The Principal Assistant Inspector in charge of districts at Ministry of Local Government Dr Masembe Kamaradi and two Kabale District local government officials have been arrested on allegations of stealing 102 cows procured under a Shillings 1.481 billion Green Climate Fund project.
Dr Masembe was arrested on Monday at the Kabale District headquarters alongside Elly Niwagaba, the district inventory officer. They joined Kabale District Production and Marketing Officer Beda Mwebesa who was arrested on Sunday evening and detained at Kabale Central Police Station.
The 1.481 billion Shilling project, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), began in Kabale District in 2024. It was intended to provide alternative livelihoods to farmers who voluntarily vacated wetlands to support wetland restoration and conservation.Under the project, beneficiaries were to recieve cows, goats, sheep and sewing machines.
In December 2025, district leaders announced that 399 cows had been procured and distributed to farmers. However, Michael Kyakashari Muramira, the Kabale Deputy Resident District Commissioner, told our reporter on Monday that investigations have established that only 297 cows were actually procured and distributed, leaving 102 cows unaccounted for.
Kyakashari said Mwebesa and Niwagaba have since admitted that only 297 cows were procured, despite official documents indicating that 399 cows had been purchased and distributed. He said Ronald Mutegeki, the former Kabale District Chief Administrative Officer, who is currently serving as CAO in Luuka District, signed documents confirming the procurement of all 399 cows.
Kyakashari questioned how Mutegeki could have signed the documents on December 30, 2025, despite having been transferred from Kabale on December 23, 2025.
Kyakashari also accused Masembe of taking over the procurement process and collecting procurement and distribution documents, which he allegedly kept instead of handing them over to district authorities. He said Masembe would have to explain how he assumed responsibility for distributing the cows to beneficiaries.
Kyakashari also says Denis Naviri, the Kabale District internal auditor, who also signed the documents, is on the run and is being sought by police. He said Naviri and Mutegeki would also be arrested and questioned as investigations into the alleged fraud continue. Kyakashari described the alleged irregularities as unacceptable and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
Kyakashari also questioned the implementation of the project, saying it may have been rushed and inadequately planned. He said some beneficiaries had already started selling the cows because they were not adequately prepared to rear them.
Denis Nzeirwe Ndyomugyenyi, the Kabale District LCV Chairperson, and Robert Mugabe, the Chief Administrative Officer, also confirmed that some beneficiaries had started selling the cows.
They said some beneficiaries had returned to cultivating wetlands after selling the animals, raising concerns that the project could fail to achieve its intended objective of providing sustainable alternative livelihoods and protecting wetlands.
By press time, the suspects were still being held at Kabale Central Police Station.
The Green Climate Fund project has previously faced allegations of fraud and irregular procurement involving civil servants and politicians.
In February 2025, a whistleblower released a recording alleging that in late 2024, John Asiimwe, then Kabale District Chief Administrative Officer, had allegedly connived with Nelson Nshangabasheija, the then Kabale District LCV Chairperson, to purchase project items directly from farmers instead of allowing suppliers to bid through a competitive procurement process.
According to the allegations, Asiimwe designated 399 farmers to receive heifers valued at Shs3 million each. The proposed prices included 500,000 Shillings for each goat, Sh300,000 for each sheep, Shs 450,000 for each piglet, Shs 200,000 for each beehive, Shs 650,000 for each sewing machine and Shs 350 million in handling costs.
The allegations further indicated that Asiimwe removed Mercy Atuheire as head of procurement and from the procurement committee, reportedly after she objected to the arrangement, and replaced her with Alex Turinawe.
However, the deal backfired and the arrangement was halted. In a February 11, 2025 letter, David Okurut, the Commissioner of the Wetlands Management Department at the Ministry of Water and Environment, directed Asiimwe to suspend the procurement process to allow for investigations-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
