Speakers of local government councils are appealing government to be considered on payroll for monthly salaries with fully furnished offices to condusively perform council duties and functions.
Under their umbrella Ugandan Urban Council Speakers Association (UUCSA)Association that brings together all speakers, deputies and Clerk to councils of all urban Councils comprising of cities, city divisions, municipalities, municipal divisions and town councils of Uganda, the group lament that their poor wellbeing yet they perform significant roles in communities.
UUCSA aims at strengthening and Empowering its members in order to influence social-economic and political transformation to achieve sustainable development through local governance.
The group of over 1753 participants on Friday convened at Jinja city hall for their Annual General Meeting, sharing experiences, challenges and threats for effectiveness of local council sittings.
Bonny Tashobya Karutsya, the Association boss and Mbarara city council speaker decries section 23a(8) of the local government Act which states that speakers of lower local government councils are part time and only paid allowances which compromises their economic statuses.
“Speakers of local government councils perform similar roles like any other speakers. How can one comfortably preside over a council and pass a budget of billions but lacks even a bicycle for transportation?” Questions Tashobya.
Speakers propose the lowest monthly salary for a speaker and deputy should be at least shs.500,000, 700,000, 900,000, 1,500,000, and 2,500,000 for town councils, Municipal division, municipality, city division, and city council respectively.
Like Mayors and subcounty bosses who were provided with motorcycles for mobilization, monitoring and community engagements, speakers and deputies demand for equal privileges for easy mobility.
These say they fail to move out of their districts and towns for official duties and engagements as they are ignored by respective mayors and technical staff.
“Some council sittings are adjourned because the speaker or his deputy is affected by rain. The speaker of the council really deserves a motor vehicle like a village leader who was given a bicycle by government,” adds Tashobya.
Tashobya, advocates for periodic inductions to empower speakers and councilors in their respective roles and responsibilities of conducting councils for a purpose.
Local leaders have failed and undermined the government programs as they some can not interpret the constitution and local government Act. This has also downplayed the objectives of decentralization.
The speakers also raised voices, petitioning government to organize benchmarking trips to developed countries to enable them venture and develop skills and mindset on how council businesses are successfully conducted.
Hon Raphael Magyezi, the minister for local government who presided over the function, underlined the important roles of speakers, and encouraged local leaders to legislate and pass ordinances and bylaws targeted to increased productivity, good governance and efficient resource usage.
The minister was represented by John Genda Walala, the director of government inspection at the ministry of local government, who said government is committed to creating necessary environment through policy and guidelines, mentorship, advocacy and technical capacity to achieve transformation.
Despite the lower allowances, emoluments and ex-gratia that a speaker or councilor earns,thirty percent tax is levied thereon, regardless of the amount.
Some councilors earn monthly allowances as low as shs.50,000 which is subjects to 30 percent tax, bringing it down to UGX35,000 which they appeal to government to scrap off the tax with immediate effect.
The minister appealed local leaders to utilize councils for constructive legislation and oversight mandates than using them as battle grounds and bedrocks for conflicts.
