The Retired Supreme court Judge of Uganda Justice Okello Galdino has been appointed Chairman of Gulu District Services Commission replacing Hon Abednego A. Ongom in an extraordinary council meeting called by Gulu district Chairman Martin Ojara Mapenduzi.

While presenting the nominated names before the council, Mapenduzi said it was a shame that Gulu district was among the 21 district that had failed to appoint a Chairman for the public service commission in the district service team in time as stipulated by section 54 of Local Government Act.

 

“Gulu district will not allow such confusion to disorganise Gulu district, he said.

 

During his submission before the council the chairman accepted that Galdino Okello was his own nomination because he feels that as a retired civil servant, he should help his community as has the integrity to head the service commission and conduct of the committee to oversee district recruitment.

 

This triggered rejection from the councillors who said that Justice Okello Galdino does not reside in Gulu district and is over qualified for the Job.  Furthermore, the councillors agued that since he is a retired judge, he should pave way for those seeking employment.

 

Billy Gram Olanya the councillor for Odek sub-county in his submission said that: “Mr. Speaker sir, Justice Okello Galdino is over qualified for the job and he was a legal advisor to a certain opposition party and because he was a judge he might have conflict with many people, reason enough to not make him the chairperson of the commission.”

 

Betty Atim the councillor for Laroo Division also rejected the nomination and said that the names of those nominated were not passed to them for vetting.

 

Gulu municipal speaker Mr Kelly Komakech said that Galdino’s name was imposed on the councillors by the chairman, because the Town clerk is the son in law to Galdino who conspired with the Mayor to see that his father in-law takes the office, so municipal councillors were deprived their independent right to choose a local representative in the commission for themselves.

 

The speaker also threatened not to work under the guidance of Oloya Stephen the acting town clerk because he is unqualified and is misguiding the mayor on the sale of open spaces around the town

 

When contacted the town clerk accepted that Galdino Okello is his Father in law but he is not part of the committee that nominates names, his work he said is to oversee council meetings among other things.  He said that he can’t explain circumstances under which his father in-law was nominated by the Municipal executives.

 

Galdino Okello was elected by 13 votes in favour and 10 voting against him, with seven absconding.

 

Other people appointed as members the district services commission are Mrs. Teresa Lowila, Marcilino Okullu, and Rudento Larok Lumony.