Minister Magyezi rejects calls to remove Soroti LC5 chairman from office
The Minister of Local Government Raphel Magyezi has thrown out a petition to remove the Soroti LCV chairperson, Simon Peter Edoru Ekurut from office.
The minister cited procedural irregularities and unsatisfactory grounds for the removal of the district chairperson, adding that the reasons given are insufficient to warrant the removal of Simon Peter Edoru Ekurut from his position as the LCV Chairperson of Soroti.
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"The grounds for the petition are not satisfactory for removal of the district chairperson," Magyezi said.
Early last month a group of councilors petitioned the minister to have Edoru removed from office over alleged incompetence and abuse .
Led by John Odongo the district councillor representing older persons, the councillors said the district chairperson is running the district in violation of the legal procedures’ Section 14 of the Local Government Act 1997,
They requested to be allowed to impeach the LCV Chairperson on grounds of abuse of office, corruption, incompetence, misconduct, failure to implement council decisions and mental incapacity.
On May, 30, 2023, the council sat and approved the appointment of Michael Olugu as the secretary social services but the district chairperson, Edoru is said to have abused his office by appointing himself secretary of social services and transferred Olugu to the secretary works without the approval of council, contrary to article 186 (2) c (4) of the constitution of Uganda and section 16 (2) a,b,c rule 88 , S/Rule (2) of the standard rules of procedures of local councils in Uganda.
The councilors also accuse the chairperson of failure to implement council lawful resolutions causing a financial loss to the local government.
They also claim that the LC5 chairperson abandoned his allocated vehicle and took a double-cabin vehicle belonging to the education department, which has paralyzed the department’s operations.
The councillors also allege that the chairperson failed to address and report to council the eviction and compensation of six members of Aboket-Kamuda Community.
They claim that he allowed their eviction without seeking guidance and approval from council, which later resulted in the sale of community land to an investor.
The chairperson is also accused of abusing his powers by taking lead in interdicting substantively appointed technical staff and assigning duties to junior officers who don’t qualify for senior positions which they say has affected the management of contracts in the district.
