Tony Ssempija, the former Masaka City Council Speaker has been
forced out of office after his refusal to hand over to his successor.
Ssempija, the Masaka City Councilor for the Kimanya-Kabonera
division was on November 29th last year censored at a special council sitting presided over by Minister of Local Government Raphael
Magyezi and witnessed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya.
Ssempija had since declined to hand over the instrument of
power including the office space to his successor Achilles Mawanda, who took
oath as the new city Speaker.
However, on Friday evening, a team of city officials led by William
Muwanguzi the Senior Law Enforcement Officer forcefully opened the office, which
is located on the ground floor at the Mayor’s Chamber along Edward Avenue, and
accordingly handed it over Mawanda to perform duties of Speaker.
Muwanguzi noted that they acted on instructions of Vincent
Okrut, the City Clerk following his futile efforts to persuade Ssempijja to peacefully
handover office.
Muwanguzi said the Town Clerk had given Ssempijja an ultimatum of up to Friday to hand over the office, but he still
failed to comply.
Vincent Ssentongo, a Secretary for the City Social Service Committee,
who was among those who witnessed the breaking of the Speaker’s Office, noted that Ssempija
carried some of the equipment including among others a computer, furniture, the
official attires of the Speaker.
He argues that they were surprised by Ssempija’s action of
declining to hand over the office keys, yet he has lately been attending council
sittings as an ordinary councilor.
Achilles Mawanda, the new Masaka City Council Speaker noted he
is going to reach out to his predecessor in a bid to make peace with him and to resolve
the disagreements that led to the censor decision.
Ssempija was impeached by the majority of city councilors on grounds of abuse of office, misuse of his authority to suffocate free debate.
He was also accused of altering council records for selfish interests and neglecting his parental
responsibilities hence casting the council in public disrepute.
Mawanda observes that the former Speaker received his censor
with shock, and apparently, he needs to be comforted to accept his fate.
//Cue in:
“kyetwasembeyo okutegeera….
Cue out: …..okuwereza
nga kansala.”//
Ssempija accuses the City's leadership of a witch-hunt. He said his censure had been stayed by a Court order issued by the Masaka
High Court, but his adversaries went ahead to defy the court and proceeded to
irregularly remove him.
He also argues that he challenged his censor through the court
of law, but to his surprise, the Town Clerk was pressuring him to hand over before
the contention is decided, something he could not tolerate.
