The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) councilors for Kampala have accused their top party leadership of ignoring their needs, something they claim has led to their loss of interest in party activities in the city.This, they argue has created a vacuum which the opposition politicians have exploited to mobilise and win support at the grassroots. “When we are elected winners, the top party leaders never care about us in anyway and we keep wondering whether our loyalty to the party will ever yield any fruits,” Mr Patrick Male, Lubaga councilor said during a consultative meeting convened by Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Wednesday.
Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda (Right) and her junior Kabuye Kyofatogabye. PHOTO/ JOCYLYNNE NAKIBUULE
The meeting which was attended by several top leaders such as the NRM national mobiliser, Ms Rosemary Sseninde and State Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Kabuye Kyofatogabye was called to iron out issues affecting service delivery in Uganda’s capital.Speaker after speaker, the councilors accused the top party leadership of locking them out of the decision making processes, poor facilitation, and poor remuneration, among others which have in turn eaten into party support at the grassroots.The councilors said they were demotivated by the low pay deposited on their accounts with about 40 percent deductions.City and urban councilors earn between Shs 2.8 million to Shs3.5 million net pay.They also blamed poor service delivery on interference from the technocrats who allegedly involve themselves in political issues.
According to Salim Uhuru, the Kampala Central mayor, some accounting officers and other technocrats who are the custodians of all the work at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) have failed to concentrate on the work they were appointed to do and are instead busy meddling in political issues which he said is against the law.Ms Kabanda asked the councilors to be patient saying their pay increment would be determined by an increment in revenue collection.“The 15 percent salary increment was agreed upon by the former minister Betty Kamya but it hasn’t yet been effected due to insufficient funds. However, we pray for an increase in revenue collection from markets, boda bodas and taxes,” She said.
The NRM national mobiliser, Ms Rosemary Sseninde
Ms Sseninde promised to organize skills trainings for the councilors which she said would help boost their livelihood.“We are going to partner with the Kampala minister so that we have these skills trainings in December because you will benefit as a party member as well as on an individual level,” Ms Sseninde said.The meeting, according to the organizers, is one of a series of others to happen and aimed at boosting the NRM party spirit and recruitment of new members into the party.
