By Emong Vicent
The Kumi Executive Committee has resolved that James Kyomya, the former acting Resident District Commissioner (RDC), should vacate his position in Kumi District. This decision follows Kyomya’s contentious actions, including threats to arrest teachers and civil servants, which have adversely affected the district’s operations.
During a council meeting, Sam Akol, the Vice Chairperson of the Local Council V (LCV) Kumi District, reported that teachers in 75 public primary schools had joined a nationwide strike. Akol noted, “The district stakeholders, especially the Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO) office, education department, and political leadership, have engaged teachers, appealing to them to resume work as they await the central government’s response to the demands by UNATU. However, these efforts have been negatively affected by the Deputy RDC’s threats to arrest teachers.”
Nelson Elungat Lakol, the District LCV Chairperson Kumi, expressed his disapproval of Kyomya’s actions, stating, “The continuous arrests have demoralized technical workers from doing their noble job, and as a district chairperson, I condemn the act.” Elungat emphasized that he would never work with Kyomya and pledged to write to the relevant ministry to request his transfer. “Your actions have made the district perform poorly, despite our recent ranking as number nine in the local government assessment,” Elungat added.
Joyce Angoku, the district woman councilor representative for Ongino Sub County, urged Kyomya to reconsider his approach, saying, “You’re still young; request for your transfer. Many technical staff members are too bitter with you.” Angoku advised Kyomya to foster a good working relationship with the LCV’s office, CAO, and other department heads to avoid conflicts. “My son, move slowly and compare reports before rushing to make arrests,” she counseled.
Alex Ongolinyang, the district councilor representative of Kanyum Sub County, also encouraged Kyomya to adopt a more collaborative approach. “Use dialogue and compare reports before making arrests. Teamwork between the LC5 and the Deputy RDC’s office is essential for better service delivery,” Ongolinyang stated.
Ebukitoit Esau, a councilor representative of the people of North Division in Kumi District Council, criticized both Kyomya and the council for using council meetings to resolve personal grievances. “Instead of using council sessions to address your issues, find alternative ways to resolve them,” Esau suggested.
In response, James Kyomya pleaded for understanding and called for teamwork to improve Kumi District’s performance. He admitted to making arrests due to concerns over accountability for taxpayer money, citing a specific instance where roadworks were reported as complete but found to be incomplete during inspections.
David Tukei, the Kumi District Speaker, recommended a harmonization meeting between the LC5 and the Deputy RDC to resolve issues and enhance collaboration. “Both parties should refrain from acting impulsively and instead assess situations balanced to make informed decisions,” Tukei advised. He also cautioned Kyomya against rushing to arrest technical workers without verifying information with department heads.