More than 200 residents of Bamunanika County in Luweero district have petitioned Rebecca Kagada, the speaker of parliament protesting the exclusion of the proposed Bamamunika district on the list of the new districts tabled before Parliament. The affected residents are from Zirobwe, Kalagala, Kikyusa, Kamira and Bamunanika sub counties. Jonathan Kasule, the lead petitioner says that Luweero district council passed a resolution to create Bamunanika district in 2009.
He says that during the 2011 election campaigns President Yoweri Museveni promised to operationalize Bamunanika district after the elections but nothing was done. He says that they were shocked when Adolf Mwesige, the local government minister presented a list of 23 new district excluding Bamunanika. William Mwebe, a resident of Kibirizi village in Bamunanika Sub County says that they are pushing for the creation of the new district to bring services closer to the people. He says Bamunanika Sub County has impassable roads, dilapidated health units and a few schools. Mwebe argues that once elevated to a district, government will increase funding that will enhance development.
Paul Wasswa, a resident of Kikyusa village says Bamuninka County is marginalized because of its distant location from Luweero district. He says the area lags behind because of lack of supervision of the government programs. Steven Sebidde, the LC 3 chairman Bamunanika Sub County says that their area has all the necessary requirements to be elevated to the district. He accuses the minister of being a stumbling block saying that they have resolved to petition Kadaga to compel the minister to table their proposal for consideration.
The residents hope to deliver their petition to Kadaga by Monday next week. John Chrysostom Muyingo, the area Member of Parliament declined to comment on the petition saying he was attending a meeting, when contacted by URN. In July 2012, Adolf Mwesige, the minister of Local Government presented a list of 23 proposed district. They include Butebo from Pallisa, Bugweri from Kamuli, Kagadi, Kakuuto, Kapelebyong from Amuria, Kasanda from Mubende, Kazo from Kiruhura and Kilak from Gulu amongst others.
