce a system where every head of department in local government will be monitored. Butime appealed to the technical staff of the urban Local Governments to have time to guide the local leaders especially councilors who do not have knowledge in urban planning. Butime added that: “Councilors and residents should be encouraged and involved in organization of the towns like zoning of vendors, gazeting green belts and cleanliness.”
MAYORS’ PLEA
The mayors had earlier appealed to the ministry of local government to help in introduction of market acts and policies for smooth operations of the existing and upcoming markets in urban settings that would empower them on management. The mayors say that the current laws managing markets are outdated and over taken by events therefore not favoring the authorities in levying new taxes and collection of market dues. Mr. Abwiire Hassan, the mayor Busia municipality flanked by Makindye Sabagabo’s Kimbowa said that the outdated laws are crippling smooth operations of the urban authorities since they can’t create new sources of revenue.
Mayors also submitted that, “The management of vendors’ affairs has been a challenge to the local leadership since the current law and policy locks mayors outs in market management.”
Mayors want the new markets being constructed under Markets and Agriculture Trade Improvement Project (MATIP) embossed stall by stall with numbers and vendors in each shop for proper record keeping and management by authorities. For comments, call or text 0752510225.
