Masaka speaker loses bid to block his ouster
Masaka City Speaker Tonny Ssempijja (right) with his lawyer Jude Mbabaali (middle) at Masaka Court after the ruling on November 28,2023. PHOTO/MALIK FAHAD JJINGO
What you need to know:
- The applicant's lawyer, Jude Mbabaali has however warned the city councillors against proceeding with impeaching the city speaker, saying that “they risk being dragged to court again.”
Tonny Ssempijja has lost an application in which he wanted to block his censure from the Masaka City speakership.
On Tuesday, Masaka High Court presided by deputy registrar Julius K Burore dismissed Ssempijja’s application which sought an interim injunction restraining Masaka City councillors from censuring him.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s presiding judge also ruled that the costs of the application shall be determined in the main application.
Last month, Masaka City councilor petitioned the Ministry of Local Government indicating plans to censure Ssempijja for alleged abuse of office, misconduct, and illegalities in conducting council business among other issues.
Sempijja responded by dragging nine councillors and the Attorney General to court, seeking judicial review and orders blocking his impeachment.
The speaker also wanted an interim order restraining local government minister Raphael Magyezi , the respondents, and any other person acting under them to convene a meeting to handle the petition for his removal and election of new speaker of Masaka City expected to take place on November 29.
Kimaanya Ward City representative Zahara alubyayi, who is also one of the respondents who attended court, applauded its ruling.
“It would be immaterial for the court to issue an injunction in the situation that the council has not yet sat to censure the speaker,” she observed.
“The court could not stop something that has not yet happened. It would be unfair to stop the minister from coming to listen to our complaints,” she added.
The applicant's lawyer, Jude Mbabaali has however warned the city councillors against proceeding with impeaching the city speaker, saying that “they risk being dragged to court again.”
“The application was dismissed but we are aware that the law in which they want to impeach the speaker has some illegalities since they were not gazetted and the procedure in which they want to impeach him also has issues,” he said.
“We are firm that the main application will be in our favour since city laws have illegalities. We know this impeachment, if conducted by the council, will be nullified,” he emphasized.
