Kisoro District | THE BLACK EXAMINER | On Monday, the Kisoro District Council rejected a proposal to split Kisoro District and create a new district called Bukimbiri.
The motion to establish Bukimbiri District was introduced by Juliet Kamusiime, the Nyanamo Town Council LC5 woman councilor. She sought approval for the formation of Bukimbiri District as a separate entity from Kisoro District.
During the council session at Kisoro District headquarters, Kamusiime’s motion was seconded by Byamugisha Deus, the LCV councilor for Rubuguri Town Council. The meeting was presided over by Kisoro District Speaker Amos Hakizimana.
Kamusiime presented her case, arguing that the residents of Bukimbiri County had consistently expressed their desire for autonomous administration. She pointed out issues related to compromised service delivery in the area, attributing them to tribal discrimination in job allocation and resource distribution within the district. Furthermore, she emphasized Bukimbiri’s abundant natural resources and tourist attractions, highlighting the potential for revenue generation to support the development of the proposed district. Kamusiime proposed that if Bukimbiri District were to be established, its headquarters would be located in Rubuguri Town Council, and new sub-counties would be created.
Despite Kamusiime’s passionate plea, the motion encountered a setback based on the advice of the Chief Administrative Officer, Hajji Badru Mayanja. Mayanja recommended conducting consultations with the lower government units in Bukimbiri County before proceeding with the motion. He also reminded the councilors that the creation of new town councils had been prohibited by Parliament.
In response to this guidance, District Speaker Amos Hakizimana ruled that the motion should be forwarded to sub-counties and town councils in Bukimbiri sub-county. Local councilors would review and deliberate on the proposal before it could be presented again to the district council for approval.
This is not the first time that the people of Bukimbiri have sought their own district. In 2012, a similar proposal was made to split Kisoro and create Mutanda District. During that incident, Milton Mutabazi, the then Kisoro LC5 Boss, and John Nzeyimana Kamara, the Bufumbira County Member of Parliament, got into a physical altercation during a council session. Mutabazi accused Kamara of influencing councilors from his constituency to push for the split, leading to a scuffle between the two leaders. They were eventually separated by councilors, who called for respect and civility within the council. Mutabazi also criticized Kamara for making inflammatory statements.
However, during the 2016 general election, while campaigning in Bukimbiri, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni discouraged the creation of districts along tribal lines. Instead, he promised to provide them with a constituency.
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