LC V councilors in Kabalore have stormed out of an induction course protesting meager training allowances. The induction was organized by the Ministry of Local Government. It was intended to sensitize the councilors on the council rules of procedures and the Local Government Act.
All was well until, when Awali Musoke, one of the facilitators from the Ministry told the 37 councilors that they will receive shillings 20,000 each as daily allowance for four days. This didn’t go down well with the councilors, who started booing down the official. The councilors asked him why they were receiving only shillings 20,000. Awali told the councilors that the local government ministry budgeted only shillings 20,000 as training allowances for all councilors countrywide.
However the councilors were not satisfied with his explanation and walked out of the council chambers saying the money was not enough. But Awali insisted that the councilors will receive 20,000 shillings. Some of the councilors were seen making telephone calls to the Minister of Local Government, Adolf Mwesige to express their grievances.
Businge Prosper, the councilor for West Division in Fort Portal Municipality said that it is a sign of disrespect for the councilors to receive only 20,000 shillings. Businge said that some of the councilors are from distant places. According to prosper they should have been given 50,000 shillings.
//Cue in: "we are people..."
Cue out: "...we deserve respect."//
After walking out of the induction, the councilors held an extra ordinary council and resolved to write to the Permanent Secretary and Minister of Local Government about their grievances. The four-billion-shilling nationwide induction exercise for councilors by the Local Government is co-funded funded by DANIDA and USAID.
