The district female speakers have petitioned to the speaker calling for the government to approve their sitting allowance of 600,000 shillings.
The 16 female district speakers while meeting the speaker Rebecca Kadaga said that the former local government minister Adolf Mwesige approved this amount to be paid to each district speaker but when the new minister for local government Tom Butime assumed this office he rescinded the decision.
They asked the speaker to help them meet the president to make their case over this payment. The female district speakers led by Amuria district speaker Ketty Akol also expressed dissatisfaction with scanty resources accorded to the office of the district speakers.
They also want government to allocate a vehicle to each district speaker saying they often work till late and need transport.
“I am surprised that the issue of transport for speakers has never been effected because I met the President and we agreed on its implementation, ” Kadaga said.
They stated that all chairpersons of LC.5 and Chief Administrative Officers have vehicles yet for them are excluded. The district female speakers also demanded an explanation on why most kidnaps and killings are targeting women.
They further expressed the need for government to boost their capacity to interprete laws in order to guide district council meetings effectively.
Kadaga in turn pledged to root for training opportunities at the Institute of Parliamentary Studies in July and August. She further committed to mobilize donor agencies like UNDP and UN Women to support female speakers participate in national and intentional meetings of women leaders.
“There are conferences such as the annual UN Commission on the status of Women in New York and CommonWealth meetings which you can attend and learn,” said Kadaga.
The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga promised to seek help from parliament to be trained to boost their capacity to interprete laws and get them to the president to voice their concerns.
Currently there are 16 district female speakers, the number that increased from 7 in the last tenure of office.
Some of the districts with female speaker include Kalangala,Kyankanzi, Namisindwa, Bushenyi, Amuria,
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