By Weswa Ronnie
NAMISINDWA
The Namisindwa District LCV Chairman has spoken out on the impasse prevailing between the LCV Executive and Councilors who have boycotted the Budget Laying for FY2024/25.
Jackson Wakwaika who spoke to this reporter in an exclusive phone interview yesterday, 21st March, accused the councilors of arm-twisting the district leadership.
Councilors had earlier in the day, unanimously boycotted the laying of the budget for FY2024/25 after accusing the district of failing to fulfill their demands of taking them for a study tour which was budgeted for in the last financial year of 2023/24.
They also accused the Executive of failing to account for 2023/24 budget and that the LCV chairperson is having interest in new committee chairpersons, the council was supposed to appoint and approve.
Wakwaika says that councilors are very aware that the study tour has been scheduled for May this year saying they only want to force the district to run on their schedule by taking them for the tour this month not knowing that it needs funds which need proper planning.
He says that on the issue of accounting for the 2023/24 budget, he has done that during his State of affairs address which unfortunately was skipped by councilors opposed to his administration.
Wakwaika also says that he has no interest in appointing and or approving committee chairpersons since its councilors mandated to do it during council.
He acknowledged that the term of office of the current committee chairpersons expired in December last year adding that council was supposed to appoint and approve new ones on 21st March, 2024 during council which councilors boycotted over minor issues.
He adds that delaying to lay the budget is going to affect service delivery because according to the law, all local governments must have laid budgets of FY2024/25 by April yet they have few days to April.
However, Perez Weswa the chief whip also councilor representing Bungati Sub County says they still maintain their stand of not laying the budget until the district fulfills their demands.
Emmanuel Khamali, councilor representing Bubutu Sub County says that if they lay the budget they will not be given their tour.
