By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu
MBARARA
Mbarara city council has passed 67billion shillings budget. During a council meeting held at the City council hall chaired by speaker Bonny Tashobya that commenced at 11:30AM.
He applauded the councilors for the good work they are doing especially the joint committee for making budget allocations.
Mr. Tashobya during his communication showed disbelief about the city service commission for their greed for money that has tarnished their name as a corrupt city after they were arrested for soliciting for bribes in the recent recruitment process.
City Mayor Hon. Mugabi Robert Kakyebezi highlighted some of the challenges the city has faced in this financial year that include river Rwizi floods that washed away some of the connecting bridges like TASO village bridge that connects Kitebero cell to Medical cell and Kanyeyite bridge that connects Kakoba to Isingiro district.
Kakyebezi thanked the security agencies for their efforts to save lives during the floods. He called upon the public to use alternative routes to reach their destinations than losing lives while trying to use short cuts by boats.
During this sitting, the city clerk Assy Abireebe was put on the spot for being the leading cause for poor revenue collection especially from the street parking.
Councilor Betty Tigefera who is also the council’s chief whip said the city contractor for street parking signed a contractual agreement of 9.2million but since then he has been paying only 7.2Million. Tigefera revealed that street parking contractor still owes council 138millions and the contract ends in December. She therefore argued the congrats committee not to add the company another tender.
The angry councilors therefore tasked the city clerk to devise means and collect the revenue from the street parking and Ruti market or else he gets ready to pay it out of his pocket.
Lord mayor Kakyebezi said the poor service delivery and budget utilization is caused by delays by the central government to give them money especially when they request for supplementary budget.
He noted that they received 5.5 billion shillings on the city account yesterday which they cannot spend within the remaining days to the end of the financial year.
Mbarara city’s budget for the financial year 2023-2024 much emphasis was put on health,schools and influstructure development.
Lord mayor requested for the government to consider upgrading the City council health centre IV to hospital level in order to decongest Mbarara regional referral hospital. He advised the public to always consider seeking treatment from the lower health centers before advancing to the city council health centre IV and Mbarara regional referral hospital.
