Police evacuate Wakiso town clerk after hours of office detention

MAKINDYE. A town clerk in Wakiso District has been evacuated by police after councillors closed him in his office for hours.

Councillors of Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality want Mr John Bahengana transferred for alleged incompetence, abuse of office and misconduct. He vehemently denies the allegations.

The councillors have twice petitioned the ministry of local government detailing what they claim to be the failures of Mr Bahengana, but they say government has delayed to take action on their demand to get him transferred.

“We cannot wait anymore because services are being crippled. We have decided to evict the town clerk by force. And we should not see him here again,” Mr. Bashir Wasswa a councillor said.

About sixteen councillors out 19 were present holding hammers and timber that they used to lock the offices of the town clerk.
“We will not harm you. Just come out and go peacefully,” councillor Vincent Kawere warned. But Mr Bahengana who was not sure of what would happen next, locked himself inside the office.

This prompted the councillors to lock the offices while Mr Bahengana and his assistant Mr Uthman SSebadduka were inside. Police was called in and the municipal mayor Mr Gerald Lumbuye who negotiated a safe exit of Mr Bahengana.

He was whisked away in his RAV 4 vehicle amidst chanting from the councillors.
Councillors decried delayed payments to service providers and declining local revenue.

“He has failed to set up a tax tribunal which we ordered him to do. This has led people failing to pay property taxes,” deputy speaker Ahmed Ssekyanzi said.

Mayor Lumbuye called for calm as councillors vowed to go physical should the ministry of local government fail to transfer Mr Bahengana.

“Causing financial losses, abuse of office and misconduct, are serious crimes in management. We cannot have a leader who presides over the same,” said Justice Walugembe.

In a council meeting in December 2017, it was resolved that Mr Bahengana be transferred and the resolution was sent to the ministry of local government.

Mr Bahengana is also accused of failure to implement council resolutions such as commissioning new classroom blocks at schools under Universal Primary Education, regularising documents on assets owned by the council, procuring serialised seals, taking councillors for induction, safe guarding municipal registry among others.

Mr Bahengana was posted to Makindye Ssabagabo as town clerk in September 2016.