Professor Wilberforce Ahebwa the Chairperson of the Greater Ngoma Development Association says despite the many lower administrative units, the district has not created the desired change due to the large area and little funding from the central Government.
A section of
leaders in Nakaseke District has embarked on the move to curve a new district
out of Nakaseke. Nakaseke district was
curved out of Luwero district in 2005. The district has since created 15 sub-counties and town councils.
Professor Wilberforce Ahebwa the Chairperson of the Greater Ngoma Development
Association says despite the many lower administrative units, the district has
not created the desired change due to the large area and little funding from
the central Government.
Ahebwa explains that some people, especially in the cattle corridor, believe
that they are still denied services that include health, education services, and
a good road network.
Ahebwa says that as an advocacy forum for the area, they have embarked on a
proposal to apply for the split of Nakaseke into two districts so as to attract
more funding as well as bring services nearer to people.
He says that in the proposal, they seek to create a district comprising of sub-counties in the cattle corridor whereas others in Nakaseke Central and South
counties will remain in the mother district.
The proposed administrative units to form the new district are Ngoma, Wakyato,
Kinyogogga, Kinoni sub-counties, and Ngoma town council.
Ahebwa says that so far they have held consultative meetings with sub-county
and district leaders asking them to pass resolutions supporting the proposal
which they will table before the Ministry of Local Government and Parliament for
approval.
//Cue in: “The urge to…
Cue out;…that perspective’’
Luganda Bite
// Cue in: “Twagala abantu baffe…
Cue out;…kitundu kyaffe.’’//
Fred Rwabirinda the District Councillor for Kinyogogga sub-county is among the supporters
of the proposal saying the district will create more job opportunities for the
people.
Muhamadi Gubya the National Resistance Movement Chairperson for Nakaseke
district says that consultation on the matter is ongoing but the benefits of
creating the new district are clear and they hope to get majority support for
it.
But Paul
Katimbo Kagame the LCIII Chairperson of Wakyato sub-county says that the sub-county council rejected the proposal after he tabled it. He says that the proposed
headquarters for the new district is far compared to the current mother
district.
“Currently
there are five kilometers from Wakyato sub-county to Nakaseke district but to
reach the proposed new district headquarters there are 40 kilometers. Is that
bringing services closer to people? Kagame asked.
He also
noted that Wakyato is found in Nakaseke Central but other sub-counties are
located in Nakaseke North constituency which may complicate the process of transferring
to another district.
The LCV
Chairperson Nakaseke, Ignatius Koomu said the proposal will only be accepted by
his council if Wakyato sub-county is retained in the mother district.
“We also need to consider whether the sub-counties that are left behind are
viable to sustain it. Wakyato is among the key revenue sources but if it's
taken away, where shall we get the local revenue? Koomu questioned.
Last year, the Minister of Local Government Raphael Magyezi said the government
had banned the creation of new administrative structures across the country
over funding gaps.
The
agitators for the creation of a new district say they are aware of the ban but
the process is intended to get prepared and get resolutions to submit to
Ministry in case they open up for applications.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics projections for 2020, there are
234, 600 people in the district of only 54,200 people live in the proposed new
district.
