By: Ismael Kasooha
MPIGI
Many gaps have been identified in service delivery as the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah leads an inter-ministerial and agency probe into service delivery.
During one of the public hearings, three District officials from Mpigi and Gomba were held for interrogation after presenting inconsistent accountabilities on road construction works in the two districts.
This happened during a meeting called to discuss the state of roads and other social services in Mpigi, Butambala and Gomba Districts.
The meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja took place at Mpigi District Police Station playground.
The officials held include the District Engineer Mpigi Samuel Kyambadde, , the District Water Officer, Joseph Sekalega who was acting Engineer at the time the questionable construction works were conducted.
The third civil servant was from the District of Gomba.
The Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja accompanied by a cross section of Ministers, held a similar meeting in Luweero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola Districts.
The Prime Minister is holding stakeholders’ meetings to address gaps in effective service delivery and challenges affecting the people across the country.
During the meeting it was discovered that the district LC V chairman Mpigi has overlapping responsibilities because he is the secretary for works, chairman of the Roads committee which leads to conflict of interest.
“We shall not accept civil servants to misuse government funds and then the public start blaming us for not delivering as promised in our manifesto,” said Nabbanja.
The ministers who included the Local government Minister Raphael Magyezi and Haruna Kasolo for Finance advised Mpigi LC V Chairman Martin Ssejjemba to give responsibilities to other people instead piling up all crucial sectors on himself.
“You cannot be the secretary for works and at the same time chair the District Roads Committee yet you are the District Chairperson,” advised Magyezi.
Haruna Kasolo advised LC V chairpersons to read and understand the law otherwise the civil servants will take them for a ride and do whatever they want.
A number of local leaders who attended this meeting contested some sections of the presentation made on social services like roads.
Other issues brought to the attention of the Prime Minister included rampant land grabbing and theft of road equipment.
Raphael Magyezi the Local Government Minister asked for a forensic audit of local revenue collection in Mpigi and also assured the people that government suspended the creation of new administrative units until 2025.
Aisha Ssekindi, the State Minister for Water warned the public that if environmental conservation is not prioritized even the little water available will be lost.
The Executive Director UNRA Allen Kagina made a presentation on completed and ongoing projects under the NDPIII.
Earlier, the Prime Minister made on the spot visit at Mpigi Town Central Market, where she met with the market vendors. She encouraged them to embrace the Parish Development Model as an avenue to get themselves out of poverty.
The meeting was graced by the Vice chairman NRM Buganda Region Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi, Rose Namayanja the NRM Deputy Secretary General, a cross section of Ministers, respective heads of government agencies and Greater Mpigi Members of Parliament.
However, by the time the meeting ended all members of Parliament had left incognito.
Ends