UGANDA, Jinja | Real Muloodi News | The Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority, Dorothy Kisaka and the Kampala City Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago, say there is a need to integrate cities in Uganda through a cities’ forum that will see the beginning of more development programs.
The two revealed this during a dinner hosted by KCCA’s top leadership at Jinja Nile Resort in Jinja City last month.
The Jinja City Mayor Alton Peter Kasolo Okocha, his Deputy Fazira Kawuma, the Jinja City Council Speaker Bernard Mbayo, Jinja Northern Division Mayor Ayub Wabika and councillors from Jinja Northern Division and City Council were in attendance.
In her speech at the dinner, Dorothy Kisaka says that having a cities’ forum has been one of her heartfelt dreams as the Executive director of the Capital City Authority.
She added that a cities’ forum creation is not just developmental, but also improves social relationships among the cities’ leadership.
She says that there is a need to lead the development of cities to cater for people who are moving away from rural areas.
She gave an example of her recent visit to Germany, where she realised that people had moved from the rural areas to cities and their government had made an excellent preparation for them in the cities.
Mr Lukwago, in support of the cities’ forum creation, requested Jinja City Mayor Kasolo to champion the issue and share the idea with other cities’ leadership in Uganda.
Jinja City Council Speaker Bernard Mbayo says that when they integrate these cities through the forum, it will bring the city mayors together.
Jinja City Mayor Peter Kasolo was also happy about the idea, saying it will enhance development and tourism in various cities.
He added that as the pioneer leaders of Jinja City, they have many challenges ahead and the cities’ forum will increase its lobbying capacity to solve those challenges if the forum is formed.
In the last financial year, the Uganda government elevated seven municipalities to city status in a phased process, which will see more towns become cities.
Among the new cities are Arua, Lira, Gulu, Mbale, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara and Fort Portal.
These were created as a result of protracted clamours by leaders and communities in anticipation of so many benefits that strategically come along with the new urbanisation status.
The former municipalities had to meet a series of legal prerequisites to qualify for city elevation to achieve such dreams.
The new cities have indeed seen progress since the attainment of city status. For example, Masaka City authorities recently rebirthed a plan to evaluate all buildings in Masaka City before setting new property tax rates.
The city council leadership was positive that they will be able to get more revenue from property tax for the developmental progress of the city.
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