Mukono, Uganda
Faizo Jjuuko Muwanga, a Youth Representative for Mukono Central Division, has found himself at the center of yet another controversy.
On Thursday, Muwanga was officially banned from attending council sessions following a decision by the council speaker, Allan Mawanda.
This came in response to Muwanga’s recent actions, which included openly insulting the council’s technical staff using offensive language deemed inappropriate.
His inflammatory remarks and defiant behaviour have only deepened the divisions within the council, casting a shadow over the representative’s role.
The incident that sparked the ban occurred when Muwanga allegedly misused the council’s WhatsApp group, where he referred to the technical staff as ‘pigs’ and other offensive words.
Speaker Mawanda, in addressing the council, emphasized that such conduct was unacceptable and could not be tolerated.
The decision to bar Muwanga from participating in council activities was seen as a necessary step to maintain order and decorum, though it has also raised questions about freedom of expression and the limits of political discourse within the council.
“I am still wondering why the councillor, who is a Muslim had use such a word against technical staff headed by a fellow Muslim. Apologize to the council and the entire technical staff or excuse yourself from the council.” Mawanda noted.
The Central Division Council’s technical staff, led by Abubakar Wasajja, found themselves in the spotlight after Faizo Jjuuko Muwanga challenged the speaker to prove that he had misbehaved in front of the council.
Muwanga questioned why the speaker would bring up issues from the WhatsApp group during a council session.
However, the speaker lost her temper and ordered the Sergeant at Arms to remove Muwanga from the session, making sure he wouldn’t return to the council premises.
“Muwanga is a civil servant, the law requires one to resign which he did not do. We have been tolerant against him for that matter but again he is misbehaving,” the Speaker noted.
This website has learned that the youth councillor is ready to concentrate on his security duties but also challange the speaker’s decision before court.
Muwanga is a military officer deployed under the security personnel guarding the residential home of General Proscovia Nalweyiso.
Meanwhile, Mark Muganzi Mayanja, the Electoral Commission Returning Officer for Mukono District, introduced new electoral changes that have reduced the number of electoral areas.
Previously, the Central Division had 33 councilors, but under the new rules, this number has been cut down to 14.
Some councilors are unhappy with these changes, arguing that the downsizing should have also applied to members of parliament.
The Electoral Commission had approved the revised Roadmap for the 2025/2026 General Elections earlier this month, which includes the redrawing of constituencies and electoral areas as well as reorganizing polling stations.
This exercise began on August 6th and is being carried out by teams including Town Clerks, Sub County Administrative Secretaries, District Planners, and Chief Administrative Officers, with the process set to conclude by Friday, August 16, 2024.
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