Masindi Municipal Council aborted as suspended councilors refuse to vacate chambers
Though the town clerk prayed for the continuation of the council, the speaker, however, insisted that he was not satisfied with their apology letters, so the above-named councilors should serve the suspension.
By Our Reporter
Masindi: There was a drama at Masindi Municipal Chambers on Tuesday during the council meeting when the suspended councilors refused to leave the chambers.
During the council meeting held on October 31st this year, the Masindi Municipality Speaker, Tadeo Opio, suspended Richard Alinaitwe, the councilor representing Civic Ward, Abdul-Aziz Siringi, the councilor representing Southern Ward, and Robert Akugizibwe, the male councilor representing Kijura Central, over misconduct.
Now, during the council meeting held Tuesday afternoon, Speaker Opio forced the above suspended councilors to write apology letters and deliver them to the clerk to the council, which was done.
To their dismay, even after acknowledging having received their apology letters, the speaker maintained the suspension and ordered the suspended councilors to vacate the chambers, and they would miss two council and executive meetings.
Francis Nyamugo, the Masindi Municipal Town Clerk, guided that the rules of procedure have been followed if the speaker received the apology letters, stressing that the speaker is setting personal rules and procedures.
‘’If you have received the apology letter from the suspended councilors, Mr. Speaker, they have followed the rule of procedure, unless you set your personal rules and procedures,’’ he said.
Though the town clerk prayed for the continuation of the council, the speaker, however, insisted that he was not satisfied with their apology letters, so the above-named councilors should serve the suspension.
‘’Though they have handed over their written apology letters, I’m not satisfied with columns; the above-named councilors should serve the suspension, and I can’t reverse what I have ruled,’’ he said.
The trio who were suspended refused to vacate the chambers, which caused the councilors to turn rowdy and question the intentions of the speaker’s decision.
This forced the speaker to adjourn the council meeting until further notice; thus, the council was aborted before the previous minutes were read.
Sylvia Dralu, the female councilor representing Kihuuba Ward, and Jane Kimuli, the councilor representing Southern Ward, questioned why the speaker suspended their colleagues even after handing over written apology letters.
The suspended councilors were not ready to speak to our reporter by the time we filed this story.
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