Apac local leaders welcome government’s move on 100% pay rise

2 April 2024, 5:24 pm

By Mike Okwang Ogule & Isaac Newton Abili

Local government leaders (councilors) in Apac District have commended the move by government to enhanced their pay by 100 percent in the next financial year 2024/ 2025.

Speaking to our reporter, some local leaders within Apac district welcomed the move, saying it will help in improving the standards of living among local leaders especially Lc1 chairpersons across the country.

Mr. Tonny Omoko, the Obani Village Lc1 chairperson, Akere Parish in Apac Sub- County gave a thumb up to the move adding that government has for a long time been pledging for a better pay to local leaders but has severally failed to achieve this initiative which had continued to frustrate them as local leaders. He then beseeched success towards the move.

Santa Aneno, the Lc1 chairperson of Abwal B Village, Ongica Parish in Chegere Sub- County, on the other hand welcomed the intentions but also observed that it may not help in fighting the high level of corruption among local government leaders.

Patrick Anguzu, commonly known as chairman Rucu-rucu, who is the Lc1 chairperson of Acholi In Village, Kungu Parish in Akokoro Sub-county, however opposed the move, saying that government should instead focus on injecting funds towards health related issues such as restocking drugs in hospitals especially Akokoro Health Centre iii,  and improving on the standards of education in government aided schools other than wasting the anticipated huge sums of money on local leaders in the names of swelling their pay.

Susan Aromorac, the female councilor representing Apoi Sub- County to the Apac District local council welcomed the move ascribing that most local government leaders fear facing voters due to lack of money to support them.

Aromorac also called upon government to as well prioritize giving motorcycles to Local Government councilors in order to ease their mobility especially on monitoring different government programs within their localities.

Dickens Okello, the Lc3 chairperson of Chegere Sub- County also observed that government should have instead focused on financing lower local government which in many occasion grapples with development due to lack of funds for better services.

The Minister of local Government Raphael Magyezi who underscored the need to enhance the remuneration of local political leaders was last week on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 appearing before the House Committee on Public Service and Local Government, chaired by Hon. Ojara Martin Mapenduzi. The committee is currently considering the ministry’s Policy statement for next financial year 2024/2025. 

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ben Kumumanya, said that they will present a Cabinet Paper that will demonstrate a 100 percent increase for all the local political leaders since audits have established that there are gross variations in public servants’ pay.

Currently, chairpersons at Parish and village levels receive a monthly remuneration of Shs10,000; while sub-county chairpersons receive Shs400,000 and Shs35,000 for sub-county councilors. 

Municipal, City and District Councilors are paid 250,000 Shillings per month, subject to tax. Speakers and Deputy Speakers across various levels range from Shs300,000 to Shs600,000, while members of the City and District Executive Committee receive Shs600,000 per month.  City and District Chairpersons earn Shs2 million. 

According to the Ministerial Policy Statement, the Ministry of Local Government has been allocated a budget estimate of Shs202.15 billion, an increase of Shs36.7 billion from the current financial year of Shs166.8 billion.

Some of the Ministry’s priority areas next financial year include reviewing of the Decentralization Policy Framework, amendment of the Local Government Act, Cap,243, and implementation of the Parish Development Model.