HOIMA – The Hoima City Mayor, Brian Kaboyo, has demanded that the Ministry of Local Government expedites processes to ensure cities get startup funds.
This call was sounded by Kaboyo during a meeting with the State Minister of Local Government, Victoria Rusoke, who is currently touring the country to ascertain challenges faced by new cities.
Kaboyo explained that cities have existed for two years but since their creation they have never received any startup funds.
He noted that such challenges are making it difficult for the leaders to deliver service to the expectation of the public.
He noted that his administration is currently using local revenue which is inadequate to run the business of the city; adding that there is need for the ministry to lobby for funds and provide them with startup capital to cater for office space, office furniture and other equipment as well as rebranding.
“Cities are now in their second year of existence but we have never received startup funds. Our operations have been very difficult and sometimes the public fails to appreciate the difference between the former status and the current one,” Kaboyo explained.
He also demanded that the government revisits the policy regarding the local revenue collection, adding that the recentralized management of local revenue is affecting the operation of cities in the country.
“Ministry of Finance recentralized management of local revenue which is affecting the operations of cities; for example, we collect money and it goes directly to the Ministry of Finance and later, we request the same ministry to approve our own local revenue. We request that this approach is revisited. Urban authorities have challenges that require immediate responses,” he complained and demanded the amendment of the Public Finance and Management Act 2015.
Kaboyo added that the abolition of collecting revenue from buses, taxis and boda-bodas is another challenge affecting the revenue base of the cities.
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“These used to be a major source of revenue to the local government. We implore the Ministry of Local Government to help us and conclude the issue surrounding payment from these players,” he requested, adding that their contribution will boost the revenue base of urban authorities.
He also told the Minister that the lack of transport means to monitor and supervise government projects and lack of garbage trucks are some of the challenges affecting the city and demanded that the government gets the city at least three vehicles to ease their operation.
Samuel Kisembo, the Hoima Resident City Commissioner (RCC) expressed concerns over the growing influx of people in the city, saying there is need to have a proper planning mechanism for the city.
Kisembo says, it’s surprising that many villages lack water, electricity and good infrastructure.
“Because of the ongoing oil activities in the area, we continue to have an influx of people who come in search for jobs and that means that we still have a lot of work to do as far as planning for this city is concerned, ” Kisembo called for intervention.
The State Minister for Local Government, Victoria Rusoke said, all processes are in their final stages adding that soon Hoima city will receive Shs 2 billion as startup funds.
“Some of the issues causing us challenges are being worked upon by relevant ministries, departments and agencies and some of the things to start with is the city budgets; cities have been already allocated start up funds but assessment is being done to see how your cities can be enhanced to match with their mandates of their work. We are closely working with the ministry and we shall continue to lobby to parliament for budget enhancement for the city,” she promised.
She added that the remuneration of the full-time leaders in the city has not been worked upon because the Minister of Public Service erroneously left out guidance for the cities but promised the issue is being handled.
“The operationalization of the city is not like that of a sub-county and the district, so the local government act is being amended to provide legal frameworks that accommodate the city. With time, there will be a framework for the smooth operation of the city so I ask you to be patient,” she said.
She warned the district and city leaders against fighting for government assets, adding that in some areas, city and district leaders have started fighting for the property, others are selling it which is illegal. She reminded the leaders that all these assets belong to the government adding that leaders are just supervisors.
She challenged districts with headquarters in city boundaries to start planning for the construction of their headquarters within their boundaries to take services near to people.
“Please do not fall victims of your quick action that are not guided. I hope it has not happened here, but it has happened in some districts, where the city assumes that the other buildings are going to belong to them since it falls in the city and now they are putting the district on pressure to vacate. The ministry is streamlining the process of sharing the assets between the district and city administration, so city leaders are urged in the mean time to allow districts to stay in their headquarters until such a time when the district will relocate after constructing their headquarters in their boundary,” she advised.
On the RCC’s issue of service delivery, the minister explained that water, roads and electricity provision in the city is the president’s priority, promising that cities will soon get funds to address such changes but challenged leaders to properly use the funds once they get it.
Hoima city is one of the biggest with approximately 288 square kilometers and a population of 12,6800 people.
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