Gulu Municipal Council is in a near crisis following the eviction of Augustine Bujara, the municipality Town Clerk.
Bujara was forced out of office on Monday after it merged that he had connived with some of the officials in the ministry of local government to alter the original plan for the proposed Gulu Modern Market whose construction by Dott Services Ltd has also been put on hold following the allegations.
George Labeja, the municipality mayor says the municipal is without life in the absence of the accounting officer. He said all activities requiring funding have been put on hold until the municipality gets a new accounting officer.
He, however, said he has met the council staff and instructed them to go on with work normally.
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He says the permanent secretary in the ministry of Local government has authorized the Chief Administrative Officer of Gulu to appoint a care taker Town Clerk in the meantime to ensure the activities at the municipality go on normally.
As a result, Labeja said that the municipality would have a Town Clerk on Monday when Bujara is expected to hand over office.
Labjea explained that Bujara was referred back to the ministry for further posting after it emerged that he had participated in altering the design of the market by lowering its capacity in a bid suspected to have been meant to enable them divert some of the funds for the market construction.
The discovery of his involvement reportedly angered many of the town residents who threatened his life. Meanwhile, the work at the market has also been put on hold until the controversy over the original design is resolved.
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Bujara told URN he was in a meeting when contacted to comment about his alleged involvement in altering of the market plan and eviction from office. He becomes the fourth Town Clerk to be forced out of office in Gulu municipality over the past few years over similar circumstances.
