KIRUHURA – It was a day of reckoning in Kiruhura District Hall as the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Barugahara Balaam Ateenyi, chaired a high-level anti-corruption meeting under the Presidential Directive to Expose and Eliminate Corruption in Uganda.
The meeting, which is still continuing, brought together the District Chairperson, RDC, CAO, District Speaker, Town Clerks, Heads of Departments, DISO/ISO, Chairpersons of District Service Commission and other technical staff.
Balaam tables his well investigated report
During the meeting, Hon. Balaam tabled his well investigated report backed with GPS photos, exposing alleged massive loss of government funds in Kiruhura District through shoddy work, inflated costs and non-functional projects.
Health sector on the spot
The report alleges that the OPD block at Kiruhura Health Centre IV, built at Shs 150 million, is already cracking and the renovation is not worth the money.
At Rwabarata Health Centre III, built at Shs 300 million in FY 2022/23, the work is alleged to be shoddy, and the facility is not functional – with no water, no electricity and no latrine. Residents are still using a community-built facility.
At Rwetamu Health Centre III, an OPD built at Shs 250 million in FY 2023/24 is also alleged to be cracking and not worth the money. It is further alleged the District Engineer gave the contract to his own company yet he was supposed to supervise the work.
District Headquarters projects questioned
- Fencing of headquarters at Shs 18 million – still incomplete, no gate
- Sanga – Lake Mburo – Rusherere road at Shs 180 million – only graded, no murram
- Chain link around headquarters at Shs 25 million – incomplete and falling
- Toilet at Shs 14 million – not worth the money, not yet in use
- Water tank at Shs 23 million – not working
- Silage bunker at Shs 18 million – too small, estimated at Shs 6 million
- Cattle shed at over Shs 30 million – inflated cost, no value for money
- Artificial dam for demonstration garden at over Shs 50 million – not working
- Two compound solar lights at Shs 6 million – exaggerated, estimated at Shs 3 million each
Ghost learners
Out of 72 government schools, only 09 were sampled, and ghost learners were allegedly found. The report says the number is expected to be much higher if all schools are checked.
Emyooga – Shs 30M ghost SACCO
The report alleges that Shs 30M meant for Kashongi Journalists Emyooga SACCO was taken by a ghost SACCO formed without the knowledge of Kashongi journalists. The journalists later got 20M as seed capital, but the 30M has allegedly never been refunded.
It also alleges that a brand new Yamaha motorcycle donated by the Ministry of Trade to run District Commercial activities was sabotaged and allegedly sold at Shs 3M.
PDM – Civil servants and extortion
The report lists 17 civil servants, including teachers, a police officer, a UPDF soldier and local leaders, who allegedly received PDM money meant for subsistence households.
It also lists 8 cases of extortion where beneficiaries allegedly lost between Shs 200,000 and Shs 400,000 from their Shs 1M, through fake withdrawal charges, use of other people’s IDs, and registering officials’ phone numbers on WENDI.
Land grabbing in Sanga and Rushere
The report alleges massive grabbing of government land in Sanga Town Council, including land for the Police Station, boreholes and the playground, and in Rushere Town Council where a neighbour allegedly lost 20 acres during surveying. Some of the matters are already before the IGG and High Court.
Hon. Balaam said the campaign is a direct instruction from H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and warned that all cases tabled will be forwarded to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit for thorough investigation.
He urged residents to continue reporting corruption, saying no officer will be protected.
The Anti-Corruption Rally continues to Isingiro, Lyantonde and Lwengo.
