Tension is mounting high in Soroti district between residents as they protest what they described as an irrational decision by the district leaders to relocate the district headquarters.
Initially the District Headquarters according to the three reports that were submitted by the former Soroti Chief Administrative Officer Luke Lokuda, commissioners from Ministry of local government and the former district executive that was chaired by former LCV Egunyu Gregory was meant to be situated in Arubela in Arapai Sub County but the district councilor in its seating relocated the headquarters to Katine Sub County.
Residents who hailed from the Sub Counties of Gweri, Asuret, Ocokican, Awaliwal and Aukot are protesting the move and argue that Apege was approved by both the former CAO and the Ministry of Local Government.
The residents are now demanding that the decision to transfer the district headquarters to Katine be withdrawn immediately.
Last week a section of Soroti district leaders launched the construction of the district headquarters in Katine which the residents are saying must be cancelled and the construction be taken to Arubela.
David Adengu said that they cannot afford to have two district headquarters while saying that this would frustrate the development which had already started to spur at Arubela.
He added that they were not consulted as stakeholders over the transfer of the district headquarters.
Samuel Eibu, another resident, said that the ongoing relocation may divide people of Katine and Dakabela as they struggle for the location of the headquarters.
John Micheal Egadu the Aukot Sub County Speaker said that it would be a total waste of resources by constructing a new administrative block while noting that it will be difficult to supervise the departments for effective service delivery.
Bob Owiny the Tubur Sub County LCV Councilor while speaking to our reporter admitted the loopholes and the mess by the district council noting that the decision was erroneously taken.
He noted that the trouble for Soroti district is just bad politics at play.
When contacted for a comment the Soroti District Communication officer Abraham Ekwaru told our reporter that he was not ready to speak over what he termed as “fights”.
On the other hand the District Vice Chairperson Samuel Enangu also told our reporter that he couldn’t comment because his boss wasn’t around.