The Minister of Local Government, Adolf Mwesige has revealed that the government has started making exgratia payments to Local Council chairmen in different parts of the country.
He says the government has relased over 5billion shillings to district Chief Administrative officers to effect the payment to local council (LC1) chairpersons in appreciation for their work.
VILLAGE and parish chairpersons countrywide have started getting a share of the sh5b the government released early this month for their exgratia payments.
The LC1 chairpersons advise on planning and implementation of government programmes at the village level; assist in the resolution of disputes, monitor the delivery of services and assist in the maintenance of law and order in their areas.
The ministers all the 57,364 LC1 chairpersons will receive 120, 000 Uganda shillings annually in exgratia payments as appreciation and not salary. He says plans are underway to see how government can facilitate the 7,000 LC2 chairpersons in the country.
But many people have criticised the government move as likely to result in the demoralisation of other local council members who are not being given money. Each local council has nine members, at least three of them are supposed to be women in line with the country’s affirmative action guidelines.
