The term of office for Local Councils 1 and 2 and Women Councils has been extended for another 180 days, until early July 2024.

This follows the tabling of the statutory instruments providing for the extension, on the floor of the House in a sitting held on Tuesday, 09 January 2024.

While chairing the sitting, Speaker Anita Among tasked the Minister for Local Government to lay the statutory Instruments for House approval, noting that they were seconded by Cabinet before the expiry of the extended term of office for the Local Councils on 05 January 2024.

She observed that on 28 July 2023, the Government initially tabled a statutory instrument extending their term of office for six months.

This was attributed to the lack of funds to hold elections for new officebearers at the time.

“The 180 days were to expire on 05 January 2024, prompting the minister to issue this extension on 29 December 2023 so that he was not caught up by time. The documents are fully gazetted and have been laid on the table for retrospective approval,” Among said.

The new statutory instruments for the extension of term office for the Local Councils and Women Councils were tabled on the Floor by Government Chief Whip,  Hamson Obua, and Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development,  Betty Amongi, respectively.

Medard Sseggona (NUP, Busiro County East) challenged the new statutory instruments providing for the extension.

“Under no circumstances can a statutory instrument amend the principle legislation. The term of office for Local Councils is fixed at five years,” Sseggona said.

The Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, however, noted that the amendment providing for the statutory instruments was made by provisions in the Local Government Act Cap 243.