By Mulengera Reporters
A few days ago, President Museveni held a confidential meeting with EC Chairman Justice Simon Byabakama at State House. And Byabakama came with a few Commissioners for the engagement during which the veteran leader from Rwakitura made his case and read out a riot act of some sort.
Information was still scanty at the time of writing this story (Thursday night) but sources close to the matter told Mulengera News that the President registered his bitterness with the conduct of work by the EC Secretary Leonald Mulekwa and went ahead to particularize some of his grievances to include mismanagement of funds, general disquiet and uneasiness among EC workers.
As was the case during Mulekwa’s predecessor Sam Rwakojo’s days, disgruntled workers at the EC have for months been petitioning the President while highlighting what they think has gone wrong at EC under the watch of Mr. Mulekwa as the accounting officer for the Commission. On return from the meeting, Byabakama got his Commissioners to acquiesce to proposals to send Mulekwa on forced leave as the President’s investigating teams inquires into what has gone wrong under the Commission Secretary’s watch.
Sources say that the President also remains dissatisfied with the circumstances under which the Electoral Commission’s bid to acquire its own home or premises flopped as opposed to expensively operating in rented premises, which remains the case up to this day.
This Thursday since morning, Byabakama and all the Commissioners were locked up in some endless meeting which dragged on till late. In fact, as of 8pm they were still in and the matter of the forceful ouster of Mulekwa and four other officials, at the instigation of the President, was reportedly among key sensitive stuff that was being discussed. This is a developing story which will subsequently be updated. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at [email protected]).