Sembabule district stuck with new sub counties

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Newly created sub counties in Sembabule district are struggling to operate. In December 2016, the Sembabule district council resolved to create eight new sub counties to take services closer to people.

The resolution was endorsed by the Local Government Ministry and parliament in 2017. The new sub counties are Nakasenyi, Katwe, Mitima, Kawanda, Kyeera, Nabitanga, Miteete and Mabindo. The creation of the new sub counties brought to eighteen the number of sub counties in Sembabule district.

The pioneer political leaders in the new sub counties are decrying the current inadequacies, under which they are administering the new administrative unit despite the very high expectation from the public in terms of service delivery.

Betty Twine, the Nakasenyi Sub County LC 3 chairperson, says they operate under uncertainty due to lack of funds and administrative headquarters.

Although Twine takes pride in her election as the sub county chairperson, she is concerned that the new administrative unit is ideally nonfunctional due to absence of operating systems.

According to Twine, she currently runs the affairs of the sub county from home due to the failure by the district to provide them ample office space.

Paul Kiruuta, the Mabindo Sub County council speaker, says the situation is no different from the other areas. He says they currently conduct council sessions under tree shades without even proper means of storing their minutes.

Kiruuta wants government to directly intervene and secure for them the necessary facilities to enable them to serve their people.

Salim Kisekka, the Kawanda Sub County LC V councilor, argues that key political figures in the district were behind the creation of the new administrative units to serve their interests.

He alleges that the motion that paved way for the creation of the new units was rushed without due diligence on how the sub counties will be sustained.

Asuman Mwanje, the Kawanda Sub County LC 3 Chairperson, says they are looking up-to government to support them with the required resources for their operations. He says the livestock quarantine has taken a huge toll of their local revenue collections, worsening the situation further.

He says although a well-wisher donated land to host the sub county headquarters they are yet to get money to finance the construction works.

Willy Batalingaya, the Sembabule Chief Administrative Officer has also acknowledged the challenges. He says they are waiting for the central government to capture the new sub counties in its budget system, adding that they are hopeful that the system will normalize in the next financial year.

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