Physical planning: Local Govt accuse politicians of interference

Amos Tayebwa

Mbarara

It has been established that politicians interfere with the implementation of physical planning in most urban centers, something that has affected the improvement of revenue for the Local Government Councils.

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During the stakeholders meeting with the team from the National Review Board about the physical planning for Mbarara District that was held at Kamukuzi headquarters, it was expressed that most people in the town councils of Mbarara district are not bothered about the building plans due to lack of sensitization and political influence.

Lucky Julius, the Mbarara District Senior Physical Planner said that as the department when they are executing building laws in the field, they face a challenge of political influence where some politicians collaborate with their electorates and confuse the enforcement towards the implementation of physical planning.

“When we are doing our mandatory duties in the field, sometimes you find someone is building a structure without a building plan simply because that person is connected to the big people in the government, some you find they are related to a certain politician either the District Chairman or a councilor and it becomes a bit difficult to launch an enforcement against them. Some politicians act against our enforcement in a way of shielding their voters, something that has hindered the implementation of physical planning,” said Lucky, Senior Physical Planner Mbarara District.

“We try to harmonise with some of the politicians and the communities, we appeal to the politicians to always help us during the implementation of government activities because when we enforce, people will build on plans, they will not build in wetlands, they will not build in road reserves, they will not build in ecological sensitive areas, I appeal to you to help us and sensitize our people about the physical planning,”he added.

Lucky urged the public especially in urban areas to follow the laws about the building plan. He mentioned that all the plans are supposed to be approved by the building committee and physical planning committee.

Susie Emmanuel, the Mbarara District local government building control officer said that when he was assigned for this job he found that there was a problem where some people in Mbarara District local government were not working as a team towards the implementation of physical planning, this prompted him to engage the CAO so that they can have a sensitization meeting by involving technical team and Political wing.

“Through the meeting that we have had today, I am hopeful that the information will be disseminated to the communities as we are planning to go by every sub-county and every town council to sensitize more so that even LC1 Chairpersons are involved. The truth is that the political wing has been interfering the process of implementing physical planning due to lack of sensitization but i hope things this time will change,” said Emmanuel.