ADJUMANI, UGANDA: The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Local Government has withdrawn, the designate Adjumani CAO Mr. Gwokto Martin from Kitgum district, and instead transferred in the embattled Apac district CAO Grandfield Oryono.
In a placement letter dated, February 7, 2022, the permanent secretary instructed the new CAO Mr. Grandfield Oryono to report to his duty station immediately and start work.
Mr. Oryono reported to Adjumani district on February 8, 2022, he was introduced to heads of departments and met the district chairman Anyama Ben, before traveling back.
Adjumani district has been experiencing a vacuum in the office of CAO after CAO Wanje Michael was indicted by the anti-corruption court for the offence he allegedly committed when he was in charge of Apac district.
Mr. Wanje Michael appeared before the anti-corruption court in Kampala on January 27, 2022, he did not plead guilty and court granted him bail, pending disposal of the case.
CAO Wanje Michael has accordingly been interdicted by the permanent secretary pending the verdict of the anti-corruption court on the matter.
Many venerated, and technical officers in Adjumani, have expressed their sympathy to CAO Wanje Michael, describing him as a professional chief executive and a mentor, because his office has been approachable and helpful to all categories’ of the work force.
Mr. Wanje Michael who was replaced by Mr. Grandfield Oryono in Apac in July 2021, after doing a commendable job in Apac district is now a villain and due to handover office next week.
Mr. Grandfield Oryono who served as town clerk in Kotido, before being elevated to deputy CAO, started his first assignment as acting CAO, in Moyo district which he served for four years.
His work in Moyo has however been, characterized with a lot of slip-ups and visible administrative bluffs according to senior officers who worked with him.
Mr. Grandfield Oryono was also faulted for his lack of administrative acumen and reputation of honesty in the accomplishments of his duty, he was accused employing the infamous, divide and rule tool or creation of factions that degenerated into infighting leading to mutual suspicion and unrest among officers.
From Moyo, Mr. Grandfield was transferred to Agago district, where he turned a pastoral CAO, he was thereafter deployed to Amuru district and severally conflicted with senior officers.
In March 2021, he was transferred to Nakapiripirit district, but the leaders led by Hon, Lokeries Peter, the state minister, for Energy and minerals development, rejected him and he was subsequently dumped in Buvuma Island.
As fate would have it, Mr. Grandfield Oryono was again offloaded from Buvuma Island to Apac district in July 2021, and six months later, he has found his way to Adjumani district with a budget of shs 70 bn.
The Adjumani district chairman, Mr. Anyama Ben, has confirmed meeting Mr. Grandfield Oryono in his office and also received a copy of the transfer letter from ministry of local government, but stresses, he is yet to seek clarification on the matter since three CAOs have been transferred to Adjumani.
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