By ANDREW MUKOMA
APPROXIMATELY K103.5 million budget indicating a 261% increase from the K 28.6 million for last year’s budget has been approved for Monze Town Council in Southern Province.
In an interview with the Daily Nation, Monze Town Council Spokesperson Kanchele Kanchele explained that the budget was approved during the Full Council Meeting held on December 31, 2021.
Mr Kanchele said, the budget estimates indicates an increase of 261% from the 2021 budget which stood at K 28.6 million owing to an increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) by the UPND Government which previously was at K1.6 million to K 25,700,000 summing up to K 77.1 million for Monze District which has three Constituencies.
“Yes I can confirm that the Council has approved a K103.5 million budget for 2022. Last year’s budget was K 28.6 million. From this budget K 77.1 million is coming in from the Constituency Development Fund which was increased by the New Dawn Government from K1.6 million to K25.7 million,” he said.
“And I have to mention that this budget was crafted bearing in mind the 2022 Budget Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development using the Output Based Budgeting (OBB) system. The mandate of the approved budget is to provide efficient, effective and affordable Municipal services in an equitable and sustainable manner as provided for under section 16 of the Local Government Act no. 2 of 2019 and prescribed under article 147 (2) annexure C of the amended Constitution no 2 of 2016,” he said.
He explained that the budget is set to realize four sectors which he highlighted as Economic Transformation and Job creation, Human and Social Development, Environment Sustainability and Good Governance Environment.
Mr Kanchele further said that out of the 103.5 million, 60% will be channeled towards community services while 20% will be channeled towards women and youth empowerment programs and the other 20% will go towards education bursaries.
He said Monze Town Council will endeavor to improve the quality of life of the people in the district through the development of a sustainable economic environment and the provision of affordable services and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Monze Town Council Chairperson Powell Mutenguna has told the Daily Nation in a separate interview that COVID-19 has affected the local authority’s revenue base.
Mr Mutenguna disclosed that most entities were struggling to pay rates and revenue which has resulted to about K 6.8 million being owed to the Council.
He said that the local authority was looking at ways and means on how those who are owing can be engaged to ensure a moderate way of payment can be established.
“On entities struggling to settle their bills, the local authority through management is considering to give an amnesty but that issue will be handled by management,” he said.
“We are trying to see how best we can do it and make everyone afford to pay especially those that are owing the council in terms of rates and revenue. In fact, I will be engaging those in the central business district to see how best they can afford to pay the council because it is owed about K 6.8 million,” Mr Mutenguna said.
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