Museveni Petitioned over Obore’s Unfair Dismissal from Parliament

Youths from Teso sub region have petitioned the office of the President protesting the unfair ‘dismissal’ of the Chris Obore Ariko, the director, Communications and Public Affairs (CPA) at Parliament.

On Tuesday, the youths delivered a petition to President Yoweri Museveni through Bukedea RDC Hajji Ramathan Walugembe to intervene in the issues of alleged “sectarianism, malice and marginalization” of Iteso in regards to unfair treatment of Obore who was sent on indefinite forced leave. The petition undersigned by a one Jonathan Musoke Oumo and Diana Esele has already attracted 272 signatures from Bukedea alone. Apparently, youth from Kumi have also delivered an independent petition to their RDC and there is a plan to do so in all other districts from Teso. 

It should be noted that on September 18, 2019, Obore was locked out of office and sent on forced accumulated leave of 144days after the parliamentary Commission attempted to adopt recommendations of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to fire him on grounds that his appointment in 2015 was illegal and contravened the Parliamentary Service (Staff) Regulations, 2001.

Whereas Obore was expected to return to office at beginning of February after being on leave for 144days, the Clerk to parliament Jane Kibirige in a letter dated February 05, 2020, “indefinitely” extended Obore’s leave.

Below is the full petition to the President;

Your Excellency teso tribe is among the largest tribes in Uganda but we have been marginalized yet we too deserve a share of quality public jobs. Your Excellency among others like DR.APUDA have fallen victims of sectarianism, nepotism, tribalism, marginalization, witch-hunt and malice and now CHRIS OBORE is falling a victim of the same and it is against that same background we the youth of TESO have decided not to seat back and watch more of us going down in the same way.

Your Excellency we seek your intervention with urgency and concern particularly in the issue of CHRIS ARIKO OBORE who is the Director Communications and Public Affairs to parliament of Uganda. Your Excellency CHRIS ARIKO OBORE is a born of Bukedea Teso subregion.

On 15/03/2015 the committee on Human Resource and administration held a meeting and recommended for head hunt recruitment for the position of Director Communications and Public Affairs of parliament and on the same matter we also learnt that another meeting on 17/04/2015 was held on the report of the sub- committee on Human Resource on the 41st Parliamentary commission meeting where all the members of the commission attended including the RT.Hon speaker, deputy speaker, second prime minister representing the prime minister, clerk to parliament, all deputy clerks ,leader of opposition and all parliamentary commission MPs were in attendance, where the committee resolved to invite CHRIS ARIKO OBORE with three others to interact with the back bench commissioners and clerk to parliament. They were recommended for the interviews and after interviews CHRIS ARIKO OBORE was ranked the best.

Your Excellency after CHRIS ARIKO OBORE assuming his duties as Director Communications and Public Affairs it’s evident that he diligently executed his assigned duties with excellence in defending parliament and government in general.

Your Excellency Mr. CHRIS OBORE was forced on leave and locks to his office changed in a move to embarrass him and ensure he doesn’t access office while on leave after even the court of laws issuing a court order stopping parliament from doing so. But being a law abiding citizen and respectful to his seniors he obeyed it and took his leave which was ending on 9th /02/2020.

Your Excellency to our surprise on 05th /02/2020 Mr. CHRIS OBORE was issued with a letter extending his forced leave till further notice. What did Obore do to deserve that?

It’s on that ground that we petition you as the Fountain of Honor and Chief Executive of our country to intervene and do the following:

1. We request you to ask parliament to appraise you with the crimes our brother has committed and ascertain whether he deserves the treatment he is being subjected to. We are aware that the original ideals of NRM do not condone tribalism and nepotism.

2. We seek you to invoke your Executive powers to ensure that Mr Obore maintains his job given that he is outrightly being discriminated against and persecuted. We believe that as Iteso and people of Bukedea, we deserve a share of public jobs.

3. Your Excellency, we seek your indulgence to demand that parliament conducts its business in an exemplary manner. If Obore cannot be treated fairly at parliament where laws originate from, where else do we expect fairness? Mr Obore was forced on leave and locks to his office changed in a move to embarrass him and ensure he doesn’t access office while one leave. But such actions are for people who have committed grave crimes.

4. We request you to deal with this matter so that as your ground mobilizers, we do not face tough questions from voters who are already asking us why we mobilize for the NRM party when our own like Obore are being chased from jobs.

Your Excellency, it would have been natural upon us to have resorted to other mechanisms of redress (including protests and public expression of anger) but we for the moment see it suitable to engage in a dialogue and hereby make a direct appeal to the office and person of a president of the republic of Uganda for intervention that will ensure that:

1. Mr Chris OBORE is reinstated to office.

2. An end be put to his trend of events (incarcerations and disenfranchisement of the sons and people of Teso) and it's in this matter that we would bring about Equity and meaningful growth and development to our country and our region Teso.

It's important to at this point to note that Teso and people herein have been left and abandoned in political wilderness without the past and present to be proud of anymore.

Your Excellency we trust that you will consider our request and this will give us strength and momentum to preach the gospel of our mighty NRM party in the coming elections. We shall be grateful if our expectations are met with your kind consideration.