Masaka City councillors held over document forgeries

Ms Alice Nannungi and Mr Tonny Ssempijja, of Nyendo Mukungwe Division and Kimaanya Kabonera, respectively

CRIME | Two prominent councillors in Masaka found themselves in police custody after being accused of forging council documents related to the passing of the city budget.

Ms Alice Nannungi and Mr Tonny Ssempijja, of Nyendo Mukungwe Division and Kimaanya Kabonera, respectively, both held significant roles within the Masaka City Council.

The allegations suggest that the councilors, along with former clerk to council Steven Luwaga, manipulated council documents during the time Ssempijja served as the speaker of Masaka City Council and Nannungi was chairing the building and planning committee by then.

The proposed changes included altering the tenure of council committees, leading to the removal of Nannungi from her position as chairperson of the Masaka City Building and Planning Committee.

The situation escalated during a meeting chaired by Local Government minister Raphael Magyezi, where 15 councillors unanimously voted to withdraw confidence in former speaker Ssempijja.

Nannungi swiftly moved to challenge the legality of the meeting, citing procedural irregularities.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn when police raided the city headquarters on Wednesday this week around 3pm and arrested the two councillors.

Police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye confirmed the arrest, stating that they were charged with forgery of council documents.

The hunt for former clerk to councillor Steven Luwagga is still ongoing.

However, the arrested councillors denied the allegations, attributing them to political motives aimed at undermining their leadership.

Before Grade One Magistrate Daniel Bwambale Busathiro, the councillors were charged with forgery of council documents, hiding council proposals, trafficking in council documents and counterfeiting in the same.

Despite their denial, the magistrate remanded Nannungi and Ssempijja on bail of shs. 200,000 each. Additionally, there sureties were required to provide non-cash of Shs10 million.

The councilors were ordered to appear in court on May 10 for mention of the case.