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MASINDI

Masindi district chief administrative officer (CAO) Phionah Sanyu has withdrawn Dr Vincent Katusiime's assignment of the duties of superintendent of Masindi General Hospital.

In a letter addressed to Katusiime, dated April 17, 2024, Sanyu says in the interest of efficient and effective service delivery, it has been deemed necessary to withdraw him from the role with immediate effect.

Sanyu adds that Katusiime will accordingly revert to his substantive position. She further states that the medical officer should ensure that Section F-d of the Public Service Standing Orders 2021 regarding handling and taking over office is strictly adhered to.

In the first letter dated April 16, 2024, Sanyu summoned Katusiime, compelling him to provide a detailed explanation within 14 days following a video clip where he is allegedly captured wrestling with a chapati vendor on the hospital's premises.

👉Masindi hospital superintendent told to explain alleged chapatti vendor assault 

In the same letter, CAO accuses Katusime of acting in a manner that brings the service into disrepute, engaging in a fight at the workplace, and potentially violating conflict-of-interest guidelines. Failure to comply would result in disciplinary proceedings without further input.

Our phone calls to Katusiime for a comment went unanswered.

However, Masindi district LC5 chairperson Cosmas Byaruhanga said they decided to withdraw the assignment from Katusiime following the video clip that went viral on social media that depicts a person who appears to be him wrestling with a chapati vendor.

"I think in the eyes of the public, we don’t find him at the moment suitable to continue working as the hospital superintendent because we would mean we are in support of what he did, and yet it was uncalled for,’’ he said.

Byaruhanga said this is the beginning of the investigations, but he has yet to respond to the letter: "If he admits and responds in a remorseful manner, he may be pardoned, but if he doesn’t show any sign of regret or even meet the woman for mediation, then the case will take its course.’’

The district chairperson, however, said they are not sure of the outcomes, but this will depend on how he defends himself and how the affected woman (Harriet Nanyombi) will come out because there are several stakeholders involved.

"Her input is very key because she has already suffered. She was convicted and sentenced to community service, this will depend on how the woman handles this matter," Byaruhanga added.

He, however, clarified that Katusiime has been relieved of his role as hospital superintendent but will continue working as the medical officer at the same hospital.

Harmonisation

Sources said the two parties are holding mediation to ensure the matter is settled outside of court.

Byaruhanga notes that the mediation is being done without involving the district leadership: "She has not come to me, but I hear she has come out, and there are some mediations ongoing but outside our system".

The politician said the mediations are being done as a private matter because no formal complaint has been written to the CAO.

Background

A peculiar altercation unfolded at the district general hospital, involving someone authorities believe to be Katusiime and a chapati vendor.

The video, which quickly gained notoriety early this month, captures the chapati vendor near the hospital’s second gate engaging in a heated exchange with someone authorities believe to be Katusiime. The situation escalated when she slapped him on the right cheek.

The person, not one to back down, retaliated by grabbing the woman’s neck and wrestling her to the ground. The intensity of the struggle prompted onlookers to intervene and separate the combatants.

The root cause of this bizarre encounter lies in the chapati trade. The woman had sent her daughter to sell chapati on Good Friday, March 29, 2024, but her chapati bucket was reportedly confiscated by the hospital's askari allegedly on the orders of Katusiime.

Nanyombi, a resident of western ward in the central division of Masindi municipality, recounted her experience. She had sent her daughter to sell chapatti as usual during the Easter holiday.

When her daughter returned home empty-handed, she learned that the hospital askari (security personnel) had seized the chapati bucket on orders from allegedly Katusiime since selling edibles on the hospital premises was prohibited.