Amuria Council rejects CAO

By Henry Atol

Amuria district councillors have rejected the Chief administrative officer (CAO), Pius Epaju, over alleged incompetence, negligence and abuse of office.

The council resolved that the ministry of local government  should  be transferred away from Amuria district.

"We have received several corruption allegations against the CAO and I have some documents to that effect that I need the council to analyze and study to find a solution," stated Charles Engoru Echemu, the district Speaker Amuria in his address to the council.

Engoru said he had learnt that between sh500m and sh640m had been spent on the ongoing construction of  council chambers and district administration block but to his surprise only the slab had been put in place.

He also noted that Epaju had been abusing his office to extend that his personal assistant (secretary) one Betty Jane Akello, had also started authorizing payments on his behalf which tantamounts to abuse of office.

He cited a case where Epaju and district LC5 boss John Francis Oluma signed monies to travel and stay overnight in Soroti to attend court yet they could have returned. 

"How can the two officers sign for fuel to and from Soroti and again sign for night allowances and yet Court sessions always close at 5pm?

Responding to the Speakers' speech, Amuria district woman MP Susan Amero suggested that special audit should be done to determine the expenditure of the funds in the district.

"To verify these allegations and determine the truth and facts to that effect thorough audit and investigations ought to be conducted in accordance with the law. External auditors, Inspectorate of government and Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee should swing into action while the alleged officer should be out of office to allow investigations," Amero advised.

Immediately the district council (Kapelebyong Sub-county) Robert Erisat Okitoi moved a motion for the CAO to step down from work for one month.

The district councilor Obalanga Sub-county, Stephen Ebaju Epenu, seconded the motion prompting the Speaker to call Epaju to defend himself on the allegations.

Epaju welcomed the idea of audit and investigations to the allegations and rubbished all the allegations as baseless and political without truth.

When the matter was put to vote elven councilors supported Epaju to step down while eight remained adamant and undecided.

Efforts by the resident district commissioner Amuria Joseph Opio Osotto to calm the councilors to go slow on the matter and allegations were futile.

"I am scared and worried that this matter might end in court if the CAO is proved innocent and might cost the district and I am aware that council does not have powers to remove him," explained Osotto.

While responding to Osotto, the Speaker said the Local government act allows council authority to recommend the transfer of the CAO.