Prime minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has told the leaders of Gulu district to stop pushing government on the city status because a decision has already been taken to elevate the municipality.
The development comes after leaders asked government to grant Gulu Municipality a city status saying it has satisfied majority of the conditions government put forward.
Gulu district chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, says the municipality fulfilled requirements for a city status about two years ago. Mapenduzi cites the presence of various hotel facilities, a functional airfield, large labour force and the extended administrative boundary as some of the benchmarks of a city.
He urged Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda to lead the process of granting the Municipality a city status to facilitate a speedy recovery from effects of two decades of conflict.
Francis Barabanawe, the town clerk of Gulu says government is addressing the energy demands of the municipality by expanding electricity transmission lines and upgrading the supply strength from 33 kilowatts to industrial capacity of 132 kilowatts.
Barabanawe says the town is set for the development of a modern abattoir to slaughter and pack meat from 80 livestock everyday. He says construction works on 17 major roads have been completed under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID), beautified and equipped with solar powered street lights.
Currently, the World Bank is undertaking a procurement process for construction of a major water project from the Nile River at Karuma to supply the town.
George Labeja, the Mayor of Gulu says that with a spacious market facility, the municipality is ready for the instrument that will certify it as a city.
Jennifer Namuyangu, the State Minister for Local Government said Gulu is top on a cabinet list of municipalities that will be accorded regional city status.
According to the Vision 2040 document, government will undertake a phased process in creating regional cities, among them Gulu Municipality.
