By Moses Andama
www.mknewslink.com
In Masindi—-
The Minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, has ordered the arrest and interdiction of 12 civil servants in Masindi District over alleged corruption.
Barugahara issued the directive during a meeting with leaders from Masindi District and Masindi Municipality at the district council chambers. The meeting was part of an anti-corruption campaign in the Bunyoro sub-region.
Officials from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit immediately arrested the district commercial officer, Pastor Moses Kalyegira, and Alfred Ochen.
Others facing arrest include Dr Fred Sebuguzi, a former acting production officer accused of misappropriating 110 million shillings meant for a micro-scale irrigation project.
Masindi Municipal building engineer Robert Magezi and Samuel Ayebale are accused of jointly embezzling 120 million shillings allocated to rehabilitate a classroom block at Kamurasi Demonstration Primary School. Municipal engineer John Kasaija is accused of misusing funds intended to construct a new municipal administration block.
Former District Service Commission chairperson Benjamin Byarugaba and the commission’s secretary, Angella Nyandera, are accused of allegedly selling civil service jobs.
Sunday Joseph was accused by Yese Kisembo of hiring out a district grader to a private individual. The grader had been assigned to open the Kimengo–Karangwe–Kiryana road.
Kalyegira was also accused of allegedly conspiring with a wealthy man to take land belonging to Akumulikire Cooperative Society.
The minister directed Masindi District Chief Administrative Officer Samuel Kaija Ruhweza to provide the district’s road work plans for the past three financial years. He also gave the CAO one month to complete construction of Kijunjubwa Seed School and have it commissioned.
Barugahara further directed the District Public Accounts Committee to investigate how Masindi Municipality used the 510 million shillings it received from the government for AFCON-related activities.
He also ordered the arrest of leaders of 21 Emyooga SACCOs in the district, along with members who had failed to repay Emyooga funds. The district commercial officer was also ordered to be interdicted over alleged neglect of duty.