Parliament has approved a motion to adjust the commencement date of Hoima Oil City from July 2021 to Saturday, July 1, this year.
Now, Hoima will have West Division composed of Busiisi and Bujumbura Divisions while East Division will comprise Kahoora and Mparo Divisions.
Other cities to be operational on that date include Lira and Soroti.
In April this year, parliament passed and approved the creation of 15 new cities which would be operational in a phased manner.
The cities that would be operational on July 1, this year included Fort Portal, Arua, Gulu, Jinja, Mbarara, Masaka and Mbale while Hoima, Lira and Soroti would take effect on July 1, next year.
Entebbe will become operational on July1, 2022 while Nakasongola, Moroto, Kabale and Wakiso will become operational on July 1, 2023.
However, in the twist of events, Mr Raphael Magyezi, the Minister for Local Government, presented a motion before parliament seeking approval to adjust the commencement dates of Hoima, Lira and Soroti cities to Saturday, July 1, this year.
He said that this was after cabinet decided that since the Electoral Commission is preparing elections for 2021, residents in those areas need not miss out on parliamentary representation.
“Aware that the Electoral Commission is preparing for 2021 general elections and as such the cities of Hoima, Soroti and Lira will not participate in the following elections unless this date is adjusted depriving the citizens from exercising their right to elect leaders,” Mr Magyezi observed.
Mr Magyezi disclosed that the Ministry of Local Government was ready to launch the new three new cities once approved by parliament.
The motion was approved by the house and the new cities will now be operational and will thus participate in the forthcoming elections.
