By Baluku Alex
Bukonzo County West Chairperson Local Council IIIs’ Forum has called on government to reopen the Mpondwe- Lhubiriha Boarder in order for them to realize local revenue for the development of their lower local governments.
In March 2020, government ordered for the closure of all border points as one of the means to curtail the spread of the deadly Covid-19.
The leaders especially those from the sub-counties that are adjacent to the Uganda –DRC border allege that they had projected to collect revenue from traders transacting across the border but when government ordered for the closure of border points, their projections were not realized.
Sunday Peter Kakule, who chairs the forum that brings all the eight Local Council III Chairperson together, says now that the rate of infection has drastically reduced, the government should allow the border markets to operate so that the community benefit from those markets and fulfill their obligations of paying taxes to lower local governments.
Through the para-social workers ad VHTs, Kakule adds that the forum will encourage all the legible people to get the Covid-19 jab as a basis for government to reopen the Mpondwe border.
Milton Kule Mbwarara, the Kanyatsi-Kithoma Town Council Chairperson says people living along the River Lhubiriha that separates Uganda and the DRC are most affected by the closure because they own farm gardens on the DRC side.
Details about the forum’s resolutions will come your way in our subsequent news broadcasts.
