Kabale District Local Government is alleged to have lost between Shillings 3 billion and Shillings 4 billion through the payment of ghost civil servants and pensioners. According to Retired Major Geoffrey Katamba, Kabale Resident District Commissioner.
Katamba says preliminary findings by the Inspectorate of Government point to alleged irregularities involving the office of the Principal Human Resource Officer, Jacinta Tushabomwe.
Katamba attributes the alleged scandal partly to negligence by heads of departments, whom he accuses of failing to adequately monitor their staff and verify their existence on the government payroll.
He says the district is awaiting a detailed report to guide further action, according to Katamba.
A few weeks ago, officials from the Inspectorate of Government raided Kabale District headquarters and searched the office of the Principal Human Resource Officer as part of investigations into the alleged ghost worker’s scandal.
Meanwhile, Balaam Barugahara, the Minister for Local Government, says he also has a report indicating that the government could have lost more than three billion Shillings through payments to alleged ghost workers in Kabale District.
Barugahara alleges that Tushabomwe is at the centre of the scandal and claims that she is currently on the run.
He says his report points to an inflated district payroll, particularly involving secondary school science teachers and parish chiefs, who are allegedly being paid despite questions surrounding their employment status.
Speaking during his anti-corruption campaign in Kabale District, Barugahara called for the arrest and interdiction of Tushabomwe and other civil servants suspected of involvement in the alleged scheme. Tushabomwe is reportedly on the run as investigations into the alleged payroll fraud continue-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
