Kiboga district chairman kicked out of office
Apr 10, 2011
THE Kiboga district chairman, Siraji Nkugwa Kizito, has been kicked out of office for seeking re-election as an independent candidate before resigning from his party in the February general elections.
By Pascal Kwesiga
THE Kiboga district chairman, Siraji Nkugwa Kizito, has been kicked out of office for seeking re-election as an independent candidate before resigning from his party in the February general elections.
Nkugwe was kicked out together with three district councillors who sought re-election in the February, 18, polls as independents before resigning from their party, the National Resistance Movement, as required by the local government Act 2010.
Section 23 of the Act states that if any person leaves the political party in which he/she was elected to council and joins another party or becomes an independent, he automatically loses his office.
The decision also comes after the Constitutional Court on February 1, ruled that 76 MPs who changed their political allegiance and contested for re-election in other political parties or stood as independents before resigning were illegally occupying their seats.
The local government Act affects LC5, LC3 chairpersons and district councillors. Close to 30 district chairpersons are likely to be affected by the ruling
Nkugwa and his councillors were kicked out after the Kiboga district chairman-elect, Israel Yiga, petitioned the Ministry of Local government, Inspector General of Government (IGG) and the district Chief Administrative Officer.
Yiga was challenging Nkugwa’s stay in office. Nkugwa, who has been district chairman for three consecutive terms, was defeated by Yiga during the NRM primaries.
He decided to contest as an independent but lost to Yiga who is the district councillor for Kibiga sub-county.
Nkugwa described the decision as normal and natural, saying it was fit for the same law that removed the 76 MPs from the house to apply to local government leaders.
“I can not fight over that one. I am going to march out of office. Ceasing to serve in one place is not the end,†he said.
Nkugwa admitted having gone against the law when he contested as an independent, adding that he would always be available to serve the people of Kiboga.
“My religion says that one has to serve until death. I will keep serving my people ,†he added.
Agnes Namboyera, who contested for the Kiboga district Woman MP on an independent ticket but lost to the incumbent, Ruth Nankabirwa, has also been relieved of her duties as district female councillor for Kibiga sub-county.
Hajji Sula Ssekiwonga, who has been the district councillor for Kiboga town council, was also ordered to quit after he contested as an independent for the Kiboga LC3 seat.
The district CAO, Rosette Adong, in a letter dated April 8, ordered the district chairman and his councillors to quit their offices, saying they were occupying them illegally.
“It is the law that put them in office that has removed them. When one contests for an election on a ticket of a political party different from the one which brought him in office, the law automatically removes him from office,†Adong said.
Adong said the decision was taken after consultations with the Ministry of Local Government.
Asked whether Nkugwe and the councillors were asked to refund the money they have received since they ceased holding their positions, Adong said “But I quoted the law to them. That is what the law says,â€
THE Kiboga district chairman, Siraji Nkugwa Kizito, has been kicked out of office for seeking re-election as an independent candidate before resigning from his party in the February general elections.
Nkugwe was kicked out together with three district councillors who sought re-election in the February, 18, polls as independents before resigning from their party, the National Resistance Movement, as required by the local government Act 2010.
Section 23 of the Act states that if any person leaves the political party in which he/she was elected to council and joins another party or becomes an independent, he automatically loses his office.
The decision also comes after the Constitutional Court on February 1, ruled that 76 MPs who changed their political allegiance and contested for re-election in other political parties or stood as independents before resigning were illegally occupying their seats.
The local government Act affects LC5, LC3 chairpersons and district councillors. Close to 30 district chairpersons are likely to be affected by the ruling
Nkugwa and his councillors were kicked out after the Kiboga district chairman-elect, Israel Yiga, petitioned the Ministry of Local government, Inspector General of Government (IGG) and the district Chief Administrative Officer.
Yiga was challenging Nkugwa’s stay in office. Nkugwa, who has been district chairman for three consecutive terms, was defeated by Yiga during the NRM primaries.
He decided to contest as an independent but lost to Yiga who is the district councillor for Kibiga sub-county.
Nkugwa described the decision as normal and natural, saying it was fit for the same law that removed the 76 MPs from the house to apply to local government leaders.
“I can not fight over that one. I am going to march out of office. Ceasing to serve in one place is not the end,†he said.
Nkugwa admitted having gone against the law when he contested as an independent, adding that he would always be available to serve the people of Kiboga.
“My religion says that one has to serve until death. I will keep serving my people ,†he added.
Agnes Namboyera, who contested for the Kiboga district Woman MP on an independent ticket but lost to the incumbent, Ruth Nankabirwa, has also been relieved of her duties as district female councillor for Kibiga sub-county.
Hajji Sula Ssekiwonga, who has been the district councillor for Kiboga town council, was also ordered to quit after he contested as an independent for the Kiboga LC3 seat.
The district CAO, Rosette Adong, in a letter dated April 8, ordered the district chairman and his councillors to quit their offices, saying they were occupying them illegally.
“It is the law that put them in office that has removed them. When one contests for an election on a ticket of a political party different from the one which brought him in office, the law automatically removes him from office,†Adong said.
Adong said the decision was taken after consultations with the Ministry of Local Government.
Asked whether Nkugwe and the councillors were asked to refund the money they have received since they ceased holding their positions, Adong said “But I quoted the law to them. That is what the law says,â€