The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Dr. Solomon Gafabusa Iguru has directed all kingdom ministers and county chiefs intending to join active politics to first resign.
In his message delivered by the Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga, the Omukama says the Kingdom is none political and hence any one joining politics should write to the appointing authority asking to be relieved of his or her duties to join politics.
He says the Institution of Traditional or Cultural Leaders Act, 2011, does not allow traditional or cultural leaders to join or participate in partisan politics.
The Omukama says the Kingdom will not refuse officials from the kingdom from participating in active politics so long as they resign their positions in the kingdom.
The Omukama’s directive comes at a time when some of the Kingdom officials have of recent declared their interests to contest for various elective political seats in the Bunyoro sub region.
They include; Samuel Tumusiime, the special assistant in the office of the prime minister in charge of youths and sports who is contesting for Hoima Municipality MP seat and Florence Asiimwe Akiiki, the Kingdom minister for education and health who is contesting for Masindi district Woman Member of Parliament among others.
When reached for a comment, Tumusiime who is contesting for the Hoima Municipality seat told Uganda Radio Network -URN that he is ready to resign his position in order to give him ample time to concentrate on politics.
Recently, various aspirants vying for different political posts in the Bunyoro sub region questioned the manner in which some of the Kingdom ministers are openly campaigning while still holding positions in the Kingdom.
They demanded that the Omukama should relieve such people from the Kingdom work.
Early this month, the Ministry of local government directed all civil servants who are aspiring for parliamentary seats in the forthcoming general elections to relinquish their current positions by July 12, 2020.
The instruction was given by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government Ben Kumumanya through a circular to all Chief Administrative Officers and town clerks.
In the circular, he asked the accounting officers to instruct all persons with political interests to adhere to election guidelines and public standing orders.
Kumumanya points out that the Public Service Standing Orders provide that a public officer who wishes to contest for a position in a political party will be required to retire or resign from public office at least three months before nominations to be eligible to contest.
He equally made reference to a revised roadmap by the Electoral Commission which indicates that all persons aspiring to contest for Parliamentary seats should resign before July 12, and August 6, for those seeking election for local government positions.
Those aspiring for Special Interest Groups Representation in Parliament will have until August 7 to relinquish the seats while presidential aspirants will have until October 31, 2020.
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