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Councilors Demand Disciplinary Action Against LCV Chairperson for Locking CAO's Office

William Mwambu, the Councilor for People with Disabilities-PWDs is now demanding for legal and disciplinary action to be taken against the LC 5 Chairperson. He says his action was uncalled for and it is not reflected in any law that the Chairperson is supposed to lock the CAO’s office.

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A section of Masindi district councillors is seeking disciplinary action against their LCV Chairperson Cosmas Byaruhanga for locking the Chief Administrative officer-CAO, John Nyakahuma out of office.

Byaruhanga locked the CAO’s office on Monday last week allegedly in implementation of a resolution reached by the district council on September 5, to close the office while investigating cases of incompetence, abuse of office and corruption, against the CAO.

The council unanimously recommended the immediate transfer of Nyakahuma and halted him from conducting further expenditures from the district accounts.     

The motion to eject Nyakahuma was tabled by the District Social Services Secretary, Afisa Karungi. She argued that the Local Government Act requires the CAO to be responsible and subject to the directions of the district chairperson and district council.

She alleged that the district lost 47.4 million Shillings at the end of the 2018/2019 financial year, which was meant for the purchase of motorcycles for extension workers in the district. Karungi alleged that the CAO has a poor working relationship with the District Executive Committee, Technical Staff and the district council.

William Mwambu, the Councilor for People with Disabilities-PWDs is now demanding legal and disciplinary action against the LCV Chairperson. He says his action was uncalled for and it is not reflected in any law that the Chairperson is supposed to lock the CAO’s office.   

According to Mwambu, even the motion that resolved that the CAO’s office be locked was just smuggled into the council since it was not on the order paper.

//Cue in; ”It is illegal…

Cue out…Was not proper.”//  

Zebbi Baitwaki, the Councilor for Older persons condemned the Chairperson’s decision to lock the CAO’s office, saying work has totally been paralyzed, adding that it is a total shame to the whole district. She wants the LC V chairperson to be held accountable for his action.

//Cue in; ”It is very… 

Cue out…not happy also.”//

The councillors are also demanding for the immediate intervention of the Local Government Ministry to help resolve the matter. But the chairman Cosmas Byaruhanga, says that he is ready to battle anybody accusing him of locking the CAO’s office.     

Nyakahuma told URN that he is finalizing the process of suing Masindi district local government and some of its officials individually for closing his office. He declined to divulge to URN what step he has taken ever since his office was locked. 

URN has however learnt that the CAO has written to the Solicitor General seeking guidance on how best he can sue the district and its chairperson over the closure of his office. Masindi police are also investigating Byaruhanga for closing the CAO’s office, according to Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson.     

The Local Government Act provides that the CAO, his deputy and Town Clerk of a municipal can only be removed from office in accordance with Article 188 (2) of the Constitution which vests such mandate in the Public Service Commission.

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