The approval of the Kibaale district budget hangs in balance following a decision by more than three thirds of the councilors to shun the budget reading to protest failure to operationalize Kagadi and Kakumiro districts. During his 2011 re-election campaigns President Yoweri Museveni pledged to operationalize the new districts once returned to power but nothing has been done.
As a result, councilors from Buyaga and Bugangaizi counties that comprise the new districts have resolved to stay away from Kibaale district to compel government to operationalize the districts. On Thursday, Kibaale district council convened to receive the new financial year budget estimates for discussion and approval by the council.
However, only 15 out of the 56 member council showed up. According to the rules of procedure the local government council can only be constituted with more than two thirds of the council members present. Councilors from Buyaga and Bugangaizi counties that comprise the proposed Kagadi and Kakumiro districts resolved to boycott the meeting saying they have no business in the mother district.
Yosia Ndibwami, the LC V councilor for Rugashari Sub County told URN that the boycott was intended to send a strong signal to government that the delayed operationalization of the two districts is angering residents. He says that as elected representatives they cannot go against the interests of their electorate who badly need the two districts. He also says that they believe the deliberations in Kibaale district council don’t cater for their people’s interests.
He faults George Williams Bizibu, the speaker Kibaale district council for constituting council without quorum and vowed to challenge their resolutions in court. But Bizibu appears unbothered and instead accuses some area member of parliament of using councilors to push for the district instead of lobbying fellow legislators to endorse the districts to start operating.
Bizibu also says that it is the role of the clerk to council to ascertain quorum and not the speaker. URN could not readily talk to the clerk to council on the matter. Bizibu explains that all the councilors sent in their apologies and were recorded as absent with apology. He however, warns to declare their seats vacant if their miss four consecutive councils as provided for by the law.
On Tuesday, MPs Robinna Nabanja, Barnabus Tinkasimire and Ignatius Besisira allegedly urged councilors from Bugangaizi and Buyaga counties to shun Kibaale district council meetings since their areas of jurisdiction lie in the proposed districts.
