The Makerere University Muluka III LC3 Councilor who doubles as Kawempe Division Speaker Rt. Hon. Harris Justus Akampurira Walakira has vowed to influence cuts in lavish spending by KCCA to facilitate Division Council Meetings.
Mr. Akampurira rapped the Police Force for interrupting and firing teargas at a Council Meeting he was convening in the slum of Katanga as an effort to reach the people better and cut on the lavish expenditure that has hitherto been “wasted” hiring hotels for the same meeting.
According to Mr. Akampurira, the Police’s efforts to frustrate yesterday’s meeting were uncalled for and wasteful as they didn’t factor in the reasons for such an extra-ordinary convening.
Addressing Journalists earlier today, the Speaker emphasized that such are some of the measures he hopes to use in his tenure as Speaker of the Kawempe Division Council to reduce their costs of operation and possibly channel the money to better the lives of the people.
“The Division Council is like a local parliament. And you know the parliament is a representation of the people. We must therefore work and be seen to work in the interests of our people, not against.” Akampurira said.
He informed Journalists that Division Council meetings happen quarterly or sometimes more often in a shorter time and that each session takes down over Shs 9M for venue hiring. When that money is factored in the five Divisions of Kampala, KCCA spends over 65M to conduct Division Council meetings quarterly and over Shs 260M annually.
“That money can be put to better use. In Kawempe alone, over 40% of solid garbage is not collected. And even other divisions have their troubles. Imagine what that money can do?” Akampurira pondered.
He has since resolved to cut down on that expenditure by his council and to rally his fellow Division Speakers to do the same. “Our people are whom we represent. We should never be alien to them or their interests. We have to show them that we understand their troubles and are committed to solving them together. So we shall even be convening meetings near garbage collection centres for awareness and strict awakening of our duties and responsibilities as Councilors.” He added.
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