LUCKY Patrick
Drama has today ensued Fort Portal city Yard- Boma, after the City town clerk Moses Otimong blocked Simon Karamagi, the supposedly head of finance department, from attending the Validation exercise that commenced Today Morning.
Karamagi, currently the principal accountant, had come to attend the exercise following an invitation from the town clerk’s office, to attend the first day of the exercise.
The same exercise was reportedly supposed to be attended by all heads of department, according to the invitation letter.
Drama Scene
Drama sparked off when Karamagi turned up for the meeting at the yard but the town clerk doubling as the chairperson of the validation committee, ordered him out.
This prompted him to run to the office of the city mayor, seeking redress for his blockage yet he was substantively appointed as head of finance department and earning salary.
The Mayor, directed his deputy, Her worship Stella Marunga, and the secretary for Works Jorum Kinuge to immediately escort Karamagi back into the Validation meeting exercise which angered the Town.
The exercise was halted for about 30 minutes, when the town clerk forced himself in the doorway to block the deputy Mayor, Karamagi and Kinuge from accessing the Meeting Room.
The Deputy Mayor revealed the plot by the Town clerk and others to block the Principal accountant from participating in the validation exercise, without a clear explanation .
Notably the town clerk had been invited as a head of department alongside other heads of department’s who were present in the exercise.
Mean while, the town clerk declined explaining that though Karamagi Would be validated, he had not invited him for the same exercise which commenced today an issue the mayor rubbished.
Karamagi, noted that there has been a plot by the office of the Town clerk, to fail him attend the validation exercise.
He thus attributed the plot, to the town clerk fronting people of his interest to assume the position of the principal accountant.
According to law
Karamagi says the Town clerk appointed someone to take up duties of a principal accountant in the city finance department when the principal accountant is available, on government payroll and not serving any interdiction or disciplinary action .
In relation to this, the public service standing orders section F, R (18) page 129, provides that it is the role of the appointing authority which is the city service commission to appoint any one into a position but not the town clerk.
This is further supported by article 200 (1) of the 1995 constitution which gives the powers to the city/district service commission to confirm appointments or remove persons from office.
The Validation exercise which commenced on 3rd will be completed on 4th August 2022 to streamline employees of fort portal city and also fill posts which have been vacant since Fort Portal Municipality was elevated to a city.
