By Philip Opio
SOROTI — Local Council One (LC1) chairpersons in Soroti District have appealed to the government to provide them with motorcycles to address growing transport challenges that they say are affecting service delivery at the grassroots level.
The leaders argue that lack of reliable transport has made it difficult for them to effectively execute their responsibilities, including resolving community disputes, mobilizing residents, and monitoring government programs.
David Eecu, the LC1 Chairperson of Adamasiko Village in Oculoi Sub-county, said many village leaders are struggling to perform their duties because the bicycles previously provided by government are now worn out and no longer functional.
“Most of the LC1 chairpersons across the district have failed to execute their roles effectively due to lack of transport,” Eecu said.
He explained that village leaders are often required to respond quickly to emergencies and community disputes, but the transport crisis limits their movement and delays service delivery.
“The bicycles we were given have become old and worn out. This has affected our ability to help communities whenever we are needed,” he added.
Eecu further argued that providing motorcycles to LC1 chairpersons would reduce cases of bribery and corruption during mediation and conflict resolution.
“With proper transport like motorcycles, leaders will avoid asking for facilitation or taking bribes from community members during mediation processes,” he noted.
He also appealed to government to involve local leaders more actively in the implementation of government programs to ensure effective and equitable service delivery.
“Local leaders should always be incorporated in implementing government programs because we understand the needs of our communities,” Eecu emphasized.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Ekotu, the Chairperson of Oculoi Sub-county, acknowledged that transport and facilitation gaps continue to affect lower local government leaders.
He noted that some leaders end up soliciting bribes from residents due to lack of support and limited operational resources.
“Most local leaders face serious challenges because of the gaps in leadership support and facilitation,” Ekotu said.
On his part, David Erongu, the NRM Chairperson of Oculoi Sub-county, called on government to allocate a specific budget to support lower local council leaders.
“There is a need for government to provide funding and support to grassroots leaders in order to improve service delivery in communities,” Erongu stated.
The leaders believe that improving transport and facilitation for LC1 chairpersons would strengthen local governance, improve conflict resolution, and enhance implementation of government programs at the village level.
