Vituko Mitaani

The Appointments Committee of parliament has set June 26 as the date to vet former army boss, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, in what promises to be a complicated process laced with legal implications.

One of the five army representatives in the ninth parliament, Aronda was last month appointed Internal Affairs Minister by president Yoweri Museveni in a snap cabinet reshuffle that also saw Rose Namayanja (Nakaseke) take the docket of information minister from Karooro Okurut.

The reshuffle that involved transfer of Permanent Secretaries saw Uganda’s former UN representative, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, replace Christine Ondoa as minister of Health, Onek transferred to Disaster Preparedness, while Okurut headed to Gender, Labor and Social Development.


The tribunal set up to investigate Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago for alleged abuse of office will start conducting public hearings on Monday, sources have said.

The tribunal will be open for public hearings on weekdays between 9:00am and 5:00pm.

The three-member team, headed by Anti-Corruption Court Judge Catherine Bamugemereire, is expected to submit its report within 60 days.

The Minister for Kampala, Frank Tumwebaze, said, the tribunal has been doing paper work and other preparations.

The tribunal, which is conducting its business at Metropole Hotel in Kololo, invited Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) councillors on Thursday to swear affidavits.

Bruhan Byaruhanga, a councillor and the lead petitioner said: “I have evidence of how Lukwago’s political activities have crippled KCCA local revenue collection. His activities tantamount to abuse of office, and this is my area of concern.”

This week, the tribunal halted a meeting Lukwago had planned to convene to discuss the KCCA budget.

In a June 10 letter to the city executive director, Jennifer Musisi, the tribunal said it needed councillors to record statements this week. The letter was signed by the secretary to the tribunal, Robert Kirunda.

Tumwebaze recently appointed the tribunal to handle a petition by councillors agitating for Lukwago’s sacking. The tribunal will determine whether the contents of the petition hold sufficient grounds for their demand to remove the Lord Mayor from office.

If the tribunal determines that there is a case for Lukwago’s removal, the KCCA Act stipulates that not less than two-thirds of the councillors can pass the resolution.

Last week, Lukwago also petitioned the Constitutional Court, challenging the establishment of the tribunal.

In his petition, he argued that the minister did not accord him a fair hearing to respond to the allegations, before setting up the tribunal.

He asked court to disband the tribunal and grant him a permanent injunction, restraining the tribunal from proceeding with its work.