MBARARA – Mbarara municipality LCIV councilors on Tuesday 28 set tough conditions on Mayor Robert Kakyebezi Mugabe as they set to approve the budget of shs40.7bn for the financial year 2019/20 on Wednesday.
Councilors still insist that before they pass the budget, Mr. Kakyebezi should first alter his executive committee and replace it with new members, cut on the administrations and remove all illegal structures including the iron bar like lights on Mbarara round about which they say consumed over shs360m.
Imam Kagiko councilor representing Katete ward in Nyamitanga division told PLM daily that they are not ready to sit on Wednesday unless their demands are met.
It should be noted that last week on Tuesday councilors were supposed to sit and approve the budget but out of 49 councilors, 35 did not turn up in protest of maladministration and failure to implement various council resolutions.
On Monday, the chairman LCV Capt Jb Bamuturaki together with MP Michael Tusiime summoned all Mbarara municipality administration including all councilors in a crisis meeting to find a lasting solution but from the look of things, the efforts of the meeting might hit a snag as councilors insist not to show up tomorrow.
“We have a number of demands, unless they are fulfilled in this shortest time, we are not ready to come for the council meeting, Kakyebezi has to get rid of that executive committee on Muzamir Ssekajja (secretary works), Benon Kajubi (secretary finance and administration) Francis Bemanya deputy mayor” Said Kagiko.
However, Mayor Kakyebezi said that they are ready for the council meeting and to pass the budget that will benefit the people of Mbarara.
“They gave me conditions which are not related to budget because the issue of illegal structures and changing my executive committee has nothing to do with the budget approval. I told them on Monday in a meeting that changing my committee will not happen in one day as they demand, for us we are ready for tomorrow’s meeting,” said Kakyebezi on Tuesday.
If this 3rd council meeting fails to convene and approve the budget, by law the speaker has the mandate to write to the minister of local government to come and approve the budget on behalf of council.
