Summary:
- Kabale Municipality was among the 15 municipalities approved by the cabinet for city status in May 2019, with the transition planned to occur in phases. The first phase included Arua, Gulu, Jinja, Fort Portal, and Mbarara, followed by Hoima and Mbale in 2021, and Lira and Entebbe in subsequent phases. Others slated for elevation are Nakasongola, Moroto, Masaka, Soroti, Kabale, and Wakiso.
KABALE: A pressure group in Kabale District under the Kabale City Claim Forum (KCCF), has taken decisive action by initiating the formation of a task force comprising skilled lobbyists aimed at advancing the operationalization of Kabale City.
Abel Bizimana, the LC5 Chairman of Kisoro District and a member of the KCCF WhatsApp group, proposed the idea to over 300 individuals. He emphasized the importance of including individuals residing within the proposed city boundaries, along with politicians and other stakeholders from the Kigezi region. Bizimana underscored that civilian lobbyists would be best suited for this task, stressing that the transition of Kabale to city status is not a matter of debate but rather a question of timing. He emphasized that the upcoming election season presents an opportune moment for this transition.
Highlighting Kabale’s historical significance as the former headquarters of Kigezi district and its strategic links to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Bizimana argued that the city’s justification for elevation should have been addressed long ago. His sentiments were echoed by fellow forum members, including Barnabas Tugumisirize, the Chairman of the Kabale City Claim Forum, who supported the establishment of a lobbyist taskforce to intensify pressure on the government and counter opposition to Kabale city status.
Dr. Joseph Tindyebwa, the former Deputy Secretary-General of the Forum for Democratic Change Party, suggested exploring legal avenues such as petitioning the high court or Constitutional court to enforce Kabale city status based on its historical political significance as a central municipality in the colonial sub-region of Kigezi. Grace Ankunda Bwesigye, a hopeful candidate for Kabale District Woman Member of Parliament, also endorsed the idea, emphasizing the potential benefits in terms of infrastructure, education, healthcare, and local markets once the city is operationalized.
CUE IN ANKUNDA…..ON CITY STATUS………RR//
Emmanuel Sentaro Byamugisha expressed anticipation for a response from the Ministry of Local Government regarding the demarcation necessary for Kabale city status. Byamugisha assured Kabale residents that the city’s development trajectory is irreversible and condemned any attempts to derail the process.
CUE IN BYAMUGISHA….ON MATTER……RR/ENG//
Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, affirmed that the resolution to operationalize Kabale City remains unopposed in both cabinet and parliament. He confirmed that the city would be operationalized in the 2025/2026 financial year.
CUE IN MINISTER MAGYEZI…..ON THE MATTER……RR//
Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, the former Prime Minister of Uganda and Special Envoy for Special Duties in the Office of the President, urged people to refrain from politicizing government decisions and instead cooperate to ensure the successful operationalization of Kabale City. Rugunda emphasized the potential benefits of the city for Kabale residents, Ugandans as a whole and cross-border trade with Rwanda and the DRC.
CUE IN RUGUNDA….ON CITY STATUS…..RR//
Kabale Municipality was among the 15 municipalities approved by the cabinet for city status in May 2019, with the transition planned to occur in phases. The first phase included Arua, Gulu, Jinja, Fort Portal, and Mbarara, followed by Hoima and Mbale in 2021, and Lira and Entebbe in subsequent phases. Others slated for elevation are Nakasongola, Moroto, Masaka, Soroti, Kabale, and Wakiso.
