Cabinet has approved the creation of 31 more counties, hardly a month after they approved another 15, bringing the total of new ones to 46.
The new counties include Namayingo County curved out of Namayingo District, Mawogola West County from Mawogola County in Sembabule District, Otuke East County curved out of Otuke County in Otuke District, Ruhama East County got from Ruhama County in Ntungamo District and Isigiro West County curved out of Isingiro District among others.
ICT State minister Peter Ogwang told journalists at the media centre on Tuesday that the new counties were approved following a thorough assessment.
“First, there has to be a sub-county resolution, district council resolution and one of the constitutional provisions like Article 179 clause 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. Some of these are in line with the local government act specifically provision 243. All these were passed by the district council and some of them were passed in 2010,” he said.
The Minister stated that the Minister of Kampala together with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs will give an account on creation of a new county within Nakawa.
Cabinet early this month approved five more slots in Parliament to be occupied by the elderly as a special interest group.
The development comes a month after the government approved the creation of six new counties and nine Constituencies all expected to vote in Members of Parliament in the next general elections.
The 15 MPs will add to the 15 others that will be voted in the new cities that were approved by Parliament recently whereas 13 new districts that became 12 new districts that became operational in Financial years 2018/21, 2019/2019 and Terego District that starts on July 1 will also be sending in Woman MPs in February next year. Each of the 15 new cities that will be operationalized in a phased manner will be represented by two MPs hence an addition one to that direct representative of those former Municipalities.
Currently, there are 461 MPs including the ex-officials in the 10th Parliament, and the creation of new districts, cities, and counties will yield about 52 more MPs. Currently, Parliament is constructing a new chamber that is supposed to accommodate 600 MPs.
In June, cabinet approved the creation of 15 counties. The counties are; Kiboga West, Buhweju West, Bugangaizi South, Chkwi East, Bulanda, Kwania North, Kagoma North, Buwekula South, Buyanja East, Ngariam, Agago West, Bukanga North, Bukimbiri and Nakaseke Central.
