Africa-Press – Uganda. Jinja District authorities have defied a directive by the Attorney General (AG) to relinquish some of their property to Jinja City.
Jinja Municipality gained city status on July 1, 2020, following Parliament declaration. Other new cities include Arua, Mbale, Soroti, Masaka, Lira, Gulu, Fort Portal and Mbarara.
Following the elevation, the AG advised that since the district was shifting its headquarters to Kagoma, the buildings that have been hosting the district offices in Jinja Municipality be given to the city council.
But the district chairperson, Mr Moses Batwala, told a district council meeting last week that his administration will not surrender its property to the city council because it used its meagre resources to construct them.
Mr Batwala and the councillors further argued that most sources of revenue for the district have been taken away following the expansion of the city boundaries.
“Most lucrative parts of the district from where we have been collecting money were annexed to the city, leaving us with minimum sources of revenue. They want us to surrender all the property (to the city) which would otherwise be rented out to get income,” he said.
The council also unanimously resolved that the chief administrative officer (CAO), Ms Lilian Nakamatte, immediately puts caveats on all district property with land titles, prohibiting their takeover by Jinja City authorities.
The councillors also resolved that the city authorities only take over markets, schools, sub-county administration blocks and health centres, but not the district administration block.
The district chairperson vowed that “they are ready for war” over ownership of their property regardless of the advice from the central government. “For me I am known for fighting wars and this one concerning property takeover will not defeat me, even if there are orders from above,’’ he vowed.
The Jinja resident district commissioner (RDC), Mr Elijah Madoi, however, advised the councillors not to conflict with the law when passing resolutions, advising that discussions should first be considered and exhausted.
When contacted, Mr Peter Okocha Kasolo, the Jinja City Mayor, said the law will take its course.
“I have no time to make noise over something that can be determined by the law. I cannot respond to whatever those people are saying, but only waiting for what the law says,” he added.
Mr Kasolo said he received the communication of the AG over the matter and is sticking to it.
AG’s response
The Attorney General (AG), Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, in his October 21, 2021 legal opinion to the Minister of Local Government Raphael Magyezi, advised mother districts of the newly created cities to relinquish their current headquarters to the latter and establish district headquarters elsewhere.
For immovable assets, Mr Kiwanuka said they are naturally passed on to the cities since one administrative unit or local government cannot own or maintain administrative offices or social services facilities in another.
He further advised that for movable assets, the new cities and districts may equitably divide them between themselves.
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