Cindy Ayee, the City Councilor representing youth says the 12 nominees were rejected on grounds that they had served in similar offices in other districts for more than two terms while others had tainted records and cannot be trusted with the positions.
Gulu City Council on Thursday rejected 12 nominees for City Land
Board, City Service Commission and Public Accounts Committee.
15 nominees had been presented before the council by Gulu City Mayor Alfred
Okwonga for approval. Each board of commission had 5 nominees.
The rejected nominees include Lilly Joyce Piloya Okot for Chairperson of City
Service Commission and Augustine Oryema, Ochora Ocitti, Paulino Nyeko as
members of the commission, Kenneth Oketa for Chairman City Land Board and
Juliet Acoko, Tommy Odida, David Okeny Ojok as members of the board.
Others are Hellen Opwonya for Chairperson Public Accounts, Charles Okello and
Jane Francis Acan who were nominated as members of the Public Accounts
Committee. Mathew Otobe who was nominated for a member of the Public Accounts
Committee had earlier on applied for the same position in Gulu District Local
Government and was approved.
Cindy Ayee, the City Councilor representing youth says the 12 nominees were
rejected on grounds that they had served in similar offices in other districts
for more than two terms while others had tainted records and cannot be trusted
with the positions.
// Cue in: “We have even…
Cue out …and given office.” //
Daniel Rubangakene, the City Youth Councilor says none of the
nominees was present during the vetting process and that they could not approve
names of those they don’t know.
// Cue in: “They were supposed…
Cue out …the council refused.” //
The vetting process however was marred with conflict between the
Division Mayors, opposition councillors and the NRM councillors, prompting the
two Mayors and the three opposition councillors to walk out of the council
meeting in protest.
Geoffrey Otim, the Pece –Laroo Division Mayor says the City Mayor contravened section
54 of the Local Government Act. The act stipulates that the Division must submit
names of nominees, which the City Mayor ignored.
// Cue in: “For the case…
Cue out …at its best.” //
According to Otim, they will challenge the council’s decision on
approving the nominees before the Ministry of Public Service.
Morris Odong, the Councilor for Pece –Laroo Division South and one of the councillors
who walked out in protest say the decision of the council to approve the three
nominees did not represent the interest of all the stakeholders and it is against
the law.
Florence Lallam, the Woman Councilor representing Pece –Laroo North says there
was no gender balance in the nominees.
Alfred Okwonga, the Gulu City Mayor however defended his choice of selection
saying it was based on merit.
But Joyce Alima, the Gulu City Speaker asked Okwonga to do a thorough
consultation with all the stakeholders before coming up with a replacement for
the rejected nominees.
The
nominees who were approved by the council are George Obwona as a member of the City
Service Commission, Henry Komakech Kilama as a member of the City Land Board
and Charles Onen as a member of the Public Accounts Committee.
Jesse Johnson James
Freelancer