Zombo councillors reject proposal to offer district cows to clear security guard’s arrears
However, the proposal faced criticism from other councillors.
Zombo: A section of councillors in Zombo District has rejected a proposal to offer two out of five cows belonging to the district to a security guard at the District Farm Institute in Aka Sub-County to settle his arrears.
The security guard’s debt has accumulated to UGX 3.2 million, though the exact period over which the arrears have accumulated remains unclear.
The proposal was tabled by the District Production, Natural Resources, and Commercial Services Committee during the first quarter performance report for the 2024/25 financial year, presented on December 18, 2024, at the district council hall.
The committee, led by Princess Kristober, the female youth district councillor, stated that the security guard had not been paid his wages, which were not budgeted for in the current financial year.
Kristober explained that the committee recommended giving the security guard two cows from the district’s herd of five as part of his arrears, with the remaining three cows to be sold to raise funds.
The District Farm Institute, located in Aka Sub-County, spans over 100 acres and includes several projects, including the Presidential Skilling Hub.
Denis Dongwa Omika, the secretary of the Production Committee, defended the proposal, stating that previous attempts to pay the security guard had failed due to a lack of funds.
He explained that much of the department’s funding is conditional and insufficient to cover the debt, which led to the suggestion of using cows to clear the arrears.
However, the proposal faced criticism from other councillors.
Denis Ocuna, the district councillor for Warr, called for the acquisition of more animals at the facility.
Joyce Ayabutho, the female councillor for Nyapea Sub-County, strongly rejected the proposal, questioning why the security guard had not been paid for such a long period.
The Zombo district LCV Chairperson, James Oruna Oyullu, also rejected the proposal, recommending that the security guard be retained and paid by the CAO’s office and relevant departments in the next fiscal year. He suggested that local revenue should be allocated to cover the arrears in the coming budget.
The Council Speaker, Hassan Ringtho, urged the concerned authorities to take the council’s resolutions seriously for effective service delivery in the district.
The Zombo Resident District Commissioner, Festus Ayikobua, called on all departments to enhance their oversight roles to improve service delivery.
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