The Minister of Local Government, Mr. Raphael Magyezi, urged village chairpersons to discontinue the practice of charging residents for stamping documents and providing other services in a recent address at the Northern Uganda Youth Development Centre in Omoro District. The directive was given during a cadre training event, where Mr. Magyezi emphasized the primary purpose of the official stamps assigned to local council chairpersons.
“We have given them official stamps to ease their work because they certify certain official documents; for example when I want to register for a passport, I need a stamp of the LC1 chairpersons, even court sometimes requires confirmation from the LC1 chairpersons,” explained Mr. Magyezi.
The stamps, equipped with security features, serve as a means of verification. Mr. Magyezi emphasized the importance of using these stamps solely for their intended purpose and not for imposing unauthorized taxes on the community. He highlighted the absence of stamp duty at the LC level in Uganda, emphasizing that demanding payment before stamping a document could lead to legal consequences for the council leaders.
Mr. Jimmy Okoyo, the LC I chairperson of Acet Central Cell, Acet Town Council in Omoro, acknowledged the practice of charging money for stamping documents. He mentioned that some individuals willingly offer a token of appreciation, especially for services related to land transactions and animal transits.
However, Mr. Geoffrey Okello, the LC2 chairperson of Labora, urged his colleagues to cease charging fees, emphasizing the need to prioritize service to the community over financial gains. He reminded fellow chairpersons that their role is to work for the people who elected them.
Residents also shared their perspectives on the matter. Ms. Agnes Lakot from Gulu City acknowledged the concept of giving tokens of appreciation but criticized an LC1 chairman who charged her family Shs100,000 during a land purchasing process, demanding 10 percent of the land’s cost from both the seller and the buyer.
Ms. Jennifer Acen from Amuru District highlighted the financial challenges faced by LC chairpersons, suggesting that the government should consider increasing their monthly pay from Shs10,000 to enable them to function more effectively and equip their offices with necessary resources.
