During a district council extra ordinary meeting held on Thursday last week, infuriated councilors demanded for explanations as to why the LCV Chairman for Gulu district Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi has failed to provide a report to the district council in explanation for his numerous foreign trips.

The District Councilor representing Palaro Sub County Owen Chris Okoya, questioned why Mapenduzi has failed to come up with a report for his trips abroad, adding that it amounts to corruption; the very same vice that the district Chairman seems to be fighting against. 

Okoya explained that corruption is not just about money but the failure by public officer bearers to account for their actions.

Another Councilor Francisco Watdok Awori, the District Councilor V for Koro also reiterated that this concerns also any councilor including the district executive members who should write executive reports and subsequently present them before the district council. 

Awori also alleges that, privileges are always only given to district executive members as if they are more special than other councilors.

However, Mapenduzi dismiss the allegation as “unfortunate” and defended himself that he has never failed in his duty to present his reports which are embedded in the DEC report.

He cited his recent trip to the USA where he struck a deal with Invisible Children to fund the construction of the district assembly hall complex estimated to cost 3 billion shillings.

He added that discussing workshop reports is useless for Gulu district and its council since such reports are submitted to the CAO’s office. 

According to the district chairman, the district has never facilitated his trip abroad even, “not even with a single cent.”