MBARARA– The pulling of strings between a section of Mbarara district councilors and the top leadership of the district over the leasing of district properties has continued to raise eyebrows among the public as the latter are hatching plans to fail the move.
It should be noted that on September 25,2018–the deputy Chairman LCV for Mbarara, Godfrey Baryomunsi tabled a motion on the floor of house wanting councilors to pass a resolution to lease properties of the district which included Mbarara’s only Kakyeka Stadium, works department parking yard, among others in a bid to raise funds for revamping and renovating the district council building as well as the one occupied by Makarere University Business School Mbarara branch and UMI, given the fact that it was not on the order paper, the district speaker did not allow councilors to deliberate on it but rather it was a unanimous consent that be referred to the relevant committee to be studied thereafter a report shall be given to the council.
This has created a rift between the LCV chairman, Capt. John Bosco Bamuturaki, CAO Cuthbert Esoku and the councilors since the latter are accusing the formers of having ill motives to sell off district Properties.
Capt JB. Bamuturaki responded to the accusations saying that they are baseless and unfound. “there is a difference between selling and leasing, we don’t have the mandate to sell a government property, but we thought it wise that if we can lease out some of these properties which are not even generating us money, we can get funds to renovate the structure currently occupied by MUBS.”
However, a section of councilors led by Robert Arinanye representing Bugamba Sub-County and doubles as the chairperson for Finance and administration committee and Asaph Muhangi representing Ndaijja Sub-County, have vehemently rejected the move saying may God forbid, alleging that it is a ploy to sell off these properties to some private individuals.
“We have cited an invisible hand in this project and we are yet to confirm the names of those people, we would not have had a problem with leasing these properties for revenue but we have foreseen a doom in the near future after granting this lease, that’s why even when the motion was brought since it was not on the order paper, the speaker put it aside and after we agreed to refer the matters to the committee, because you cannot bring a motion leasing out over four properties at once, there must be something fishy moreover the deputy chairman, what is his intentions?, We cannot allow this, to continue in our district, we are gathering intelligence information and we shall expose those invisible hands who are behind this project of leasing government properties”. Asaph Muhangi told this reporter over the weekend.
Robert Arinanye who also rejects the move told this website that they should not rush to grant lease to the potential persons.
“There must be a hidden agenda behind leasing these properties and can use lease as a head shed to cover up ill motives but we cannot allow this, we are waiting for the next meeting to get a report from the works committee and then we start from there.”
