PALLISA, Uganda: Tension gripped Pallisa District Local Government headquarters on Tuesday after unknown individuals sealed off the office of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Alex Felix Majeme using timber in a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict between the district’s political and technical leadership.
The incident, which occurred shortly after a District Security Committee meeting at the office of the Resident District Commissioner on May 26, saw a group of people storm the CAO’s office, order out his secretary and nail timber planks across the entrance, effectively blocking access.
Witnesses told DailyExpress that the group was believed to include supporters aligned to sections of the district political leadership.
The chaos comes weeks after Pallisa District Council reportedly passed a resolution recommending that the CAO be returned to the appointing authority in Kampala over allegations of poor cooperation with district leaders and concerns surrounding service delivery.
Speaking to DailyExpress, Pallisa District LCV Chairperson Okiria Ben admitted there had been a prolonged breakdown in communication between his office and the CAO.
“Personally, the issue I have with the CAO is lack of communication. He fails to pick my calls, yet as the LCV chairperson, I am supposed to work together with him,” Okiria said.
The district chairperson argued that the strained relationship between the technical and political leadership had negatively affected district operations and service delivery.
“If there is no collaboration between the CAO and the technical people, and no collaboration with the political head, then service delivery cannot move well,” he added.
Okiria said he found residents, contractors and community members gathered outside the CAO’s office after the security meeting and attempted to calm the situation, but by then the office had already been sealed.
“You people witnessed and captured what the community did. I tried to talk to them, but they had already sealed the office and they don’t want the CAO in office.”
He further revealed that on May 8, district councillors passed a formal resolution seeking the transfer of the CAO from Pallisa District. “The resolution is there that the CAO should leave Pallisa. His services are no longer needed,” Ben stated.
The district boss also accused the CAO of frustrating a water project allegedly proposed by a non-governmental organisation to benefit local residents.
Meanwhile, Bukedi North Regional Police spokesperson ASP Wilfred Kyempasa confirmed that police had launched investigations into the incident.
According to police, officers responded after receiving reports that the CAO’s office had been unlawfully sealed using timber.
Police identified some of the individuals allegedly involved in the incident as Robert Gwatara, Ayub Ogogolo and Stephen Imunat.
“The scene was examined and documented, statements were recorded from witnesses and the office was later reopened to allow the CAO resume work,” ASP Kyempasa said.
He confirmed that two suspects had already been arrested while security agencies continued hunting for additional suspects linked to the incident.
Police preliminary findings reportedly indicate that some of the individuals involved are alleged supporters of the district chairperson and that investigators are examining claims of long-standing disagreements between the CAO and political leaders.
When contacted for comment, CAO Alex Felix Majeme dismissed allegations of poor performance and accused some political actors of personalising administrative disagreements. “I had never known the chairman personally before coming to Pallisa, so we could not have historical issues,” he said.
The CAO, however, acknowledged that the district chairperson could still be aggrieved by a 2016 road accident in which the chairperson’s brother died, although he denied any direct involvement.
“With all due respect, I had no hand in whatever happened. I was not the registered owner of the vehicle, and the person who caused the accident was arrested and prosecuted,” Majeme explained.
Majeme further accused certain individuals close to the district leadership of mobilising youths to intimidate him and disrupt district operations.
He specifically singled out Stephen Imunat, whom he described as a close ally of the district chairperson, accusing him of mobilising the group that sealed the office.
The CAO also defended himself against accusations that he frustrated a water project, insisting that all agreements involving development partners must first receive clearance from the Solicitor General in line with government procedures.
According to Majeme, the proposed memorandum of understanding for the project contained clauses raising concerns about the commercial sale of water to residents.
He additionally rejected allegations that he delayed contractor payments, saying some contractors had not fulfilled mandatory electronic government registration requirements. “As I talk, the work is progressing well, and by around June 10, most projects will be complete and paid,” Majeme said.
The incident has exposed widening divisions within Pallisa District leadership as investigations into the sealing off of the CAO’s office continue.
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