Kampala minister Bettie Olive Kamya has been ordered to appear at the High Court on April 24, 2018 to answer to allegations that she is interfering with the executive powers of the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
The summonses were Tuesday issued by Justice Hennrietta Wolayo upon request by Mr Lukwago’s lawyer Chrysostom Katumba when the case came up for hearing.
However, Justice Wolayo asked that both Kamya and Lukwago first exhaust avenues of settling their differences out of court with the help of a court-appointed mediator before full trial commences.
Lukwago accuses Kamya of illegally passing-off as the political head of the city whereas she was not elected and therefore does not have the people’s mandate to lead.
Lukwago claims his mandate to serve as the duly elected mayor of the city has been usurped by Kamya who even took a decision on January 23, 2018, to suspend council meetings where deliberations and decisions on how to govern the city are made .
According to court documents, Kamya stoppoed the council meetings on grounds that they are illegal and no longer relevant to the city, a decision that Lukwago describes as irrational and unreasonable.
In his petition, Lukwago wants court to quash Kamya’s decision regarding the legality of Council meetings and other decisions such as subjecting all travels abroad as the Lord Mayor to a “ministerial permit ” .
Lukwago claims such decisions are an infringement and abuse of his rights and freedoms .
Lukwago says that unless court intervenes and restrains Kamya from making such irrational decisions and passing-off as the Lord Mayor , the sovereignty of the people of Kampala will be put in jeopardy and hence forth affect the social contract he made with his voters in May 2016.
