A salary remittance for the Masindi district chairman, Steven Birja, has been suspended, eight months after he went missing.
Birija currently believed to be in the United Kingdom, went missing in October 2009, but has until recently been receiving a salary through his bank account.
Freddie Ngobi, the Masindi Chief Administrative Officer, says Masindi district council has to date remitted more than 16 million shillings on the district chairman's account.
Ngobi however says that council has decided to withhold the chairman's salary due to his abscondment from duty. He says the decision was reached after consultation with the lawyers.
But terminating the chairman's salary could plunge the district in another fix, because Birja acquired a salary loan from Barclays Bank payable over a four-year period. He used his position in the district to guarantee the loan, which he acquired shortly after his salary was raised to four million shillings per month.
But hardly had the bank started deducting two million shillings per month than the local government ministry and the inspectorate of government ordered a review of the old salary structure.
By the time he fled, the bank was taking Birija's entire salary of two million shillings.
The acting district vice chairman Wilfred Byakagaba, says he has never asked for the chairman's entitlements.
Today, Birija has missed his third council meeting. If he misses four sessions, the seat will be declared vacant.
