(URN)
It is not a very festive season for the Agao Town Clerk who the local leaders have vowed to keep out of office and are demanding fior his replacement.
Angry councilors of Patongo Town Council in Agago district on Friday closed the office of the Town Clerk, with allegations of corruption and maladministration.
The councilors led by their Urban Council III Chairperson stormed the town council headquarters as they brandished placards and chanted war songs calling for the removal of the Town Clerk Charles Jurua.
The Patongo Urban Council III Chairperson Joseph Komakech presented claims of corruption, incompetence, misappropriating funds and poor interpersonal relationship with others as part of their reasons that qualify the Town Clerk for transfer.
According to Komakech, their action stems from numerous complaints over failure to account for locally raised revenue, and alleged mismanagement of funds paralyzing social service delivery.
Komakech says a recent audit into the claims discovered that there was gross expenditure at source on locally raised revenue, illegal use of forged receipts by town agents and missing funds meant for road repairs under Uganda Road Fund and payment of road gangs from the bank account.
Part of the funds reportedly missing from the bank account includes 7.7 million shillings realized as locally raised revenue in the month of October and November, 3.6 million shillings meant for procuring fuel and repairs of 27 kilometers of road section and 6.8 million shillings for payment of road gangs.
Patrick Okidi one of the councilors said that they can no longer work with an incompetent town clerk who has failed to manage the affairs of the town council as well as implementing lawful council resolutions and government projects.
Okidi says they had initially passed a resolution demanding for Jurua’s transfer but their repeated efforts to petition the office of the Chief Administrative Officer to intervene into the matter has not been successful.
However the town clerk himself, Charles Jurua denied any wrongdoing in the matter saying he is only being witch-hunted by some individuals who are against his mode of administration and non-tolerance towards corruption.
The Agago district Chief Administrative Office Stephen Oloya Gunya condemned the act of closing the Town Clerk’s office saying the councilors should have used an appropriate means of having their grievances addressed.
Oloya however acknowledged having received their petition and resolution saying that investigations into the matter were ongoing although he asked the police to ensure the office is re-opened earlier next week.
Oloya also says part of their investigations has seen the arrest of the Pece parish town agent identified as David Ojok who is alleged to have been issuing counterfeit receipts while transacting on behalf of the town council.
