Councilors of Tororo District council have forced four members of the district executive to step aside to pave way for investigations into their alleged misconduct, incompetence, abuse of office and corruption. They are Betty Akicoth Akol, Tororo District LC V vice chairperson, John Odoi, secretary for education and health, Joseph Okware secretary for finance and administration and Jox Owor Jabwana, the secretary for works and technical services.
The motion to suspend the officials was moved by Dan Meshak Okware, the councilor for Molo County in a heated council meeting held on Thursday at Amagoro Court Hall. It came after Okware presented to the council chaired by the speaker Paul Mitchi a censure motion against the officials. According to his petition, Meshak accuses Akol of lack the minimum academic qualification, incompetence as exhibited by her failure to restrain members of the executive and technical staff from spending more funds than they were allocated contrary to section 123[2] [a] of local government financial and accounting regulation.
He also accused her of abuse of office through presenting fictitious and exaggerated claims for allowances to undertake activities outside the approved work plan and failure to promote a harmonious working relationship with members of standing committee and technical staff. In the same notice Meshak also accused Joseph Okware, Odoi and Owor of incompetence, abuse of office, and failure to promote good working relationship.
He said the failure to control the expenditure of the executive has grounded council business because there is no money. Recently, Tony Okae Ochan, chairman Tororo District Finance Committee presented a report showing the the alleged depletion of the council vote by the executive. He therefore asked the council to censure the implicated officials forcing the chief administrative officer to intervene and warn the council against the decision.
Vitalis Oswan, Tororo Chief Administrative Officer warned the councilor not to rush with censure motion before allowing the implicated officials to defend themselves. He cited an example of Pallisa district where the council made a wrong decision that eventually plunged the district into serious financial problem. The council nearly degenerated into chaos, when Emmanuel Osuna, the LC V chairman described the councilors as thugs accusing them of soliciting money from people to be appointed to the district executive.
The councilors forced Osuna to apologize before the session resumed. The councilor unanimously resolved to suspend the implicated officials to pave way for their investigations.
