By Patrick Edward Musisi, Buikwe
Newly elected local council I and II executives for Buikwe Town Council have been urged to actively engage in activities geared at scaling up performance of primary leaving examination (PLE) finalists which is in a bad shape.
The advice was last week made by the LC III chairperson Godfrey Serunjogi at a one-day induction course for the councilors of the fifteen zones and two wards making up Buikwe town council, held at Jesus Cares Ministries Church.
Serunjogi was sad to note that in last year’s PLE, the 21 schools in the town council registered only nine first grades, compared to 14 scored by a single school in neighbouring Najjembe sub-county, and partly attributed this to low involvement of local councilors.
“Stop underrating your abilities and set up networks with school administrators to identify late coming teachers and those absenting themselves without reasonable excuse, and take the responsibility to report them to us for action”, Serunjogi advised.
The Town Clerk Ronnie Kauma advised the councilors that unless they liaise with technical staff, they may never be able to implement their election manifestos, noting that it is civil servants who have the machinery for this.
He noted that civil servants are exposed to the politicians for use at any time, and advised that this is one simple and cheap method of showing accountability to their voters, adding, “using us is the only way of justifying your future continuity as people’s elected leaders”.
And the officer in-charge of Buikwe police station Gastone Twinamasiko appealed to the leaders to advise locals to stop dumping suspects at the police and neglecting to follow up cases to ensure their production in court for prosecution.
Twinamasiko noted that unless residents give make statements pinning suspects, it is impossible for police to proceed with prosecution, and in the circumstances release suspects for want of prosecution. He added that this has been the cause of baseless accusations that police releases suspects under dubious circumstances.
Buikwe Assistant Chief Administrative Officer (ACAO) Charles Musoke Kayizzi blamed LC leaders who neglect their roles because they fear to antagonize voters, to the extent of looking as unruly men beat their wives.
He advised the women to raise their voices against husbands who trample on their rights, and against all forms of marginalization by society basing on their sex.
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