The Minister of Local Government, Barugahara Atwooki, has ordered investigations into Buhweju District Chairperson Deo Atuhaire over a series of alleged governance and corruption-related irregularities, including conflict of interest, abuse of office and mismanagement of public funds.
The directive was issued during the minister’s visit to the district as part of ongoing inspections of local governments, where he said preliminary findings pointed to possible violations of the Local Government Act and public financial management regulations.
Among the most serious allegations is that Atuhaire presided over the award of a contract worth Shs373 million for the supply of 934 tea seedlings to a company linked to his wife, creating what the minister described as a clear conflict of interest.
Barugahara said the district chairperson should have recused himself from any procurement process involving a close family member. He also accused Atuhaire of allocating himself and his vice chairperson to two executive committees that control a significant share of district resources, contrary to local government guidelines.
According to the minister, the arrangement undermines accountability and concentrates decision-making powers in the hands of a few officials. The minister further questioned the constitution of the District Public Accounts Committee, saying it was established in violation of the Local Government Act.
He said Atuhaire appointed three councilors and the district speaker to the committee, despite legal provisions requiring that members of the Public Accounts Committee should not be sitting members of the district council.
Barugahara also faulted the district council for approving the Speaker as Chairperson of the District Works Committee, saying the dual role compromises independent oversight of public expenditure.
The minister also raised concerns over the management of road maintenance funds, alleging that the district chairperson worked closely with the District Engineer, Dicklus Twinamatsiko, to approve payments for roads that either do not exist or were never worked on.
Among the roads cited were Kabuga–Obwama, Malinda–Kyakahenda–Kiyanja, Omukikorogyero and Isingiro roads in Buhunga Sub-county. He further claimed that members of the District Roads Committee had not been convened for meetings over the past three years, weakening oversight of road projects.
Barugahara also questioned expenditure on road maintenance during the 2025/26 financial year, saying Shs70 million was spent to maintain just six kilometres of roads in Nsiika Town Council, while a total road maintenance budget of Shs113 million was reportedly exhausted without adequate accountability.
He directed anti-corruption agencies and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) to carry out a forensic audit into more than Shs5 billion released to the district for road maintenance and related infrastructure projects.
Responding to the allegations, Atuhaire denied any wrongdoing and said he welcomed the investigations. “I am ready to be investigated because I am innocent of all the allegations,” he said.
The probe into Buhweju is part of a broader anti-corruption campaign launched by the Ministry of Local Government targeting alleged abuse of office, procurement irregularities and poor accountability in local governments across the country-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
