A group of political leaders in Jinja have proposed that their town should become Uganda's new administrative city.
The Jinja district and municipal council is currently debated a proposal for the upgrading of Uganda's old industrial hub into a city. Many council members are of the view that having city status will attract more resources to the town and will improve service delivery to residents. They say it will help revive Jinja as the center of Uganda's industry and will further develop the tourist attractions in the district.
The proposal to turn Jinja into a city begun in the 1990s under its former mayor, Stephen Bewayo Nsubuga. However it never progressed because of the ideological divisions of its leaders.
The city status plan recently received a second wind when the Buganda government opposed a suggestion that Kampala City should be taken over by the Central Government. It said the proposal would displace the seat of the kingdom and would rob it of its traditional heritage at the heart of the country.
Meddy Mbentyo, a Jinja Municipality council, says this opposition should not dismay government. He says Jinja is adequately equipped to handle a new position as the administrative center of Uganda.
Mbentyo says that with three existing town councils
