Lira district declines to handover Lira district headquarters to Lira city

By Denish Ongora (denish.ongora@vol.co.ug)

Lira

Lira district chairman has rejected a move to hand over Lira district headquarters to Lira city.

The draft Cities and local government regulations tabled before parliament recently and later referred to the committee of local government, stipulates how districts from which new cities were formed are supposed to share assets with the city authorities.

The draft Cities and local government regulations states that the assets currently situated in a particular administrative unit will remain under the ownership of the particular administrative unit, staff accommodation will also be under the mandate of the district or city where it is situated, houses with land titles will be under the city or district where it is located, among others.

Lira district chairman RCM Okello Orik said the cities and local government regulations has some loopholes which should be fixed before it is approved for implementation.

Okello Orik said much as the cities and local government regulations states that housing estates, and headquarters like Lira district chambers should remain under the custody of Lira city the same states that all buildings in titled land belongs to the district.

He said headquarters of former Sub Counties of Lira district have been given to Lira district like; Lira, Ngetta, Adekokwok as well as schools and health facilities and they are not willing to hand over more assets to Lira city.

Effort to hear from Lira City mayor, Sam Atul was futile as he did not answer our calls.

Lira city and district are still embroiled in a struggle for assets. Recently, Lira district resolved to sell some of their assets to support construction of a new headquarters in Ogur, while the district chambers was to be rented out.