Michael Tusiime, the MP Mbarara Municipality, who was tasked to forward the council resolution to the Ministry, says the municipality faces a lot of challenges due to lack of transparency.
Mbarara Municipal Council has passed a resolution to have Town Clerk Johnson Baryantuma Munono sanctioned for tampering with the budget.
The Town Clerk is accused of conniving with the mayor to endorse the 2016/2017 budget estimates and hiding vital information from municipal leaders.
The councillors claim that while the council discussed and approved the 2016/2017 financial year budget estimates, the Mayor, Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi went ahead to endorse another budget paper without council approval.
Since August this year, Municipal councillors have been demanding an explanation from Munono why the mayor didn't endorse the budget that was discussed and approved by the Council.
However, Mugabe defended his decision, saying that he endorsed another budget document to avoid paralysis since his predecessor Wilson Tumwine had refused to endorse the document. On Monday, Tumwine presented to the council signed copies of the budget, saying other former leaders could be called on to testify.
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It is upon this background that the Mayor Robert Mugabe told council that he was misled by the Town Clerk, Johnson Baryantuma Munono to sign another budget document that wasn't discussed by council. The new budget document shows that the anticipated revenue collection was revised from Shillings 6.7 billion to Shillings 4.3 billion.
After several hours of deliberation, councillors unanimously resolved to petition the Local Government Ministry to compel the town clerk to step aside and commence investigations into his conduct.
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The Town Clerk, Johnson Baryantuma Munono declined to comment on the issues raised against him, saying he will only do so once he receives written communication.
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Michael Tusiime, the MP Mbarara Municipality, who was tasked to forward the council resolution to the Ministry, says the municipality faces a lot of challenges due to lack of transparency.
He says it is unfortunate that the leaders especially councillors are denied vital information about the municipality, which has stagnated development.
