Citizens including local leaders need to embrace the role played by LC 1’s in their communities. It is over 15 years since Uganda held elections for LC I’s and LC II’s and since then we have witnessed insecurity of people and property in all parts of the country because lower local leaders are not there or are not doing their work like supervision of government programs, keeping security and community development work among others.
These were words from Mr.Ssenyonjo Aloysius Mukwano the Chairperson People’s Rights and Forum for Development (PRIFODE) a community based organization doing advocacy work in Mugusu sub county, Kabarole District and coordinator of all advocacy forums initiated by ToroDev in Rwenzori sub region. Mr. Ssenyonjo said these words when he was hosted live on ToroDev’s supported weekly talkshow ‘Listeners Forum’ program that is aired live every Sunday 8-10pm on Jubilee on 24th June, 2018.
‘’I think it is high time government held elections for lower local councils in all the villages new and old districts if we are to talk of improved service delivery in our communities’’, said Mr. Ssenyonjo. He added that these leaders are not active they just be when there is sale of land or where they deem likely to benefit but other community services like communal works and others are no longer happening in communities.
Mr. Ssenyonjo said, the electoral commission a body responsible for coordinating elections in Uganda has earmarked dates to conduct these elections in July 2018 where women councils and LC I’s & LC II’s committees will be elected. He however, cautioned those aspiring for these elections to build back a more strong leadership which has been missing to link villages to the district level. He said this will help to reduce poverty and bring development in communities and also expand services at village levels as well as solving problems affecting our people at house hold level and improving general service delivery in the area.
‘’I urge everybody in the country to use his or her right to vote as given by the constitution and vote leaders who will solve the prevailing community problems and those willing to voluntarily work for people because the LC1 chairperson and his committee is the first administrative unit that oversees the state of service delivery in the village and connects to parish, sub county and eventually district level. We call upon these duty bearers once elected to fight corruption and aim at community development to improve service delivery in all development sectors’’, Said Mr. Ssenyonjo during the live radio talk show.
During the two hours live radio discussion listeners participated through calling in and Sms platforms:
“We are tired of the government to keep on postponing LC1 elections, this has kept them in offices for over 15 years yet they are not helping our areas to develop, we need to elect new leaders who are strong and willing to develop our areas’’, Said Christopher Winyi a caller from Nyansozi, Mugusu Sub county in Kabarole district. ‘’As citizens we are prepared to take part in these elections just waiting to be given the final road map and opportunity’’, Said Geofrey Kwezi through social media platform. “Citizens should vote for leaders who are active and ready to work for them, leaders who will fight corruption than accelerating it and those leaders who understand voluntary work and community development, otherwise we may not change much if we fail to be focused as electorates this time’’, Said Hellen Kemigisa a caller from Mukunyu in Kyenjojo district.
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