Suspended Rubaga Division Deputy Resident City Commissioner Herbert Anderson Burora has clarified his stance regarding his recent criticisms of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among.
Burora has emphasized that his remarks were not personal but rather centred on accountability and public trust.
Addressing concerns about his social media activity, Burora underscored the responsibility of public officials to uphold the trust of the people they serve. He expressed reservations about the notion of holding the President’s support as a shield against accountability, asserting that public officeholders must prioritize serving the interests of the people.
“Let’s make this clear. I have nothing personal with Rt. Hon. Speaker of the @Parliament_Ug. Secondly, We hold public offices in trust of the people, once we lose trust in the people, and you claim that you don’t care as long as the President is in support of what you do, to me that amounts to blackmail. Much as the President trusts and charges us with the responsibility to hold office, we are meant to use these offices to popularize his image and publicise Govt for the One who gave us a responsibility to stay afloat. In this case, the President does not derive any popular support from the people because of Madam Anita,” he said in a tweet.
Burora made two main points of contention with the Speaker: first, whether holding a position of influence with the President entitles one to manipulate their authority, and second, whether leveraging proximity to the President justifies abuse of office and neglecting public interests.
Highlighting the public’s demand for transparency and accountability, Burora stressed the importance of providing satisfactory answers to citizens’ inquiries. He pledged to advocate for accountability and ensure that concerns raised by the public are effectively addressed.
“It is true that there are so many things that Madam Anita has done for President Museveni, my point of departure is in two folds;
- Do you hold the President at ransom because of what you have done with him?
- Do you have to take advantage of what you are doing with the President to abuse office, To conflict in matters that the public has interests in and that are noble to the Public??
Like I’ve said before, the public needs answers. Not the explanation to the President. As days pass, so many answers are demanded. Whether the President is aware; that will be another case. If the Public, asks questions and you run to explain to the President, then more questions are likely to crop up,” Burora added.
In his message to the Speaker, Burora emphasized the significance of recognizing the concerns of Ugandan citizens and the role of social media as a platform for information dissemination and public feedback.
Concluding his statement, Burora reiterated that accountability remains the primary issue of contention with Hon. Anita Among and urged her to acknowledge and address these concerns accordingly.
“In the so much time that I have now, I will ensure that I break these demands for answers into segments for Rt. Hon. Speaker to understand us. For her to know that we are not only Taxpayers but also we are Ugandans and that it is disrespectful to equate Ugandans as being idle on social media. We also need her to know that social media is not only social media but a platform for information transmission and feedback. I don’t think Ugandans have other problems with Hon. Anita Among beyond accountability. This, she should know,” he concluded.
Let’s make this clear. I have nothing personal with Rt. Hon. Speaker of the @Parliament_Ug. Secondly, We hold public offices in trust of the people, once we lose trust in the people, and you claim that you don’t care for as long as the President is in support of what you do, to…
— Burora Herbert Anderson (@harderHB) March 19, 2024
On Monday, March 18, 2023, Herbert Anderson Burora decided to prioritize conscience over job retention. Following directives from Hajji Yunus Kakande, the Permanent Secretary to the Office of the President, Burora relinquished his responsibilities and officially handed over his duties to Maureen Keita, the Kampala Central Division Deputy RCC.
“Today, I handed over The Office of the Deputy Resident City Commissioner in the Lubaga Division. 5 years and 5 months of my Service are worth bowing out Honorably. It’s not about the office or Job as Madam Anita thought, It’s about the Service. I had all the options to choose the Job or to remain true to my conscience. I chose the latter,” Burora expressed on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Reflecting on his tenure, Burora acknowledged any shortcomings but affirmed his dedication to serving diligently. He highlighted his commitment to representing the President’s interests to the best of his ability.
Burora announced plans for a press conference on Thursday, March 21, 2024, to provide further insight into his decision. His suspension on March 14th, 2024, stemmed from an alleged violation of official advice, particularly regarding his social media activities following criticism received during a meeting.
“In that meeting, you were faulted to have violated official advice to the extent that you continued to issue or utter statements to the social media without express authority from your line supervisors. Therefore, you failed to satisfy the meeting or give justifiable reasons for your continued actions,” Burora revealed regarding his suspension, effective for 28 days from March 15th, 2024.
Burora’s troubles began when he publicly criticized Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament, for alleged corruption, prompted by revelations of financial irregularities within parliament exposed by activists.
Story Source: The Standard News Uganda
