Kampala, Mbarara to be probed

Sep 16, 2008

A six-member commission of inquiry was yesterday inaugurated to probe the running of Kawempe and Makindye divisions in Kampala district and Mbarara Municipality.

By Josephine Maseruka

A six-member commission of inquiry was yesterday inaugurated to probe the running of Kawempe and Makindye divisions in Kampala district and Mbarara Municipality.

The local government minister, Kahinda Otafire, while commissioning the probe team at the ministry’s board room, said the aim was to establish whether funds for the Local Government Development Programme were properly used.

The probe will also establish whether the local revenue of the councils was properly collected and utilised.

Otafiire added that the team would investigate if the laws, administrative procedures and regulations were observed in the management of council finances.

“I want you to establish whose actions are responsible for loss of council funds, if any,” Otafiire stated.

Jacob Oulanyah is the chairman, while Aggrey Awori and Steven Bamwanga are members.

The three were also members of the probe team in the Kisekka market saga.

Other members are Prof. Victoria Mwaka, Dan Rwihura and Issa Gumunye, who is the committee secretary.

The minister explained that commissions of inquiries were meant to bridge the gap caused by staff shortages in the ministry’s inspectorate department.

“We cannot supervise all local councils. We want to have independent investigations in our local governments so that we avoid being compromised. The probe team goes deeper than what our staff can do,” Otafiire stated.

William Tumwine, the former town clerk for Makindye, was in July interdicted for endorsing the payment of sh71m to Psalms, a company, which claimed to have done work stet the division.

Other assistant town clerks, Grace Tabuzibwa and Stephen Higobero were also interdicted for misusing sh188m.

In Kawempe, Otafiire said, the division chairman, Nasser Kibirige Takuba, fought with assistant town clerk Abener Besigye and locked him in his office.

“There is no way a chairman can lock up a civil servant,” Otafiire said.

He said the probe, which stet last for 60 days will also investigate Mbarara Municipality mayor, the town clerk and the council.

Commenting on what the ministry had done with previous probe reports, Otafiire said some people had been interdicted, some remanded to Prison, while others had cases to answer.

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