Youth demand RDC resignation

Keeping order. The police officer-in-charge of operations, Mr Pius Asiimwe, tries to push some of the youth, who stormed the Council meeting on Tuesday. PHOTO BY TAUSI NAKATO

What you need to know:

  • Mr Sakwa was once deputy RDC for Jinja but was transferred to Kumi District in 2016 after questioning the alleged money collected from factories in Jinja by some leaders to fund the National Independence Day celebrations held in Luuka District in 2016 yet government had released the money.

JINJA. A group of youth yesterday stormed the Jinja District Council meeting that had been called to approve the budget for the financial year 2019/2020, demanding the resignation of the Jinja Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Eric Sakwa.

The Jinja District Council speaker, Mr Michael Musana Nyende, was forced to adjourn the meeting.
The youth, who carried placards written on: ‘Sakwa, it is now the time for you to leave Jinja’, ‘President save us by taking away Sakwa’, accused him of abusing their leaders.
The council later restarted amid deployment at every entrance of the chambers to prevent the youth from disrupting the meeting.

The Council approved a Shs45b budget estimate with an appeal by the speaker to always petition his office in case of any grievances, other than using violent means.
Mr Nyenda said he forwarded their concerns to the Executive so that they come up with a recommendation about the behaviours of Mr Sakwa before they take action.
Mr Sakwa was absent from the Council meeting.

Leaders want respect
Jinja District chairperson Titus Kisambira urged Mr Sakwa to desist from calling fellow leaders lucky fools, illiterate and thieves.
“The law mandates him as RDC that if he feels discontented in any area, he is free to write to Inspectorate of Government or any other institution to investigate the leaders instead of insulting us through the media,’’ Mr Kisambira said.

He added that they will not take his behaviour lightly.
Mr Kisambira said as an executive after their findings, they will request for a special Council meeting to come up with a recommendation on the behaviours of Mr Sakwa.
However, when contacted, Mr Sakwa said he would continue fighting leaders who engage in corruption and land grabbing.

“Although they plan to chase me out of Jinja, it will not work out because the law allows them only to recommend to the President and he decides the next step,’’ he said.
This comes at a time when the municipality speaker, Mr Moses Bizitu, condemned Mr Sakwa during a Council meeting of calling them useless yet they are all leaders.
Mr Bizitu said although he [Sakwa] has the mandate from the President, who appointed him, they also have a mandate from the people who elected them.

On Thursday last week, Mr Sakwa was allegedly involved in a squabble with his deputy, Mr Abel Bakunda, during a security meeting at the district headquarters.
According to sources, the altercation followed a heated argument which was triggered by a prolonged contest over stamps by Mafubira and Namulesa villages.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) chairpersons from both villages had reportedly surrendered their stamps to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) while those from the Opposition Forum for Democratic Party (FDC) had not.
Mr Sakwa had allegedly issued an order of retrieving the stamps from FDC chairpersons; however, chaos ensued when Mr Bakunda overruled him on grounds that majority of the chairpersons had decided that court resolves the issue.
Mr Sakwa reportedly said he is the RDC, and wondered why Mr Bakunda opposes him yet he is also the head of security.

This was then followed by a prolonged exchange of words which degenerated into a physical confrontation before the CAO, Mr William Kanyesigye, and the District Security Officer, Mr Jude Kyobulungi, intervened.
Mr Sakwa also accused Mr Bakunda of mobilising residents, councillors, the media, and mafias to fight him, citing an incident at Spire Road Primary School when residents stopped him from addressing them during a meeting aimed at resolving grabbing of the school’s land.

On December 5, 2018, Mr Sakwa survived being beaten by the councillor representing Jinja Central Division, Mr Meddie Mbentyo, after he allegedly referred to councillors as ‘thieves’ during a district council meeting.

About Sakwa

Mr Sakwa was once deputy RDC for Jinja but was transferred to Kumi District in 2016 after questioning the alleged money collected from factories in Jinja by some leaders to fund the National Independence Day celebrations held in Luuka District in 2016 yet government had released the money.
While still serving as the Jinja deputy RDC, Mr Sakwa was known for arresting medical workers involved in extortion of money from patients and also steal government drugs.
Mr Sakwa, who was once a diehard of Uganda Peoples Congress Party before crossing to the NRM, returned to Jinja in 2018 after being appointed by the President as a full RDC deputised by Mr Bakunda.
However, after the last week’s scuffle, Mr Bakunda was transferred to Kalangala District and replaced by Ms Hanifa Kaladi.