A forum formed by Malaba residents to articulate on pertinent issues they want addressed by the newly constituted board on Wednesday held a town hall and virtual meetings aimed at making Malaba the best municipality in the region interms of technology and service delivery.
In his reply to suggestions by the residents during the town hall meeting, acting Municipality Manager Brian Abwaku said they have captured concerns their concerns with a view to addressing them in future plans for the newly created border Municipality.
“We want to make Malaba Municipality vibrant by ensuring that only structured Community based organisations are recognised to tap into county government activities,” he said, noting that spatial plan for the entire Municipality will be their top priority.
Mr Abwaku, who is a town planner by profession, said he wants to make Malaba a model Municipality in Western Region by ensuring efficient service delivery to Municipality residents and address all socio-economic challenges facing them.
The manager said apart from allocation received from the county government, they are hoping to receive further funding from the World Bank and through public private partnerships, this is geared towards making Malaba Municipality attractive to foreign investors.
Mr Abwaku said they have ambitious programs for the municipality, which entails the need to pursue the Kocholia land market, which he said needs proper planning and to expedite the acquisition title for Kocholia dam site project which will cushion Teso North residents again frequent water shortage.
He noted that the issue of Amoni market was being addressed, urging traders to continue paying taxes as usual, adding the Municipality has identified a partner who is willing to embark on recycling of plastic bags, and availing a ready market for the same, with Uganda being one of them.
He revealed that the Winkers-ACK drainage had encountered some challenges, ascertaining that renovation on the same will start in a few weeks time.
He warned contractors or building owners that all approvals that will be guided by standards, underscoring the need of making he said l, noting that he will solicit for partnership with government agencies to deal with drainage in Malaba town.
“Other issues of concern include dualization of the Malaba- Bungoma road from Kocholia to the One Stop Border Post, creation of bypasses, the need to come with Strategic Plan and to lobby for own vehicles for solid waste management instead of relying on those from Busia Municipality.
Busia OC Crime Stephen Roktok said narrow roads are impacting negatively on his officers’ operation, thus the need to open feeder roads to easen their movement. He added that there is a need to take boda boda riders to driving school to enable them obtain the requisite experience when they acquire motorcycles.
SSP George Angate, the in-charge of security and enforcement in Teso North sub county, urged Malaba business fraternity to follow the law when the Municipality manager creates bylaws, adding that he will work with the OCS to ensure they are implemented to the letter.
He concurred with the OC Crime that lack of street lights is promoting thuggery which is key player of the illegal trade and which most people fear. He also agreed with Municipality residents that Chips sold at night, especially by Ugandans, to be taxed with coperation from the OCS.
SSP Angate warned mothers who cook fish in open air markets near stationary long distance trucks to desist from the practice, noting that some of the trucks carry poisonous chemicals, which can be transmitted 100m away.
Amukura West Ward Administrator Maurice Aluku Omogo said many road reserves within the Municipality have been encroached, telling the “owners” to be ready to revert it to the Municipality but with compensation which might delay depending on circumstances.
He said the ongoing Solid Waste Management project sponsored by the African Development Bank Ltd is commendable but regretted that there was no mention of Liquid Waste management by the residents of the border town during the forum, adding that the sewer system covers only Malaba Central and Malaba North Wards, calling for inclusion of Malaba South and Amukura West in the Strategic Plan.
Omogo said with the new technology, there was need to construct a bio digester in peoples’ homes to reduce contamination of underground water, urging experts to construct the needed latest technology equipment.
