Fake agents cited in Gulu City restocking program

GULU - An administrative storm is brewing in Gulu City after Kilak South MP, Gilbert Olanya, alleged that several city civil servants are fueling fraud in the government’s household restocking program.

In his report to police, the legislator is demanding a full investigation, saying that the officials issued acknowledgement forms falsely indicating that selected beneficiaries had already received sh5 million via mobile money, yet no funds were disbursed.

Gulu Central Police DPC, Joseph Karugaba, acknowledged receipt of the complaint and confirmed that investigations are underway.

Olanya reports that the irregularities came to light earlier this month when concerned residents approached him, alleging that local town agents were coercing them to sign the forms at LC1 offices.

The legislator reports that trouble escalated when beneficiaries attempted to retrieve the documents, only to discover they had already been forwarded to the City Community Development Office.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has distanced itself from the irregularities, warning that signing acknowledgement forms before payment is a violation of official guidelines.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that malpractice reports are all from Gulu.
At a tense crisis meeting on April 20, Deputy RCC for Bardege-Layibi Division, Kamba Amir, warned that the programme was at stake unless all managers were held accountable.

The scandal has already triggered fears of administrative shake-ups, with the would-be beneficiaries calling for the removal of town agents.  

Meanwhile, Bardege-Layibi Town Clerk, Maliki Drakuma,  condemned the premature issuance of acknowledgement forms.

Some local leaders have expressed fear that vulnerable households could be exploited under the program.

Detectives are also probing reports that some local authorities have since declared previously signed forms as invalid. 

The authorities whose names were not readily available to the media ordered that the documents should be retrieved and burnt. Whereas they issued calls for fresh verification, the exercise is to begin.

The restocking program

The restocking initiative—designed to support war-affected and vulnerable households—allocates UGX 5 million per beneficiary to purchase livestock. 

For the 2025/2026 financial year, the government earmarked UGX 80 billion, with Gulu City receiving UGX 3.3 billion, targeting 667 households.

Priority groups include the elderly, persons with disabilities, orphans, female-headed households, and unemployed youth.

The government is yet to release the funds under this programme.