Sixteen senior Lamwo District officials, including the Resident District Commissioner and District Internal Security Officer, were arrested over alleged corruption, misuse of government funds and neglect of duty. The officials were arrested on Friday by a team from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit led by Yiga Kisakyamukama, the Special Presidential Assistant in charge of Service Delivery and Monitoring.
Those arrested include Lamwo RDC William Komakech, District Internal Security Officer Jolly Joe Ogwal, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Samuel Jones Laguu, District Community Development Officer Wilfred Nyeko and Chief Finance Officer Okako Olworo Labongo.
Others are District Internal Auditor Geoffrey Nyeko, Principal Commercial Officer Powel Alex Kadugu, District Production Officer Wilfred Ochora, Parish Development Model focal person Ductus Ogiki, District Inspector of Schools Ben Washington Joro, Principal Human Resource Officer Harriet Okeny and Youth Livelihood Project focal person Geoffrey Ocana.
The list also includes District Engineer Leonard Akena, District Water Engineer Benson Atube Labai, Nyimur Sub-county Community Development Officer David Owiny and Geoffrey Okot, chairperson of the loan committee of Lamwo Performing Artists Emyooga SACCO.
Kisakyamukama said the arrests followed reports of corruption, financial irregularities and neglect of duty, particularly in the implementation of government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga. “When I came to Lamwo, several issues were reported: corruption cases, irregularities, neglect of duties from our government officials,” Kisakyamukama said.
He alleged that funds under Emyooga had been misused and claimed that some senior district officials were implicated. “EMYOOGA was misused to the extent that even the DCDO was involved in stealing that money. Even the CFO was involved in stealing the money,” he alleged.
Kisakyamukama also accused district engineers of involvement in irregularities in road construction, although he did not provide details of the projects or the amount of money allegedly lost. He further alleged that some officials had relied on political and other influential connections to evade accountability.
“So, because they have the connections, they have ministers in this region, they have generals, that has been forcing them to do those irregularities,” he said. Kisakyamukama said the RDC and DISO were arrested over their alleged failure to provide effective oversight of district officials.
“These messes by the district staff were committed under their watchful eyes while they did nothing about it,” he said. He said the arrests did not mean all the officials had been found guilty, adding that those against whom evidence of criminal conduct is established would be taken to court, while those cleared would be released.
“They will answer where those who will be selected to go for courts of law, they will go. Those who will be found that they have no cases, they will be released,” Kisakyamukama said. He said the arrested officials would be transferred to Kampala to face charges before the Anti-Corruption Court.
Kisakyamukama warned that the operation is still ongoing and that other officials who were not arrested on Friday could also be detained if investigations establish their involvement in wrongdoing. “Their days are coming. They should go and clean their houses, especially the Community Development Officers (CDOs) of the sub-counties,” he warned.
He also cautioned government officials against manipulating beneficiary lists under government programmes to favour relatives or other people who do not meet the eligibility requirements. Kisakyamukama said officials found abusing their positions to divert government programmes to ineligible beneficiaries’ risk losing their jobs and facing other legal consequences. He said the crackdown is intended to strengthen accountability, protect public resources and improve service delivery in Lamwo District-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
