Local council chairpersons warned against selling gov’t bicycles

Mbarara – LC1 and LC2 chairpersons from Mbarara city have received the long waited official bicycles from the government of Uganda. A total number of 210 bicycles were delivered and handed to the LC1 and LC2 bosses.

During the handover of the bicycles, at a function held at Mbarara City Council offices last week, the beneficiaries were cautioned and warned never to be tempted to sell off the bicycles, since they are government property meant for the official but not for sale.

Assy Abirebe, the Mbarara City Town Clerk said that the bicycles are from the government of Uganda through the Ministry of Local Government.

He added that the bicycles were procured through a government policy to give a bicycle to every LC1 and LC2  chairperson in the country.

He further added that the bicycles are given to the local council chairpersons purposely for official use only.

“We are giving you the bicycle as LC1 boss or LC2 boss but you are not allowed to sell it off, it has to be your office property. We have an instruction  from the government to arrest any of you that attempts to sell off these bicycle.

If you lose it, you will have to replace it. You have to look at this bicycle as an official asset, use them to monitor your people and activities done in your area,” Abirebe said.

Col. James Mwesigye appealed to the LC1 and LC2 chairpersons to protect the bicycles as a government property. He said that they should not undermine it because it is what the government can afford to provide for them at the moment.

He added that they must appreciate what the government promised them long time ago. He reiterated the Town Clerk’s warning against selling the bicycles, less they will be arrested and brought to book.

Anthony Agaba, the LC1 Chairperson Kiyanja and former Mbarara City North MP aspirant told Wallnetnews that government has not done enough to LC1 chairpersons, arguing that they have brought the bicycles when some of the chairpersons are about to retire from office.

He further noted that the city chairpersons are not like those from local areas, adding that they do not deserve bicycles but instead motorcycles.

Agaba says that they continue to receive peanut allowances from government of Ugx10,000, which he says is quite disappointing given the high cost of living in the country.