Newly elected leaders in Lugazi Municipality have been urged to focus on improving service delivery and addressing community needs following their swearing-in ceremony held at the municipal headquarters in Buikwe District.
Chief Magistrate of Lugazi Roselyn Nsenge called on the 39 sworn-in leaders to treat their offices as a public trust, emphasizing that leadership should be guided by law, accountability, and service to the people.
Nsenge reminded the councilors that taking the oath of office legally binds them to serve citizens within the framework of the law, and urged them to regularly consult the Local Government Act in the execution of their duties.
“Always consult the Local Government Act while carrying out your duties,” she advised.
Following the ceremony, a special council sitting chaired by Nsenge elected Milton Kavuma as Speaker of Lugazi Municipality.
Kavuma pledged to represent residents effectively by promoting government programmes, monitoring service delivery, and encouraging public participation in governance.
Lugazi Municipality Mayor-elect Kiwanuka said his administration would prioritize improving road infrastructure, particularly in Najjembe and Kawolo divisions, to ease transportation of agricultural produce to markets.
“We are going to prioritize improving road connectivity, especially in Najjembe and Kawolo divisions, so that farmers can transport their produce to markets more easily,” Kiwanuka said.
He also pledged stronger accountability in revenue collection, noting that although Lugazi is one of the wealthier municipalities due to its industrial base, local revenue performance has been weak due to mismanagement.
“Lugazi Municipality is one of the wealthiest municipalities because of the many factories here, but the revenue collected remains low and often disappears in the hands of a few individuals. We shall ensure transparency and proper utilization of public funds,” he said.
Lugazi Municipality Town Clerk Juliet Nakawuka urged the new leaders to work closely with technical staff to identify and resolve service delivery gaps.
She encouraged them to maintain coordination with civil servants to ensure timely response to community concerns and improved implementation of government programmes.