GULU: Local council leaders call for uniform allowances

GULU– Local council representatives at the different levels of local governments are calling for the streamlining of the variations in their sitting allowances, saying they are all facing the same economic hardships.

Currently, councilors across the country get their sitting allowances from 25 percent of the local revenue. However, payments vary depending on the level of the council one serves, which includes the LCIII, LCIV, and district councils.

Alfred Okwonga, the Gulu City mayor wants the variations minimised, saying they breed conflict among the councilors and the technical teams at the various local governments.

Okwonga wants government to consider establishing a minimum and uniform allowance for all the councilors so that they are able to serve their communities better.

“When you go to other administrative units like Kampala, Wakiso, Nansana among others, their councilors are paid very well compared to a councilor who is serving the same purpose and roles in a rural administrative unit. Councilors across the country should receive the same allowances since they do similar work,” Okwonga said.

According to Okwonga, only ex-gratia is paid uniformly to all the councilors in the country.

Doreen Luboyo, a councilor and secretary for health and education Gulu City, said with the low payments they get, the councilors are struggling to support their families and relatives as well as their voters.

Luboyo said with the meager payments, councilors are reluctant to monitor government programmes in their respective communities.

“You go the community for activities and people expect you to give them money, which with this low pay is not there, because we also need to support ourselves and our families,” Ludolo said.

Dickson Ojok, the Angagura Sub-county LCV councilor in Pader district said with Shs 500,000 that councilors get, they are expected to share it with their voters.

According to Ojok, as a result, leaders opt to spend more time doing private businesses than legislative roles so that they earn extra money to support their political ambitions and cater basic needs of their families.

“As a leader, people expect you to look good and support them in time of needs, meaning you should invest in yourself, and with the low payments, some of us are now into businesses,” Ojok said.

“Leave alone the minimal pay, the payment also takes very long to come which means one must continue to suffer along with his or her voters, this really needs to be changed,” Ojok added.

Michael Lakony, the Amuru district LCV Chairperson said with the current payment criteria, government pays better those in high leadership than councilors at lower levels even though the latter do the actual monitoring and implementation of central government programmes.

Currently, an LCV receives about Shs 1.5 million while district councilors receive between Shs 200,000 to Shs 600,000 per sitting depending on the level of leadership.

This, according to Lakony, doesn’t facilitate political growth which could frustrate government programmes, especially in rural communities.

Victoria Rusoke Busingye, the Minister of State for local government said the local leaders are supposed to rally their voters to pay taxes in order for them to get good pay.

Busingye said that Uganda Local Government Association [ULGA] has lodged a petition, which she said is going to be reviewed.

Recently, the ULGA members threatened to lay down their tools demanding for better payments on grounds that they were meager compared to the workload.

https://thecooperator.news/lira-city-councilors-demand-shs-78mln/

Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news