Lira district now wants the government to provide them with over 1o billion as a start-up capital for the construction of the new district headquarters after a long time tension over the ownership of property between Lira district and Lira city.
This was revealed on Friday 11th/Aug/2023 by Francis Okello Olwa the clerk to council while representing the chief administrative officer for lira district in a meeting with the parliamentary committee on public service chaired by Hon Martin Ojara Mapenduzi.
There has been conflict between the City and the district over the take over the district headquarters and the resources that were for Lira district before the creation of Lira city.
Okello said for so long the city has been embroiled in a fight with the district over the ownership of resources including land where he accused some city leaders of trying to block the operation of the district land board including the arrest of some staff.
Cox Marks Okello Orik said the district mostly the health department is now limping with a smaller number of staff but the public service has blocked the district from recruiting this staff.
Okello added that the district proposed that Ewal and Ngetta be taken back to the district for them to have a position in the center of Erute north and south for the construction of the district headquarters which has brought conflict between the district councilors after proposing a site in Ogur sub-county.
However the Lira city mayor Sam Atul refuted the allegation of the fight between Lira district and Lira city saying that the issue was solved a long time ago and he is surprised to see the matter brought again to the committee.
Responding to these, the chairperson parliamentary committee on public service warned the leaders against the fight saying that any building or resources within the government gadget belong to no one but the government and they should not fight over it.
He added that it is the government that decides the date and the time to take over the property despite being on the premises of the city. He said the city takes responsibility automatically but the remaining will take over time that belongs to the government.
He advised the district leadership to start lobbying for other developmental projects to bring to the district. He however told the district to demand for a better headquarters than the existing one.
He revealed that the tension may affect the construction since the government does not deal with confused organizations. He said Soroti district has so far received 1b for construction and they will receive another 800 m in the next quarter.
The parliamentary committee was in the Lira district chamber for a fact finding on the current tension between the city and the district and the meeting was adjourned up to 29th/Aug/2023.
