Councillors at Nakifuma-Naggalama town in Mukono district for a full week now blocked the town clerk, Margret Tekisooka Nkata from accessing her office before closing it over incompetence and showing lack of respect to them whenever approached.
Since the beginning of June this year, councillors started demanding for the clerk’s transfer which the District Chief Administrative Officer James Nkata authorised on June 27, transferring her to Kasawo town council with the transfer taking immediate effect.
However, to the councillors surprise the transferred clerk bounced back to office on July 13, without any official communication made to the town council leadership which was in anticipation of a new town clerk.
Councillors together with their LC3 Chairperson, Isa Nvule Walusimbi forced her out of the office for failure to avail an appointment letter recommending her return to the same office.
On the same date of July 13, the chairperson, Walusimbi officially wrote to the CAO as well as copying in other responsible district officials notifying them about the temporary closure of the principle town clerk’s office.
“We expected the new town clerk to report to office. Unfortunately, the former town clerk was retained. …we therefore call for her effective transfer to her new place of work lest we are not ready to work with her due to abuse of office, misconduct and misbehavior.” The letter addressed to the CAO reads in parts.
Martha Nasazzi, a councillor representing Nakifuma-Naggalama town council at the district explains that ever since the town clerk took over office last year, no planned activity including rehabilitation of roads and collection of garbage has been handled.
“We have lobbied for a number of development projects which requires the clerk’s signature but she has been tossing us up and down until she declines to sign and we end up missing important opportunities of development.” Nasazzi notes.
Councillors wonder whether the town clerk understands her duty or she was just appointed in office because she is a relative to CAO Nkata. The Insight Post has learned that the contested TC was transferred from Kalangala district.
The District Chairperson, Rev. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa intervened to address the challenge by advising the town council leadership to currently allow the deputy town clerk execute duties on behalf of the Principal clerk as he engages the CAO for a final and better resolution.
However, the Deputy CAO who also visited the place advised the deputy town clerk to avoid serving in the main position without an official recommendation since the principal is still in place.
Nonetheless, several residents in Mukono up to now are still wondering why the service commission at the time only considered advertising one position for the town clerk yet the district has several other officials serving under acting capacity that needs confirmation on top of several vacancies remaining unfilled.
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