The fate of today’s scheduled Lira City West Division Council meeting hangs in the balance as councillors supporting Speaker Daniel Okello and those aligned with Mayor Michael Ogwal Aconga reportedly went into hiding yesterday.
Last week, Rashid Hasakye, the returning officer for Lira City, wrote to the town clerk of Lira City West Division, requesting a council meeting to discuss a motion aimed at removing Daniel Okello from his position as the division speaker on July 24th, 2023.
Earlier, Daniel Okello had taken his case to court to contest his censure process by the councillors, and the court had issued a temporary injunction, allowing him to continue serving as the speaker of Lira City West Division. Lira High Court Judge, Justice Dancun Gaswaga, ruled in favor of Okello, stating that the censorship process was lawful.
Today’s council meeting, intended to debate the motion for Okello’s removal, was set to take place, but reports indicate that some councillors from Lira City West Division mysteriously disappeared yesterday. It is alleged that more than 20 councillors were seen boarding a van headed for Gulu City in an apparent attempt to prevent the meeting from reaching a quorum.
Rose Ongom, the deputy mayor of Lira City West Division, acknowledged receiving reports that certain councillors went to Gulu City and are currently in hiding. However, she denied rumors that the executive purposely sent these councillors to Gulu to prevent the meeting from taking place.
Ongom stated that yesterday, they visited the mayor, who is unwell, along with some other councillors. On the other hand, Daniel Okello, the speaker of Lira City West Division, denied the allegations of hiding councillors in Gulu City, stating that he was simply returning from Kampala yesterday.
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