Masaka District Councillors took a tough line yesterday and rejected the 2007/2008 finance sectoral budget, on grounds that the budget did not reflect an increase in the councillors allowances.
The budget session which was convened yesterday afternoon, turned rowdy shortly after the district finance secretary. Eddy Sansa presented the finance secretary budget.
The councillors who had listened attentively as the budget was read immediately stood up one by one and demanded to know why there was no reflection of an increase in the allowances.
The Kyazanga district councilor, Godfrey Sebulime, ordered the councillors to hold their contributions until the budget is revised to include the councillor's allowances.
Shocked and angry, the councillors threatened to storm out of the session, prompting the finance secretary to convene an impromptu meeting with the District speaker, Livingstone Muzanganda, to discuss the impasse.
Shortly after the meeting, Sansa announced an increase in the councillors allowances from 200,000 to 300,000 per month. The announcement was received with excitement and jubilation and the other sectoral budgets were passed.
Ssebulime told journalists that the councillors need more allowances to effectively mobilize support for government programs.
// Cue in-We had a problem#
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