The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Chairpersons of the three divisions of Fort Portal Municipality are up in arms against the new fees they are required to pay for garbage collection.
Initially, garbage would be collected by the council which would avail trucks for the task and respective divisions- East, West, and South – would buy the fuel.
However, this proved inefficient as either the trucks would break down and take months without being repaired or divisions would fail to provide the fuel.
This attracted sharp criticism from the public that the once-cleanest town was choking on garbage. Consequently, Fort Portal Municipal Council in May resolved to tender out garbage collection.
The contract was given to Tropical Group of Companies at 69,000 shillings per truck of garbage collected. However, the arrangement required each division to contribute 50,000 shillings and the centre contributes the balance.
But about four months later, division chairpersons are saying this money is too much and the resolution was passed without their consent.
Richard Muhumuza, the West Division chairperson, says they have less revenue collections as their major source of income, property tax, is now being collected by agents of the municipal council.
He discloses that annually, they would collect up to 380 million shillings from property tax to help in waste management, road maintenance and other things, but all that is no longer possible now.
Herbert Mugisa, the South Division chairperson, agrees with Muhumuza, adding that it is so unfair to turn to divisions that don’t have revenue sources to pay the biggest part of the money.
He adds that his division is only able to contribute 35,000 shillings.
But Joseph Ndamira Musirikale, the West Division councillor representing Nyabukara Ward, says he also advised council not to pass the resolution because the money was too much but in vain.
However, he accuses division chairperson of perpetually dodging council sittings, saying they would have also added their voice on that day.
Fort Portal Mayor Rev. Willy Kintu Muhanga asks the division chairpersons to stop blame game. He calls upon the division chairpersons to respect council resolutions.
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