Rukungiri district councillors threaten to boycott council sittings over allowance deductions

Rukungiri: The Rukungiri district councillors have threatened to boycott council sittings over allowance deductions and arrears.

Angry councillors who spoke to our reporter intimated that decreasing their allowances has created a toll effect on their incomes and their movements to collect views fromthe people they represent, has been severely affected. 

Albert Mugisha Rwamugata, the district councillor for Buyanja sub-county revealed that councillors have not been paid their allowance overtime. He told our reporter that they were instead shocked to learn that their allowances were revised down by more than fifty percent.

The district Councilor for Nyakagyeme sub-county Alex Omuzinga said that since October 2023, they have not been paid their allowances and wondered how the district leadership has failed to practice it’s constitutional obligation of facilitating them.

The Rukungiri district Chief Administrative officer Hajji Waswa Masokoi in response to allegations informed our reporter that councillors are entitled to get sitting allowances but they must match with the available budget.

He however disputed the allegations by councilors concerning allowance arrears noting that they have been paying them. 

Masokoi further promised that the council will increase its members allowances in the next financial year if the budget and resources allow.