Busia district chairman kicked out of office
Sep 01, 2014
The Minister of Local Government, Adolf Mwesige, has ordered the embattled Busia district chairman, Adea Ouma, out of office.
By Egessa Hajusu
BUSIA - The Minister of Local Government, Adolf Mwesige, has ordered the embattled Busia district chairman, Adea Ouma, out of office.
“I have been requested by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to ensure that you stop conducting business as the chairperson of Busia district,” Mwesige’s letter, dated August 25, reads.
Mwesige directed Ouma to hand over all Government facilities he has been using to the chief administrative officer, George William Wopuwa.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) asked Mwesige to take action, after Ouma lost an appeal in the Court of Appeal on August 15.
He wanted the Court of Appeal to quash a ruling by the Mbale High Court that he was reinstated illegally.
In November 2011, the IGG ordered Ouma’s arrest over soliciting a bribe of $2,000 from Busitema Gold Mining Company to facilitate him to go to the UK.
He was arrested and charged in court and found guilty, though he appealed.
Following Mwesige’s directive, the district vicechairperson, Harriet Namakwa, was on Friday sworn in to assume the office and duties of the chairperson.
The swearing-in ceremony, held in Chango Macho Hall at the district headquarters, was presided over by the Busia chief magistrate, Charles Kisakye.
After declaring Namakwa the district chairperson, Kisakye said order had been restored in Busia.
“It’s two years since I came here, but things have not been moving on well,” he said, adding that the district lost sh174m in court cases under unclear circumstances.
Wopuwa appealed to the district Police commander, Julius Gobolo, to beef up security at the district offices to avoid disruptions in business by people who are against the change in leadership.
Namakwa said her new role would not be difficult since she had served in that capacity before. “This should have been a great day for me, but I am not excited,” she said.
Samia Bugwe South MP Julius Maganda appealed to Namakwa to sort out the mess in the district and to unite all the warring parties.