Seek legal guidance- state attorney tells city Councillors
Feb 06, 2020
Lukwago alleged that the law presented in parliament is not what was submitted to the councillors.
Mayors who on Wednesday stated that they were not consulted on the amendments in the KCC act have been advised to seek legal redress.
A senior state attorney, Ministry of Constitutional Affairs, Paul Okirig, while sensitizing overs 70 councillors with mayors from the divisions of Nakawa, Kawempe, Makindye and Lubaga, advised that since the law has already been gazette, they can address their grievances in courts of law.
Nakawa mayor, Nsubuga Balimwezo, told the officer that the amendments in the law do not favour them since they did not have their input as leaders of the urban council.
"You didn't consult councillors in the drafting of this law. If we were consulted, then we wouldn't have been asking all these questions," he said.
In his response to their queries, Okirig told the mayor that they can only appeal to the courts of law, saying that once an act of parliament is passed by parliament, it is parliament that can amend it.
Balimwezo told the official that the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago, was a challenging provision of the law saying that there are discrepancies in the KCC amended act.
Lukwago alleged that the law presented in parliament is not what was submitted to the councillors.
Councillors however raised questions on how they can operate without a speaker, while others said that they were not involved in the initiation stages, reason why they have failed to understand the law.
"We were not involved in the initial stages, because we were not included in the first stages, explaining why we have failed to digest the act," Aisha Nabasirye commented.
Okirig, however, informed the councils that the issue of academic qualifications goes back to parliament since they too have a senior six certificate as a minimum qualification.
A senior state attorney, Ministry of Constitutional Affairs, Paul Okirig, while sensitizing overs 70 councillors with mayors from the divisions of Nakawa, Kawempe, Makindye and Lubaga, advised that since the law has already been gazette, they can address their grievances in courts of law.
Nakawa mayor, Nsubuga Balimwezo, told the officer that the amendments in the law do not favour them since they did not have their input as leaders of the urban council.
"You didn't consult councillors in the drafting of this law. If we were consulted, then we wouldn't have been asking all these questions," he said.
In his response to their queries, Okirig told the mayor that they can only appeal to the courts of law, saying that once an act of parliament is passed by parliament, it is parliament that can amend it.
Balimwezo told the official that the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago, was a challenging provision of the law saying that there are discrepancies in the KCC amended act.
Lukwago alleged that the law presented in parliament is not what was submitted to the councillors.
Councillors however raised questions on how they can operate without a speaker, while others said that they were not involved in the initiation stages, reason why they have failed to understand the law.
"We were not involved in the initial stages, because we were not included in the first stages, explaining why we have failed to digest the act," Aisha Nabasirye commented.
Okirig, however, informed the councils that the issue of academic qualifications goes back to parliament since they too have a senior six certificate as a minimum qualification.