The speaker of Jinja district, Simon Kibombo has indefinitely adjourned the council sitting after two executive members who were last month suspended, refused to exit the chambre.
According to the order paper, the council was supposed to start at exactly 2:00PM, however, due to unexplained circumstances, it was delayed by one hour.
Finally, clad in his honorary attire, the speaker of the Jinja district local council, Simon Kibombo, entered the council hall at exactly 3:00PM.
After prayers and anthems, the council however registered a dramatic turnaround when Kibombo directed the vice chairperson, Joseph Ikoona and the secretary for finance, Sharif Mpoya to step out of the council hall as they were still serving their suspension. The two refised to budge.
The duo were suspended during the 18th, September, 2026 council sitting over physically assaulting Kibombo.Following that incident, council was adjourned to 19th, October, 2026, where the council sitting appeared peaceful, however, they never raised the required quorum of atleast 12 councilors, prompting Kibombo to suspend business until 23rd, October, 2026.
But during this sitting, Mpoya and Ikoona declined to step out of council, arguing that, their suspension of the two consecutive council sittings had elapsed on 19th, October and Kibombo had no right of sending them away.
They argued that, section 53 of the local government act empowered them to sit in the house, since their suspension took immediate effect on 18th, September, making 19th, October the end of their ban. Council the deteriorated into a shouting march for over five minutes, prompting Annet Bazibu, the female councilor of Butagaya sub county to raise a point of procedure for Kibombo to suspend concil for the charged up councilors to cool off.
Kibombo suspended the house for 10 minutes, awaiting the help of police to peacefully evacuate the suspended councilors.
Police personnel arrived at 4:00PM and sealed off the council hall, which heightened chaotic outbursts, with the L.C.V chairperson, Moses Batwala opposing the presence of armed security men inside the council hall.
Police partially withdrew from the council hall, but maintained presence on the outside and when Mpoya and Ikoona insisted on staying in the house, Kibombo indefinitely suspended council.
Kibombo argued that, section 17 of the rules of procedure empowered him to adjourn a council sitting for a period not exceeding seven working days, which he did.
Kibombo further stated that council deserved a befitting decorum, only possible through respect of the rules of procedure, which he accused the duo of defying-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
