MALINYI District Council Executive Director, Khamis Katimba, has encouraged area residents to inquire how funds collected by aauthorities are spent within the council without fear.

Speaking at a meeting with development stakeholders at the weekend, Katimba emphasized that every penny collected and spent must have a clear explanation.

Katimba made the statement after Malinyi District Commissioner, Sebastian Waryuba, who was the guest of honour at the meeting, advised that funds collected should be disclosed to the public.

Waryuba began by commending the director for increasing council revenues, having collected 82 percent of local income target within just six months (July - December 2025).

“I am pleased to see this swift revenue collection without any conflicts. These changes indicate that we are on the right path,” he said, adding, “DED, this momentum should not slow down. You have earned our trust with your strategies. Stand firm and our collections will continue to rise but ensure transparency in how they are used.”

Responding to Waryuba’s statement, Katimba assured residents that if they see how their money is being used, it will encourage them to pay taxes voluntarily.

“I promise you that your role is to pay taxes and then come and hold me accountable for how your money is spent. I encourage you to continue paying taxes and hold me accountable,” he said. “My office is open to all, and I welcome everyone, even individually. Come and ask me how much we’ve collected and how much we’ve spent—I’ll tell you. The office belongs to all citizens; we are simply here to serve.”

Chairman of Malinyi District Council, Pius Mwelase, praised the council’s achievements, noting that it had never before collected 82 percent of local revenue in just six months.

“This has never happened before. The innovative strategies introduced by our director have brought significant improvements. We are proud of this progress and believe we still have ample time to collect more funds,” he said.

Council Planning Officer Richard Sanga reported that by the end of the financial year 2023/24, the council aimed to collect 22.3bn/- but had collected 20.4bn/-. For the financial year 2024/25, the council set a target of 26.7bn/-, with 4.3bn/- expected from internal revenue. After six months, 3.56bn/- in local revenue has been collected.

During the discussion of the council’s Draft Development Plan and Budget for the 2025/2026 period, stakeholders raised several areas that require attention.