Kotido District Council Approves Creation Of New District

By Jennifer Acheng

Kotido district council has approved the creation of a new district during the 16^th full council meeting that took place at the youth center, also former court hall o Tuesday.

The proposed Kacheri district if created will have its headquarters situated in Kokoria sub-county. The city population index quoting the 2020 Uganda Bureau of statistics- UBOS statistics puts the population of Kacheri at 34,200 people. Kotido district currently has thirteen sub counties and two town councils.

Ignatious Nangiro, the chairperson finance and administration committee, in a proposal presented by William Loturkana, the male councilor representing central division said the aim of creating a new district is to among others improve service delivery in the district, ensure proper monitoring of government projects, increase employment opportunities among others.

Emmanuel Lodio the Kotido district speaker said an adherence committee will now be formed to look into the demographic information in Kacheri and make the necessary recommendations to council in order to pave way for the development

Lodio says it’s a good move by the council aimed at causing development in the district, further dispelling fears that it is a political move.

Cue: Lodio eng.

The creation of the new district now awaits scrutiny by the ministry of local government that will later forward it to parliament for the final approval.

Article 179 of the Uganda constitution states that any measure for the alteration of the boundaries of or the creation of districts or administrative units shall be based on the necessity for effective administration and the need to bring services closer to the people, and it may take into account the means of communication, geographical features, density of population, economic viability and the wishes of the people concerned.

It should however, be noted that in 2021 the minister of local government Raphael Magyezi said that government had indefinitely suspended the creation of new administrative structures across the country.

The speaker of parliament Anita Among in July this year said the 11^th parliament may not create new districts or constituencies until some of the challenges the new administrative unites created in the past parliaments are resolved.