KAMPALA – The government has bowed to pressure and accepted to include Mbale and Masaka Municipalities among the cities that will be operationalised in the coming financial year.
The shift in position was announced by State Minister for Local Government, Jennifer Namuyangu who explained that the consideration of Masaka and Mbale was based on the fact that the two are among the oldest towns right from independence and met a number of requirements, these have been considered ready to start operationalisation as municipalities.
It should be recalled that in May 2019, Government revealed plans to elevate 13 municipalities to City status including; Arua, Mbarara, Gulu, Jinja, Mbale, Masaka, and Fortportal but it had left out the two municipalities which caused uproar and protests amongst the big officials and residents in two municipalities.
Addressing journalists at a press briefing at Media Center today, Namuyangu who was announcing decisions from Monday’s cabinet meeting said that the two cities will require an additional Shs11.3Bn in the financial year 2020/21 and that this has already been provided for by the Ministry of Finance.
