A defiant Prime Minister of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, Andrew Byakutaga K. Ateenyi has today Monday trashed reports of his suspension by the Kingdom’s Chief Prince.
In a document dated January 30th, 2022, and signed by the Chief Prince Fred Mugenyi, it was made clear that the Prime Minister had been suspended from office, till further notice, citing fraud and mismanagement.
“….for instance, fraudulent and dubious cash withdraws and expenditures of the Kingdom finances, where colossal sums of money are withrawn several times in a day, by you and your co signatories without any approved financial policy and activity plan in place,” Mr Mugenyi said in a statement.
The document further stated that Mr. Byakutaga was to leave office, along with the crown’s Attorney General Edgar Agaba and minister of Finance and Planning, Robert Owagonza.
It was also made clear in the document, that the bold decision was reached at following a meeting of the Babito clan, the ruling clan of the kingdom held on January 29th.
However in a twist of events, the office of the Prime Minister drafted a press release today morning, in reference to yesterday’s statement saying that Byakutaga is still the Prime Minister and that the Chief Prince has no powers to dismiss him from office.
“Whereas I respect the office of the “Okwiri as the head of the Babiito clan in the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom, I would like to categorically state that the author of the document has no powers whatsoever to appoint or dismiss any official in the kingdom either as an individual, or by the virtue of authoriry he holds in that office,” Byakutaga said.
He further noted that the King Rukirabashaija Dr. Solomon Gabafusa Iguru 1 only holds the authority to appoint, replace or dismiss officials in the kingdom, something he says has not been done.
With that note therefore, he called upon all subjects of the kingdom to stay calm and ignore the document which was released yesterday, bearing details of his sacking.
He also said there is continuity in the normal execution of the kingdom’s activities and programmes, and urges the subjects to contact his office in case of any controversy, for redress.
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