By Weswa Ronnie
SIRONKO
A Council session called for purpose of laying budget estimates for the Financial Year 2024/25 at Sironko district nearly flopped after councilors walked out of the meeting.
This happened yesterday, 28th March, 2023 when the angry councilors matched out of the session saying the district authorities had not paid their sitting and committee meeting allowances amounting to Shs20M.
Drama ensued at the point of budget laying when all councilors unanimously matched out of the council demanding their payment before resuming the council.
They however, resumed the session after the intervention of the after Chief administrative officer, Luke Lokuda who managed to calm them down after a 10 minutes’ meeting outside the council hall.
Phiona Kayenze, the district female youth councilor told this website that they wanted to refuse laying of the budget as a protest since the district has delayed to clear their arrears for previous sittings.
She adds that as councilors they are not on government payroll meaning allowances is the only way of getting money to sustain their lives and providing basic needs to their children and other family members.
Meresi Mudenga, councilor representing Mutufu Town Council also says that besides the CAO holding talks with them, they accepted to lay the budget for the good of their voters such that they can get services.
She says that they are not ready to have the next council unless the district cleares all their arrears.
However, Lokuda says that the delay came as a result of low local revenue they collect.
He adds that councilors’ allowances are got from local revenue which is low currently due to few markets and other utilities which generate local revenue.
Lokuda urged councilors to be calm saying that before the end of next month, all arrears will be cleared.
Sironko district has over 50 councilors and each is entitled to get 128,000/= per sitting as allowances.
