By KT Reporter
The interdiction of Kabale District Water Officer, Patience Aharinta Twine, and Senior Procurement Officer, Mercy Atuhaire, followed alleged corruption involving top district officials who shared part of the funds meant for the new Kitumba Headquarters investigations have revealed.
Aharinta was interdicted in early April 2025 following exposure of a plan to defraud the government through a fictitious Rukurura Gravity Flow Scheme in Butanda Sub County. The district had received Shs155 million in the 2023/2024 financial year to implement the project, aimed at improving access to safe water.
However, it was discovered that the scheme already existed, having been constructed by the Diocese of Kigezi. A whistleblower alerted the Diocese, leading to a protest against the district’s plan to commission an already-existing project. Further trouble emerged after Minister for Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, visited Kabale in February 2025 and witnessed firsthand the poor implementation of the Buramba Gravity Flow Scheme in Kahungye Sub County.
Shs127 million had been diverted from Burambira Gravity Flow Scheme in Kaharo Sub County in 2022/2023, even though the Diocese had already developed Burambira’s system. Meanwhile, Mercy Atuhaire was relieved of her duties in February 2025 and replaced with her deputy, Alex Turinawe.
Her troubles began after she opposed a directive by Kabale Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) John Asiimwe to effect direct procurement of livelihood items for farmers who voluntarily vacated wetlands. She also resisted attempts to cancel the contract for constructing the new Kitumba Sub County Headquarters, initially awarded to Bonnar Construction Company Limited.
Sources said the cancellation move followed the contractor’s alleged refusal to pay a Shs20 million bribe. Our reporter has obtained an audio recording from a highly placed source confirming that Asiimwe and Kabale District LC5 Chairman Nelson Nshangabasheija held a meeting in December 2024 at the district headquarters.
In the meeting, attended by District Natural Resources Officer Henry Tumwesigye, Aharinta was tasked to reveal the Water Department’s 2024/2025 budget. In the recording, Aharinta states the department was allocated Shs273 million. Nshangabasheija then suggests that only Shs200 million should be used to rehabilitate gravity flow schemes, while the rest would be shared among themselves.
The audio reveals Nshangabasheija instructing Tumwesigye to divide Shs52 million among key district stakeholders, including the CAO Asiimwe, Chairman Nshangabasheija himself, Natural Resources Officer Tumwesigye, the Office of the Auditor, the Office of the Deputy CAO, the Office of the Chief Finance Officer, and officials from the Ministry of Water.Tumwesigye is heard accepting the arrangement. Nshangabasheija further asserts that other heads of departments routinely share funds after releases are made.
In another part of the recording, Nshangabasheija and Asiimwe are heard ordering Aharinta to establish a new gravity flow scheme in Kisibo, Katuna Town Council, citing personal interests. When Aharinta objected, citing an already existing and operational scheme, Nshangabasheija asked Asiimwe to replace her for “insubordination,” a request Asiimwe promised to fulfill.
In another meeting held in January 2025, Asiimwe is heard ordering Atuhaire to initiate direct procurement of livelihood items worth Shs1.481 billion meant for farmers vacating wetlands, funded by the Green Climate Fund Project.
Asiimwe emphasized that direct procurement would allow them to “get some balance to their pockets.” However, Atuhaire warned that direct procurement could trigger a cold reception from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA).
The same recording captures Asiimwe ordering Atuhaire to cancel the contract awarded to Bonnar Construction Company for Kitumba Sub County Headquarters. The order allegedly came after Nshangabasheija’s bribe demands were not met. Atuhaire declined, citing that only the Contracts Committee had the mandate to cancel contracts.
When contacted, CAO John Asiimwe denied ever meeting Nshangabasheija and others to plan the sharing of project funds. He insisted that Aharinta’s interdiction was meant to pave the way for investigations and not harassment. Asiimwe also claimed that Atuhaire was not fired but reassigned to allow her to handle technical work due to the heavy workload.
Regarding direct procurement, Asiimwe said he initially supported it for simplicity but acknowledged that funding was later halted following whistleblower complaints. He also denied canceling Bonnar Construction’s contract, insisting that work is ongoing.
Nshangabasheija did not respond to repeated calls from our reporter seeking his comment. Kabale Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Godfrey Nyakahuma confirmed that his office is currently investigating multiple corruption-related allegations.
Nyakahuma said he had instructed Asiimwe to submit a report on the money spent preparing designs for the fictitious Rukurura Gravity Flow Scheme, but Asiimwe had not yet provided the report-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
