We have all been left questioning the legality of the Speaker demanding the LC5 Chairperson’s submission to his office, before council sits.
This remains central in establishment of the source of the standoff between the two politicians.
In March 2024, Amos Hakizimana, the Speaker, penned a letter to Abel Bizimana, the LC5 boss, asking him to always submit to his office his would-be communication to the council, at least three days before.
However, Bizimana silently objected to this, with the public court judging in the affirmative.
The recent council sitting was on Thursday, May 30th, and the drama played out. Bizimana had risen to lay his communication to the house when the Southern Division LC5 Councillor, Agaba James, demanded to know whether he had shared his communication with the Speaker’s office.
“Mr Speaker Sir, on March 28, 2024, as the District Council was proceeding, you emphasized that the LC5 should always write to the office of the speaker at least three days before (the council sitting). We want to know if the Chairman wrote to you, and we want to see that letter,” Agaba said.
In response, Hakizimana reechoed his previous warning to Bizimana, saying he could not ‘table things that we have not discussed’.
This did not go down well with Bizimana, whose efforts to give his communication was curtailed. There was chaos for minutes, as he moved out in protest.
It is from this point that Speaker Hakizimana said that the council session could proceed without the LC5 Chairperson, after he had walked out.
This sparked off a debate among the councilors, with the Chahi Sub County councilor, Wilson Kazimili, accusing his counterpart, Agaba James, of pushing for his personal benefits.
Shortly after moving out, Bizimana accused the Speaker of tormenting him for his political inclination.
He told journalists, “Ever since Amos decided to become the political agent of my opponent (Kanya Roland Nkrumah), he decided to harass me. That’s why he can even expel me out of council without even quoting any rule of procedure.” Abel said.
Tables turn
Social media debates question the speaker’s excessive powers in the council, as he has ‘wholesomely usurped the Chairman’s powers’ and ‘denied him a chance to address the council.’
Bizimana went onto social media to burst his anger. He accused Hakizimana of double standards.
“Speaker forced me to be silent yet I was on order paper which he himself generated with business committee,” He posted.
He added, “He was worried of a District Service Commission I was changing whose members he wanted to vet before the council yet they were approved by DEC.”
“I refused to abdicate my authority. He had ganged several councilors to mudsling me. I detected this and together with instructions to shut up, I smartly walked to my office and served public,” explains Bizimana.
But on a phone interview, Hakizimana said “I don’t base on any law to demand that the Chairman shares his address to council with me. Its simply because he has made many mistakes in the past and we want to address that problem.”
“He recently nominated some people including his relatives on the District Service Commission (DSC) and when the names reached Kampala, they were rejected on qualification grounds. Shall we keep doing that?”
“We are occupying public offices and there are no secrets. What does he want to hide from me, and then bring to the council I’m chairing! Can you lead a meeting whose agenda you don’t know?” Hakizimana charged.
According to him, he wondered what would have happened if the Chairperson tabled nominees in the council, yet he had no t first thought about their qualifications as stated by the law.”
“What could have happened if he tabled names, we discuss and debate, yet we even don’t have their CVs? I doubt whether he had all their CVs to know their suitability for the job! These are the things I want to confirm with the Chairman first to prevent further shame. He has mde mistakes” Explained Hakizimana.
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