There was chaos at Wakiso Town council offices on Monday when councillors attempted to evict the Town Clerk, Livingstone Kasibante for alleged failure to implement lawful council decisions. It took the intervention of the police backed by the Local Defence Unit – LDU personnel to evict the angry councillors from the office of the town clerk.
The councillors who first foiled a council sitting stormed the town clerk’s office armed with padlocks and chains and attempted to throw him out of office. The council speaker, Nelson Kiboyigo had convened the meeting to receive and deliberate on reports for the financial year ending and the next financial year 2022/23.
No sooner had the council sitting started than the councillors turned violent, saying that ever since they were sworn in, they have never received the instrument of power to execute their mandate. They accused the Town Clerk of undermining their mandate and rejected pleas by the Speaker to calm down, which prompted him to adjourn the council sitting indefinitely.
They also blasted the town council authorities for mismanaging markets, failure to raise local revenue, failure to rehabilitate roads, cancelling market management contracts and garbage management and causing financial loss to the government as well as leading the town council in a disorderly way.
Barbara Nakato, the Kyoga Ward councillor demanded accountability of funds spent during the COVID-19 lockdown on the programmes implemented by Wakiso Town Council.
Sam Ssaka, the representative of Kasengejje ward accused the town clerk of defying the directive by the Speaker to provide them with the legal instruments, saying it has hindered them from understanding their role. He said that their role is to monitor public resources but they cannot perform as expected because of the hindrances created by the town clerk.
Wakiso Town Council LC III Chairperson, Fredson Mukalazi Kasiwukira said that he was shocked by the conduct and protest by councillors. He explained that the first council was constituted in December last year followed by the constitution of committees after the one for swearing-in held in May.
He noted that although the councillors are protesting against the failure of the technical personnel to implement programmes, there is available evidence showing what has been done and based on local revenue.
Kasiwukira revealed that all services are provided through procurement processes, adding that due to lack of experience, the councillors are acting without understanding their roles. He also said that the councillors have councillors failed tounderstand that the programmes implemented are those approved by the previouscouncil, which they succeeded.
Among the programmes approved by the previous council is giving a facelift to the market, roads, street lights and procurement of a new double cabin pick-up. Kasiwukira said that the councillors are yet to undergo an induction, adding that the decision to chase away the town clerk is uncalled for because there are laid down legal procedures to follow in case the councillors are aggrieved.
The town clerk declined to comment on the accusations levelled against him and instead referred URN to Wakiso Chief Administrative Officer, Moses Bukenya who said that he needed time to understand the matter.
