Parliament Pushes to Have Regional Govts Operationalized

Members of Parliament (MPs) on Thursday passed a motion for a resolution of Parliament urging government to implement the regional governments established in Article 178 of the Constitution for effective service delivery.

The motion was moved by Buliisa County MP, Stephen Mukitale Biraahwa who said that there is need to operationalise Article 178 of the Constitution, which allows two or more districts to cooperate to form a regional government.

Article 176 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995 provides that the local government system to be based on the district as a unit of administration under which there shall be such local government and administratrve units as Parliament may by law prescribe.

Mukitale said that whereas Article 178 (13) of the Constitution effected Regional Governments on the 1st of July 2006, Parliament has not put in place the necessary legal framework for the operationalization of Regional Governments.

The legislstor however said that efforts to set up regulations were shielded after the Bill (Regional Government Bill, 2009) that was introduced to Parliament by the then Local Government Minister, Adolf Mwesige never saw any green light.

In his motion, Mukitale wanted the regional governments to be defined according to the demarcations that existed at the time of colonialism including Buganda, Busoga, Budama, Bugisu, Teso, Karamoja, Lango, Acholi, West Nile, Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole, Bukedi and Kigezi.

Furthermore he seeks that major regional towns such as Jinja, Arua, Mbale, Gulu and Mbarara be elevated to cities to decongest Kampala and take services closer to the people.

“Now therefore, be it resolved that Parliament urges Government to re-introduce before Parliament a Bill to operationalize regional Governments as commanded by Article 178 (4) and paragraphs 2 and 4 of the Fifth schedule to the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda,” Mukitale requested.

He urged for “commencement of the processes leading to the creation of Mengo Municipality, Hoima Municipality, Jinja Municipality, Gulu Municipality and Lira Municipality as commanded by Article 178 (a) of the Constitution”.