Kijjambu attempts to block office handover

Sep 30, 2010

THE former acting Kampala City Council town clerk, Ruth Kijjambu, has applied to the Constitutional Court to temporarily block the handover of her office to the new town clerk, David Naluwayiro, slated for today.

By Andante Okanya

THE former acting Kampala City Council town clerk, Ruth Kijjambu, has applied to the Constitutional Court to temporarily block the handover of her office to the new town clerk, David Naluwayiro, slated for today.

Kijjambu filed the application on Tuesday through Alaka and Company Advocates. She wants the court to issue an order restraining the Attorney General or his agents from forcing her to hand over to Naluwayiro until the disposal of a petition challenging the Public Service Commission for not short listing her for the post.

Naluwayiro was recently posted by the Public Service Commission to replace Kijjambu, whose contract ended in March. She had been acting in the position for four years after replacing James Ssegane.

Kijjambu argues that her Constitutional petition has a “high probability of success”. The Constitutional Court is to hear the application today (Friday).

She is challenging the commission for discriminating against her on the basis of her gender.

Kijjambu argues that “only men were short-listed” although she had the qualifications and experience, having worked in acting capacity for four years.

She argues that if the orders sought are not granted, the petition will be rendered useless, since she will be “deprived of her right to access courts of law and to a speedy adjudication”.

Kijjambu further accuses the commission of “accepting to be influenced” by the mayor, Nasser Sebaggala, and the local government permanent secretary, John Kashaka.

She said she could not hand over since there was a pending case at the High Court, where Justice Vincent Musoke-Kibuuka granted an order restraining the local government ministry from forcing her to hand over until her application is heard.

The High Court will pronounce itself on the application for a judicial review on October 5, where Kijjambu is questioning whether Kashaka has the powers to ask her to hand over.

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