Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Member of Parliament for Bardege-Layibi Division, has urged Parliament to prioritize the welfare of local government leaders.
Ojara Mapenduzi, the former Gulu District Chairperson, warns that decades of poor remuneration, shrinking fiscal autonomy and inadequate funding are undermining service delivery at the grassroots.
Addressing newly elected Members of Parliament during an induction session at Parliament, Mapenduzi said local governments remain the backbone of public service delivery but continue to receive limited financial support despite shouldering the bulk of responsibilities in education, health, roads and community services.
He notes that the district chairperson is the political head of a district and provides both political and administrative leadership but earns far less than some individuals that he is supposed to supervise.
Mapenduzi said Parliament’s commitment to decentralisation should be reflected not only in legislation but also in budget appropriations, arguing that stronger local governments would translate into better governance, improved accountability and enhanced service delivery.
His call received immediate backing from Kilak North MP Anthony Akol, who said Parliament has for years failed to address the glaring disparities between the salaries of political leaders and technical officers in local governments.
Akol also questions the academic qualifications required for some elected local government leaders, proposing the introduction of a minimum qualification for LC3 chairpersons.
Mapenduzi concluded that if Parliament expects local governments to improve service delivery, it must match those expectations with adequate financing, stronger institutional support and better welfare for the leaders charged with implementing government programmes at the grassroots.
By Martin Oodng
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