Wakiso councilors reject district financial report

Wakiso, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Wakiso district councilors have rejected the financial report citing a lack of implementation of the council resolutions. The angry councilors note that the rejection of the financial report seeks to compel the district authorities to implement activities and programs which were earlier approved by the council.

Ali Edris Ssenyonjo, the chairperson of the District Finance Committee said that all the council resolutions have been disregarded except resolutions of their interest like issuance of letters of administration which are implemented for their own benefit.

According to Ssenyonjo, the council agreed to reduce the property tax by three percent, but in Kyengera town council where they passed a 3 percent property tax levy, they are instead collecting 8 percent which is an act of dishonest to the electorates.

“As the committee of finance at the district, we agreed to consult and hear the peoples’ views and we set the tax at 3 percent but they refused to implement it. We also came up with resolutions that there should be general monitoring and that the money be banked as well as sensitizing the people about the payments. All these were never implemented,” said Ssenyonjo.

Ssenyonjo further revealed that they have since petitioned the Minister of Local Government to grant Wakiso district a special status because town councils like Kyengera and Nansana municipality which are under Wakiso district do not contribute to the district coffers yet they are represented in the council.

Huzairu Jjuuko, the councilor representing Masuliita town council said that a number of programs and activities were passed by the council but they are never implemented by the technical wing. He said that although Wakiso district is a major contributor to the government revenue, provision of social services remains low which needs government to ensure equitable distribution of resources.

Suleiman Musoke, a councilor representing Island sub county of Bussi said that his constituency has two health centers with a population of more than 35,000 people but they have spent four months without receiving medicines.  According to Musoke, they appealed to National Medical Stores and the government to provide Wakiso adequate medicine to the population but it has never been implemented.

Wakiso LCV chairperson, Betinah Nantege said that the executive and the Chief Administrative Officer shall sit with the finance committee to resolve the impasse.

Wakiso District Chief Administrative Officer Moses Bukenya Seguya said the issue of drugs in health centers will be addressed because they are in talks with NMS to increase supplies to the district.

*****

URN