The State Minister of Finance, Henry Musasizi has insisted that Government has no money to fund operationalization of more regional cities.
Musasizi who doubles as Rubanda East MP was over the weekend addressing Local Government leaders in a meeting at his residence in Bushure Village, Mpungu Parish, Hamurwa Subcounty, Rubanda District.
His statement is in response to a section of people from Kabale District demanding for operationalization of Kabale City that was approved by Parliament, but was not operationalized after Government failed to provide funds for boundary opening and subsequent operation.
Kabale is one of the four regional cities created by parliament in 2020, the others being Moroto, Nakasongola, Wakiso and Entebbe. However Government has kept postponing their operationalization, citing lack of enough funds.
Recent reports by some media outlets indicated that the remaining cities would be operationalized in the next financial year, however Minister Musasizi’s statements point the debate into a different direction.
Musasizi argues that the regional cities are not economically viable because they only drain the consolidated fund as Government tries to meet administrative costs, but with less impact on the National economy.
“We have learnt that some people want this city (Kabale) so that we can create more constituencies and satisfy their Political needs. They should stop being selfish. We would rather use that money on roads, industrialization, among others that benefit more people,” Musasizi said.
“I want to hear people puting us on pressure to construct roads where they have not been, rehabilitate and maintain those in existence, demand factories, and other things that benefit all people, not Cities to benefit a few individuals.”
Hon. Musasizi also revealed that Government was still struggling to fund operation of the administrative Units created in the last political term of office, including Town Councils, and it would be unwise to double the burden by adding more cities on the National expenditure.
He said that Kabale City and others remaining will be operationalized in future, but Government was focussed on boosting the economy through infrastructure development and industrialization, rather than creating more administrative units.
“Cities do not bring development, but development brings cities. Let’s first support Kabale to develop, have factories, good infrastructure, and others like that, and then the City will come; not the other way round,” he said.
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