Tayari News || Adonia Atuheire
KISORO- Kisoro District councilors have asked the Ministry of Local Government to increase their allowances from 150,000 shillings to one million, saying their current pay is insufficient to meet the costs of carrying out their official duties.
The councillors, led by Kisoro District LCV Chairperson Richard Ndyana, made the call during a three-day induction training for newly elected LC5 councillors held at the Kisoro District Council Hall.
The training, facilitated by the Ministry of Local Government, aimed at equipping newly elected councillors with the knowledge and skills required to effectively perform their roles, including planning, budgeting, legislation and monitoring government projects.
Ndyana said Kisoro’s hilly terrain and hard-to-reach areas make it difficult for councillors to effectively execute their duties with the current level of facilitation, adding that some councillors spend ‘large sums of money’ on transport to attend council meetings and carry out monitoring activities. Yet, their transport expenses are not fully covered.
“Kisoro is a district with a very hilly terrain and many hard-to-reach areas. Some councilors spend a lot of money on transport to attend council meetings and monitor government projects, but the 150,000 shillings they receive every three months is not enough to meet these costs,” Ndyana said.
Kisoro District Council Speaker Amos Hakizimana said members of the public mistakenly believe councillors earn substantial amounts of money simply by attending district council meetings.
Hakizimana said councilors face numerous financial challenges, particularly the high cost of transport, which sometimes affects their ability to attend council sittings and perform other official duties.
“There is a misconception that once you become a councillor, you start earning a lot of money. The reality is that councillors face many financial challenges, especially transport costs. They receive only 150,000 shillings, which is not enough to meet the costs of their official duties,” Hakizimana said.
He stressed the need for the allowances to be increased to at least UGX 1M.
“Each district Councilor receives only a small token of 150,000, which we would like to be increased to 1M because we do a lot of activities in the district.”
Tumwesigye Merab Winnie, a woman councillor representing Kirundo Sub-county and Rubuguri Town Council, said the low allowances make it difficult for councilors from hard-to-reach areas to effectively perform their duties.
She said poor road conditions in some parts of the district force councilors to spend more money on transport.
“The allowance is too little, especially for councillors who come from hard-to-reach areas where the roads are in poor condition. We spend a lot of money on transport when carrying out our government duties,” Merab said.
However, Mpeirwe Naboth from the Ministry of Local Government reminded the councillors that their key responsibilities include planning and monitoring government projects.
Naboth, who previously served as an LC5 councillor, described council leadership as a responsibility that requires patriotism, commitment and dedication to serving communities.
“Being a councillor is a responsibility that requires patriotism and commitment. Your role is to plan, participate in decision-making and monitor government projects to ensure that services reach the people,” Naboth said.
Naboth said the government could consider reviewing the allowances in the future but encouraged councilors to engage in income-generating activities to supplement their earnings.
Meanwhile, Monday Wilson, also from the Ministry of Local Government, appealed to residents to stop asking the councilors to provide them with money whenever they are invited to community meetings.
Wilson explained that councillors are not salaried and that the allowances they receive are primarily intended to facilitate their transportation while performing official duties.
Kisoro District Deputy Resident District Commissioner Dan Ndikumwami urged the councillors to take responsibility for supervising government projects in their respective areas and to fight corruption.
“You are the leaders on the ground, and you must supervise government projects in the areas you represent. You should also fight corruption and ensure that government resources are used for their intended purposes,” Ndikumwami said.
The councillors say improved facilitation would enable them to participate more effectively in council activities and strengthen their oversight of government projects and service delivery in their communities.