The Resident City Commissioner of Fort Portal City, Asmin Nasike, has warned new village chairpersons in Fort Portal North Division against corruption, fraudulent land dealings, and misuse of their offices.
Nasike urged them to uphold integrity and ensure that their offices are used to serve residents rather than facilitate illegal activities. She was speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the new 97 LC1 and 13 LC2 chairpersons at the Fort Portal North Division on Tuesday.
Nasike cautioned the leaders against conniving with landowners to facilitate fraudulent land transactions. She cited cases from the previous term where some LC1 chairpersons allegedly participated in the sale of the same piece of land to multiple buyers. She said that they must ensure transparency in land transactions and protect residents from being defrauded.
Nasike also warned them against handling serious criminal cases beyond their jurisdiction, saying some village leaders have in the past attempted to handle cases such as murder and defilement.
The RCC further suggested that they must be vigilant about security in their villages, including monitoring new residents and reporting suspected wrongdoers.
Rev. Willy Kintu Muhanga, the Fort Portal City Mayor, urged the chairpersons to serve all residents regardless of their political affiliations and to maintain integrity in the execution of their duties.
He urged Members of Parliament to lobby for better allowances for LC1 chairpersons, saying they form an important part of the country’s grassroots governance structure.
Joseph Mashuhuko, the Mayor of Fort Portal North Division, urged the leaders to put aside political differences and work with technical staff to improve service delivery. He said the division would conduct induction training on roles and responsibilities under the Local Government Act.
Ignatius Kisembo, the LC1 chairperson of Canon Apollo Cell, raised concerns about the limited facilitation to village leadership. He said their monthly 10,000 shillings allowance is inadequate and sometimes does not arrive on time.
He called on the government to consider a salary for the LCs to enable them to effectively execute their responsibilities.
Joseph Agaba, the LC1 chairperson of Busoma B Cell, said chairpersons do not receive additional facilitation when monitoring government programs. Hadijja Amanyire, the LC1 chairperson of Kidukuru-Kihembo B, pledged to monitor government programs and mobilize women to participate in initiatives aimed at improving household incomes-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
