Wau municipality councilors force out speaker

May 14, 2015 (WAU) – Wau municipality councilors in Western Bahr el Ghazal state on Wednesday passed a vote of no confidence against the speaker, Philip Deng Ulak.

The councilors accused Ulak of allegedly embezzling municipality funds.

Michael Majok, the lead petitioner, faulted the latter for postponing regular meetings, which are usually organised to address administrative issues facing the municipality.

“The speaker has made an illegal certificate of local order in the name of legislative council by saying that two third simple majority members are passed into law,” he said.

The speaker allegedly got incentives meant for councilors while 5,000 South Sudanese pounds budgeted as administrative costs for the council remained unaccounted for.

“Because of such repeated mistakes, the council had in the past warned Ulak to distance himself, but all in vain,” stressed Majok.

Ulak denied the allegations, which he described as an administrative issues.

“These cases were administrative issues, the councilors did not use proper appropriate ways, they acted out of law,” the outgoing speaker told Sudan Tribune by phone.

At least 24 of the councilors voted against the municipality speaker.

(ST)