David Kabaale the senior finance officer Wakiso district says that this online tool is used for local taxpayers’ registration, payments, assessment, e-payment reconciliation, enforcement, reporting and integration with other government agencies.
On Monday, Andrew Otim, the Commissioner in Charge of Urban Inspections told URN that they had started off with meeting aggrieved parties to hear their complaints. He also said the number of interested parties has since increased from councilors, technical staff and municipal mayor to include the Chairpersons of Gombe, Nansana and Nabweru.
Bosco Odong, a farmer in Orom trading center says they have never benefited as farmers from the installation of the machine since it has always been closed.
Simon Peter Ongom, the District LCV chairperson has trashed the decision saying it is politically motivated. He denied funds had been embezzled by Epaju.
Epajus forced leave was sanctioned by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of local government, Ben Kumumanya. This follows a petition from the local leaders protesting alleged embezzlement of over 1.5 billion shillings.
John Longolio, the Senior Assistant Secretary who is currently in charge of the office of Nabilatuk Chief Administrative Officer, says they expect their first salary in August because of some technical delays.
The affected accounting officers are accused of failing to comply with the timelines for submitting Quarter one and Quarter two Budget performance reports for the financial years 2017/2018 and budget framework papers for the financial years 2018/2019 in line with the Public Finance Management Act 2015.
According to the mid financial year assessment report on local revenue collection carried out by the Local Government Ministry, Ntoroko district has so far collected Shillings 480 million of the estimated Shillings 530 million while Bundibugyo district has collected Shillings 500 million of the estimated Shillings 650 million.
In the guidelines, the minister announced a ban on daily parking fees and directed that taxi drivers pay a monthly fee not exceeding 80,000 Shillings in each town council or 120,000 Shillings if the destination is within the jurisdiction of Kampala Capital City Authority.
The program was halted in May after the municipal council terminated Plinth Technical Services Limited, a Zambian firm contracted to construct the -Kilometer Nyakaana-Kabundaire road. The road financed to a tune of 5.2 billion Shillings, was supposed to have been completed last year.
Taxi drivers in Luweero have disagreed on the directive by the Ministry of Local Government banning collection of daily parking fees in urban councils. Recently, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, issued a circular to all urban councils banning daily parking fees for passenger service vehicles.
Early this year, Soroti district council approved a resolution to create three Sub Counties including Ocokican, Lale and Ochuloi curved from Asuret, Kamuda and Katine sub counties respectively. The resolution also okayed creation of about 29 new parishes and 138 villages.
A report by the Auditor General that sampled 32 local government units indicates nine of these failed to collect 84 percent of property rates resulting into Shillings 19.4 billion property revenue loss. The December 2016 report titled Financing of Local Government in Uganda shows that the nine local government units only managed to collect 3.7 billion Shillings in property tax during the 2015/2016 financial year. This represents 16 percent of the 23.1 billion Shillings they were supposed to collect.
The interim Chairperson will serve for a maximum period of six months, after which elections by universal suffrage shall take place. According to the Local Government Act, the interim district chairperson is elected by the interim district council from among themselves by secret ballot supervised and conducted by the Electoral Commission.
Recently, Ben Kumumanya, the Local Governments Ministry, Permanent Secretary issued a circular warning against the trend by district and municipal councils to pass resolutions to remove accounting officers, saying it is illegal.
Bernard Okello, the Senior Human Resource Officer Luweero district, says in the new charges, government also increased the salaries of Parish Chiefs from Shillings 360,000 to Shillings 460,000.
Fort Portal Municipal Council has turned to the government for funds to complete the municipal chambers. Fort Portal Mayor, Rev. Willy Muhanga, says the local revenue is inadequate to complete the chambers.
Kabarole district Secretary for Works Moses Ikagobya says that the breakdown of equipment and lack of fuel has crippled the rehabilitation of six roads which were planned to be worked on last year.
Moses Mugisa, the Finance Secretary Kyenjojo town council says the delayed approval of the ordinance has hindered development of the town council and affected revenue collection, since 80 percent of the structures built in the town council do not have approved plans.
