Jinja City councillors have expressed growing frustration over two months of unpaid allowances and salaries, accusing city authorities of failing to prioritise the welfare of political leaders and civil servants.
The concerns were raised during a heated council sitting held on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at Jinja City Hall, chaired by Speaker Juma Sozzi, who also represents persons with disabilities on the council.
During the session, councillors revealed that both elected leaders and city employees had gone without payments for two consecutive months, a situation they said had left many struggling to meet basic financial obligations.
Workers' Councillor Joshua Bogoole led the criticism, directing his concerns at City Clerk Godfrey Kiseka, whom he accused of failing to effectively follow up on the delayed payments with the Ministry of Finance.
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Bogoole said the prolonged delay and lack of clear communication from city leadership had worsened the situation.
"The Town Clerk is always out of office, hence we have no explanation as to why there has been a delay in payments. We have information that other districts have already received money for this quarter, but here at Jinja City Council, since we were sworn in, there have been no allowances and no salaries for all other public servants," Bogoole said.
He warned that the council could not continue operating under the current circumstances.
"We cannot continue operating under these conditions. Leaders and workers are financially strained, yet there seems to be little urgency in resolving this matter," he said.
Jinja Northern Division Male Councillor Ivan Basoga Kamezze issued a stern warning, saying councillors would suspend council business and other city operations if the outstanding payments were not cleared by the end of August.
Kamezze said the planned action would remain in place until government intervenes and ensures the release of the required funds.
"This council cannot function when its members are not facilitated. If nothing is done, we shall be left with no option but to halt all council activities," he said.
Responding to the concerns, Speaker Sozzi acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and pledged to engage relevant government ministries over the delayed payments.
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He said he would write to the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Finance, urging them to expedite the release of funds to Jinja City.
Sozzi also directed the Principal Deputy City Clerk, Isabella Akiiki, to present a comprehensive report on the status of the delayed payments during the next council sitting.
However, Akiiki dismissed allegations of negligence by city authorities, explaining that the delays were caused by technical challenges within central government systems.
She said challenges within the Ministry of Public Service and the Ministry of Finance had affected the processing and release of funds to Jinja City, resulting in delays in paying salaries and allowances.
"It is true we have paid salaries and gratuity, but all of us are feeling the pinch. It is not that the technical team has received money. The reason the Town Clerk is not here is because he is in Kampala trying to resolve these issues, and we are optimistic that by the close of the week, the matter will be sorted," Akiiki said.
The dispute highlights ongoing challenges in public sector payroll management and raises concerns about the impact of delayed payments on service delivery in one of Uganda's major urban centres.
With councillors threatening to suspend operations, pressure is mounting on central government institutions to resolve the payment bottlenecks and restore normal operations at Jinja City Council.
