Six heads of departments at Rukiga District Local Government have been handed over to police for questioning over allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and misuse of public funds.
The officials were taken to Rukiga Police Station on Thursday afternoon by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara during an anti-corruption inspection in the Kigezi region.
They include District Education Officer Christopher Ndyabegyera, accused of distributing iron sheets to government-aided primary schools that had no buildings requiring roofing.
Investigators reportedly found that some of the schools lacked structures, while a private school in Kamwezi Sub-county also allegedly received iron sheets.
Rukiga District LC5 Chairperson Simon Mutebi acknowledged that iron sheets had been distributed to schools without buildings to roof. However, he said the sheets were withdrawn after officials discovered the problem.
Other officials handed over to police are District Engineer Deogratious Mutabazi, accused of shoddy work and failure to deliver value for money on road rehabilitation projects; Chief Finance Officer Nicholas Kananura; and District Principal Human Resource Officer Bruce Turyamushangayo, accused of extorting money from job seekers.
The list also includes District Water Engineer Evans Bangyirana, accused of overseeing a gravity-flow water scheme in Kahama Parish, Rwamucucu Sub-county, that reportedly has no running water, and District Fisheries Officer Richard Ssajabi, accused of supervising the construction of a substandard fish hatchery that cost 80 million shillings.
During the meeting with district leaders, a resident of Butekumwa Village in Sindi Ward, Mparo Town Council, accused former Rwamucucu Sub-county LC3 Chairperson Eddie Mugisha of using his former position to take land belonging to an elderly woman.
The man, who identified himself only as Behangana, said the woman was vulnerable. Mugisha denied wrongdoing, saying she had willingly given him the land in exchange for taking care of her.
Barugahara ordered that Mugisha be handcuffed and taken to police as the State House Anti-Corruption Unit takes over the matter.
By press time, Barugahara was inspecting government projects in Burime and Kahama parishes in Rwamucucu Sub-county. The six district officials and Mugisha were still being held at Rukiga Police Station. Barugahara is expected to proceed to Kabale District on Tuesday as he continues his anti-corruption inspections in the region-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
