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Nakasongola, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Nakasongola District Councillors have passed a resolution to retain the 25 smartphones procured by the local government.
In October 2020, Nakasongola district procured 25 smartphones worth 10 million Shillings and handed them to Councillors and the LCV Chairperson to aid them in research and communication during their term. The Councillors signed a Memorandum of Understanding to maintain the phones and hand them back to the district upon completion of their term.
However, on Tuesday during the last council session for the term, Samuel Mwesezeki Butagasa, the Chairperson of the District Works and Technical Service Committee moved a motion asking the district council to transfer the ownership of smartphones from the Nakasongola District Local Government to individual Councillors and the LCV Chairperson.
Butagasa argued that whether in active politics or not, they will remain the point of consultation on local issues and they will continue to report the same to relevant authorities using the smartphones. The Councillors passed the resolution unanimously, without any debate.
Robert Ssemuddu, the District Councillor for Kalongo sub-county later told URN that the Councillors deserved to retain the phones because even the Members of Parliament who gets many benefits also never return cars which are bought for them by the government.
But Bernard Kamoga, the District Councillor for Wabinyonyi sub-county told URN that he will return the phone while he is handing over the office of education secretary which he was assigned in the past term.
Kamoga described the resolution as self-enrichment and may create an uproar among the residents.
Sam Kigula, the LCV Chairperson of Nakasongola district said that ideally, the phones were supposed to be returned and handed over to newly elected Councillors. However, with the resolution, the district will need to procure new phones for the incoming leadership. About 12 out of 24 Councillors have left the district council after losing the elections.
In March this year, Parliament ordered Members of Parliament to return the iPad’s that were issued to them in 2016 or else they pay between 550,000- 700,000 shillings depending on the type of gadget. The Clerk to Parliament Jane Kibirige said that the iPads were the property of the government and must be returned before the end of their term in May.
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