UGANDA: Crime rise blamed on dormant LC chiefs

By Dan Wandera

IN SUMMARY: Bamunanika locals say the inactive offices have seen a rise in crime and stall in community programmes.

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Luweero

The delay by government to organise local council elections for Bamunanika County in Luweero District could partly explain the increasing crime.

Residents say many of the current local council officials do not effectively respond to their concerns.

According to the Zirobwe Sub-county LC3 chairperson, Mr Abdon Mugerwa, community-based programmes that require mobilisation have also stalled because the local councils are not well composed and many of the officials have either left the areas while some have passed on.

“The LC officials we have lack confidence in themselves due to the pending election. Many of our people have no confidence in these LCs because they are constitutionally illegal. We even link the increasing criminal acts and land conflicts in our area to the failed elections,”Mr Mugerwa said.

At a consultative meeting with the area MP, Dr JC Muyingo, early this week, the residents told the Minister of Local Government, Mr Adolf Mwesigye, that many of the government programmes are not performing to the expectation.

However, the minister clarified that the local council elections were postponed due to lack of funds. “It is true that the delay in conducting the election for the local councils is overdue and it is affecting service delivery.

 We failed to get the Shs120b to conduct the election but we have drafted a law that will soon get to Parliament so we can conduct the election early next year at a cheaper cost,”Mr Mwesigye said.

Source: Daily Monitor (26/10/2012): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Crime+rise+blamed+on+dormant+LC+chiefs/-/688334/1598412/-/hq9iwu/-/index.html