There was drama in the Mpigi district council meeting after councillors refused to approve names of three people appointed by the chairperson to the district executive committee, saying it was against the laws governing local council governments.
The council meeting presided over by Mpigi district council speaker, Ronald Kaggwa, was organised under strict COVID-19 guidelines.
Martin Ssejemba, the Mpigi district chairperson, presented three names of people to be approved by the district council but councillors led by John Busuulwa from Kiringente sub-county challenged the move.
Ssejemba had appointed Paddy Bukenya, a male youth councillor from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) as the secretary for Production and general purposes committee.
He had also appointed Benon Nsamba of the Democratic Party (DP), a male Councilor representing, Buwama rural at Mpigi district local government as secretary for education and sports and health, and Francis Ssendyowa, male Councilor representing Muduuma sub-county as secretary for finance and investments.
John Busuulwa asked the speaker to rule on whether it was procedurally right for the district Chairperson to appoint the three members without a name of a female.
Busuulwa quoted the Local Government Act, section 16, subsection 3, which states that ‘at least one of the three secretaries shall be female.’
Cyrus Baker Ssempijja, the Councilor representing people with disabilities, asked the Chief Administrative Officer, as a technical person to advise the council whether it was right for the council to approve the names without a female.
The Chairperson had informed the council that his vice Chairperson, Aisha Nakirijja, would serve since she was already a member of the Executive Committee.
‘I already appointed my vice chairperson who is a female. To my thinking, this clause which the right honourable Councilor is quoting doesn’t affect us,’ Ssejemba said.
Kaggwa asked the CAO, Moses Kanyarutookye, to advise them and he said it was procedurally wrong for the council to approve the three secretaries minus a female.
Ssejemba asked the speaker to give him some 20 minutes and make amendments in the names to include the female which the speaker granted and the meeting was adjourned for close to 30 minutes.
The Chairperson then came back with amended names and substituted Ssendyowa with Hairat Nalumu, a female Councilor representing Kiringente sub county as secretary for finance and investments committee and the names were approved.
The opposition, National Unity Platform (NUP), which has the highest number of councillors suffered defeats in the election of chairpersons of standing committees with both positions going to NRM party candidates.
Cyrus Baker Ssempijja, of NRM, defeated Francis Ssendyowa of NUP to grab the Chairperson of the finance committee after garnering 9 to 8 votes while Agnes Balaba of NRM defeated Harriet Naluwooza of NUP to grab the Chairperson of production committee.
Ssejemba said it is time the members put politics aside and work for the people to improve on their livelihoods and also realize the vision of the district.
He commended the government for the continuous support it has extended to the district in different areas and he said this support has helped them as leaders to take services to the common people.
Ssejemba called on government to speed on the process of elevating Mpigi Health Centre IV, to a hospital status and also elevate Buwama Health Center III to a health centre IV status.
Mpigi district deputy resident district commissioner, Hellen Nsereko, implored the new leadership to encourage people to work hard and also help government in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in the district.
