Lira City East Division council meeting ends in chaos
By Denish Ongora (denish.ongora@vol.co)
Lira
The Lira City East division Council has for the second time failed to approve an area land committee.
During the council meeting yesterday, the councilors who are opposed to the appointment of the area land committee interfered with the reading of the executive committee report before the mayor George Okello Ayo could nominate the members of the area land committee.
Silas Ogwang who represents Railway Quarters ward, raised a point of order, alleging that the mayor smuggled the nomination of area land committee into the executive committee report without having it gone through the business committee.
Ireda East ward councilor Uhuru Sam moved a motion seeking to defer the executive committee report which was then seconded by Geoffrey Obote.
Chaos arose in council when the speaker Daniel Alyela deferred the executive committee report.
Obote Atyang argued that the approval of the area land committee may bring legal implications on the division council citing Lira city council which was sued for approving the land board.
He said there is no law supporting the operationalization of the new cities and appointment of area land committees in particular.
Mayor Lira city east, George Okello Ayo accused the speaker of coming up with a ruling contrary to the rules of procedure. He alleged the speaker and a section of some councilors are serving their personal interest.
Secretary Finance Lira city Eas,t Charles Opio Olol accused the speaker of taking sides with Obote Atyang and Ogwang Silas who are contesting the appointment of area land committee members.
Boke ward councilor, Walter Ojok said he wants the area land committee appointment to aid the process of acquiring title for Ogengo HCII which is being transferred to his ward; he blamed the confusion on Ogwang and Obote.
Speaker Daniel Alyela faulted Okello Ayo for allegedly smuggling the nomination of area land committee into the executive committee report without the approval of the business committee.
However he said the same will still be appointed after a thorough consultation on legal matters.
Alyela reasoned that the council session could proceed because the members were rowdy and could not deliberate on important matters
The names of area land committee members that were yet to be presented to council include; Lawrence Ayo from Boke ward as the chairman area land committee, Vincent Okello Odwar of Railways ward a member, John Ono of Iwal, and Saida Auma of former central division.
Recently, the Mayor Lira city Sam Atul and the minister of health who is also the woman member of parliament Lira city Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng held a consultative meeting the with the councilors of Lira City East and Lira City West, at Lira city community hall where they were pleaded with to go back and appoint the area land committees in their respective councils.
