The newly sworn-in Mayor of Ibanda Municipality, Deusdedit Murinde, has pledged to push for the elevation of the municipality to city status during his term in office.
Murinde made the remarks on Thursday shortly after taking oath during the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected municipal leaders and councillors. He said achieving city status will require commitment from both political leaders and technical staff to improve service delivery within the municipality.
“We can only achieve city status if we demonstrate the ability to provide quality services to our people,” Murinde said. “This includes ensuring access to clean water, proper waste management, functional health centres and effective disaster management systems.”
The mayor noted that transforming Ibanda into a city would create more opportunities for development, investment and improved infrastructure in the area. He added that the municipality has the potential for rapid growth if leaders work together towards a common goal.
Murinde urged the newly sworn-in councillors to prioritise the needs of residents and remain committed to improving service delivery across all divisions of the municipality.
“I call upon all councillors to work hard and put the interests of the people first,” he said. “Our success will depend on unity, transparency and dedication to serving the people of Ibanda.”
He further emphasised the importance of accountability and teamwork among leaders, noting that political differences should not derail development programmes intended to benefit residents.
Several councillors welcomed the mayor’s vision, expressing optimism that the new leadership would focus on improving public services and accelerating development projects within the municipality.
The swearing-in ceremony marked the official beginning of the new municipal leadership term, with residents expressing hope that the leaders will fulfil their promises and address the key challenges affecting the municipality.
