Masindi-Masindi municipal councilors and the Mayor, Joab Businge on Thursday clashed over Gulu’s bitumen which was found at Masindi municipal garden by police.
Early this month, police in Masindi arrested the Municipal engineer, John Kasaija, and the acting procurement officer, Asaph Kasangaki, demanding for an explanation on how the 25 drums of bitumen belonging to Gulu local government ended up in Masindi.
The 25 bitumen drums were meant for the construction of the 0.47km road along Commercial Street from Centenary bank joining the Masindi port road.
They had been procured at a fee of 30 million shillings.
On Thursday during a council meeting, Evelyn Ayebale, the female youth councilor for Masindi municipality demanded for an explanation from the town clerk Joel Musis on how the 25 drums of bitumen ended up in Masindi.
But the male youth councilor for Masindi municipality, Ignatius Tumusiime, said that council would not discuss something which is under investigation.
This was rejected by the mayor Masindi municipality Joab Businge and the secretary for social services Solomon Asiimwe who told council that council they can discuss any matter apart from the matter which is in court.
Councilors became rowdy when the Mayor Joab Businge told them that he has discovered that there is no complainant in this matter since there is nothing much taking off something which raised a lot of questions amongst councilors.
Businge also noted that this was a deal matter which was started by some councilors who acted as whistle blowers working hand in hand with the police stressing that if the matter was serious the bitumen would have taken by police as exhibits.
He added that by now they would have got the feedback from police but all in vain.
Businge and the council tasked the town clerk and the engineer to ensure that there project is done saying that whether the bitumen was stolen or not for them they want to see their road being worked upon since they budgeted for it.
Solomon Asiimwe the secretary for social services noted that Gulu’s bitumen ending up at Masindi municipality tarnished the name of the institution and its leaders adding that wherever they are going they are termed as thieves something he said is irritating them.
In his response, the town the town clerk Masindi municipality, Joel Musis, assured the councilors that the project will be worked upon in all ways.
The News Editor ,Reporter at Kagadi Kibaale community Radio