Africa-Press – Uganda. Minister of Local Government Raphael Magyezi has ordered the Mbarara town clerk to clear councillors’ allowances.The directive followed a petition by Mbarara Municipal councillors, who accused the municipality of failure to pay their allowances for 18 months.
“We are handling the issues of the councillors because their money was released. Even if they are not sitting, their money for ex-gratia and for monitoring government’s programmes should be paid,” Mr Magyezi said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
He said the matter had been brought to the attention of the Permanent Secretary and ministry of Local Government.“The money is with the city clerk so he is supposed to pay them,” Mr Magezi said.In a petition signed by 27 of 47 former Mbarara Municipal councillors, the petitioners threatened to sue the municipality.
Response
Mbarara City clerk Theo Tibihika said they are processing payments but were only being held up by the bureaucracy in government. “The payments are in two parts, one is ex-gratia, that one we have processed and we are giving them. Another one is allowances from local revenue so we are processing both. In government you do not wake up and pay now, there is a process and we are managing the process,” he said.Mr Tibihika also said some of the councillors have already been paid.
“We have paid those at the centre, the divisions have also told me they are preparing to pay…,” he said.Mr Tibihika explained that council sittings have not taken place because of legal issues surrounding city status.
