Dead persons save Mubende local leader from censure

A few signatures on the censure motion paper turned out to be of the dead, others for minors in school, while a few more were for persons who had long left the village.

A local leader in the central district of Mubende will have to go down another day after the dead stood up for him when censure motion signatures were subjected to scrutiny.

Mr Bonefance Mujuni, the chairperson of Kissojjo village in Kaloonga Sub-county, was on the brink but a last ditch decision by the sub-county chief, Edward Ggamba, proved fortuitous and the embattled local leader walked home with his head intact.

Nailed on the cross for alleged gross incompetence, Mr Mujuni was a subject to censure during a meeting at St Simon Kissojjo Catholic Church where a group of locals led by John Ssebukeera presented more than 100 signatures for his recall.

This forced the the sub-county chief, in a mini scrutiny, read out the names to ascertain whether the appended signatures were legit.

"Now I am going to read to you this document and the names of those who signed on this document to clarify whether they are residents of this Kissojjo village," Mr Ggamba told the meeting.

And that is when drama ensued.

A few names turned out to be of the dead, others for minors in school, while a few more were for persons who had long left the village.

"This document is fake and we cannot allow the chairperson to rely on it because some of the people left this village three years ago and others are school children while are deceased yet their names are on the list of those who signed to censure our chairman," said John Byakatonda.

Byakatonda added that he also heard his name on a list yet he never signed.

"I only signed on a document requesting for clean water in our village but I have been worried finding my name among those who want to censure the chairman," he said.

Savio Ndagizimaana, also a teacher at Kissojjo Village, dismissed the allegations that he is among the group of those against the chairperson.

His name, too, was on the list.

"Having heard my name being read on the list, I'm really shocked because I'm a teacher and I know how to read and write and may be these people signed on my behalf," he said.

John Ssebukeera, who led the censure motion, was left naked but he kept up a brave face as he attempted to turn the tables by accusing the sub-county chief of siding with the village chairperos.

"Ggamba is a close friend to the village chairperson that's why he has interfered with the process of censuring him and it's not the first time," he said.

Mr Mujuni said the clique of people who wanted to censure him are "crooks I have been fighting".

"These people are law-breakers whom I have been fighting and they are turning a gun on me but I can't be afraid of their actions," he said.

Mr Mujuni threatened to go to court over the allegations, saying they have tarnished his name.

"I am going to sue them because I have all the time served according to the laws governing our country but hearing someone calling you a thief is something demeaning," he added.

Mr Gaamba told the Nile Post that he had received complaints from locals asking him stamp their documents of censuring the village chairperson.

"I couldn't do it without conducting a village meeting to hear from the locals and to see how we can handle the matter because it is not good to lose such an experienced leader," he said.