Gulu leaders have requested for more time to clear 89 former Parish Chiefs to whom it owes 4.2 billion shilling.
The money is from a 2002 court ruling in which the district was found not to have followed procedures in dismissing the chiefs.
The request from the district leaders came during a meeting on Friday last week with representatives of the former Parish Chiefs.
The meeting took place in the boardroom of the Gulu Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
The meeting followed clashes between court bailiffs and the district acting on a 2002 court order by then Gulu High Court Judge Remmy Kasule.
Kasule awarded the ex-chiefs a total of Shs 2 billion saying they were unfairly laid off without following the proper procedures after they dragged the district to court in
2002.
That amount has since risen to 4.2 billion.
Speaking to Acholi Times in an interview, Mr Mapenduzi, said much as court has issued that the claimants be paid; the matter should be taken with caution so that it doesn’t paralyze the operations of the district.
Mapenduzi noted that last year, the district paid Shs 742 million to the former Parish Chiefs, a payment he said crippled the construction of a theatre he did not name( the money was withdrawn from the health department).
“In our meeting we reached an agreement [with the former Parish Chiefs),’’ said the Gulu Chairman.
‘‘We want to see what is possible within our means as district.”
Gulu Resident District Commissioner Captain Santos Lapolo reiterated Mapenduzi’s remarks but requested the claimants to be calm and cautioned the court bailiffs against violently raiding the district to
remove the attached properties.
Mr Ronald Ngobi, an advocate representing the claimants however insisted that after a three week grace period the district requested, they will proceed with the court order to attach the district’s properties.
The district leaders and representatives of the claimants are scheduled to meet on January 13 next year to finalize on payment of the money.
Last week, the High court assistant registrar gave warrant of attachment for 23 graders, 20 vehicles, motorcycles and assortment of office equipment worth Shs 2.5 billion.
