By Flavia Ajok
Tensions Wednesday erupted during a Hoima City Council sitting as Councilors walked out over the City Engineer’s three-month suspension which they say is unfair and uncalled for.
During a council meeting held at HB Hotel, several council executive members, including Monday Margaret and Iddi Magezi, staged a walk-out protest over the suspension of Engineer Julius Ssentamu.
The issue started after the City Mayor Brain Kaboyo and the council Speaker Edward Isingoma requested the town clerk to explain to the council members why the city Engineer was suspended.
Patrick Mugabi the male workers’ councilor at Hoima city stressed that natural justice was not done when town clerk suspended the Engineer adding that the engineering department is already understaffed and the town clerk is still subtracting others.
He adds that when suspending workers there should be some fairness and above all harmonization is key for a better working environment.
However, the secretary for works Hoima city Monday Margret says she has been pestering the town clerk with issues concerning works and so far, how many roads have been worked on but to no avail apart from him saying there is no fuel for work to commence.
Monday alleged that the suspension of Eng. Sentamu was a trick to facilitate the misappropriation of funds meant for streetlights in the city, claiming that the Town Clerk and some council members were behind the plot.
She now says there are holes that have been dug meant to fix streetlights but up to now nothing has been done, and it has become a death trap in the city.
Iddi Magezi the secretary production Hoima city disclosed that engineer’s suspension by town clerk is intentional because they want to swindle money but saw engineer as a threat.
Magezi adds that Hoima city performed so poorly according to public accounts committee and the city technical team headed by town clerk was chased from the meeting due to poor performance.
Badru Mugabi the RCC Hoima guided the council saying town clerk has the mandate to do what he did but if it causes financial loses to the city, he will be personally held accountable.
In his response, Godfrey Kiseka the town clerk Hoima city confirmed that he signed the letter himself saying it’s a suspension not expulsion of the engineer.
Kiseka says the matter on ground its not for works department but administration.
