Soroti District, city clash  over transfer of properties

“Whatever you see here is still ours and we shall maintain them for the good of the district,” Mr Simon Peter Edoru Ekuu, the LC5 chairperson, said on Monday.
Mr Edoru said they will maintain the district assets in the city for commercial gains through hiring them out.

According to him, the historical district local government facilities that gave birth to many districts in Teso Sub-region will also be maintained for tourist attraction.

“We have neither sold our properties to the city nor have we engaged in discussions to transfer ownership and by having the city, it doesn’t mean that the district cannot own property within the city boundaries,’’ he said.

During the launch of the city, authorities planted the sign post showing Soroti City headquarters on Soroti-Lira road in front of the district headquarters and  the district sign posts were removed.

By then, no leader protested the development.
But today, councillors are threatening to demolish the sign post and have it transferred by the responsible authorities to the then municipal council headquarters buildings situated 200 metres away from the district headquarters.

Mr Dan Edepu Egoriait, the president of Soroti City Development Forum, said the district through the leadership of the then LC5 chairperson, Mr George Michael Egunyu, accepted to transfer all the properties hosting the district administration offices to the city, a reason the sign post was erected at the district headquarters instead of the municipal council headquarters.

The inauguration ceremony of the city status that was presided over by the former Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, was also conducted at the district council hall.

Besides that, the foundation stone on the monument showing the current and the previous presidents of Uganda was engraved by the features of Soroti City and the district writings removed.

Mr Bob Owiny, a former deputy speaker of Soroti District council, said during the creation of the city,  many leaders thought the district would vacate the headquarters premises to pave way for the city offices.

“There are procedures to be followed. The district council has never resolved to transfer the ownership of its assets to the city but only made proposals to shift their headquarters nearer to the people in one of the Sub-counties. They will recommend as council for a wayforward,” Mr Owiny said.

Mr Egunyu declined to comment on the matter.
However, the female workers councillor, Ms Recho Akol, blamed the town clerk, Mr Moses Otimong, for hurriedly erecting a sign post at the district headquarters.

“The sign post was hurriedly put by the town clerk and a few leaders in the previous council out of excitement without proper consultations,” Ms Akol said.

Waiting directive
The mayor of Soroti City, Mr Joshua Edogu, said they don’t want to fight for properties.

“We don’t want to fight over property. The town clerk of Soroti city said they are waiting for the Ministry of Local Government to give guidelines on how districts where cities were created will share the properties with the [new] cities," he said.

He, however, urged the district authorities to adjust and prepare to relocate to their area of jurisdiction stating that the law does not allow them to operate inside the city boundaries.

Mr Otimong was not available for a comment by press time.