Kyotera official held over corruption, abuse of office

Aaron Kayinga, the Kyotera District Service Commission (DSC) secretary is in detention at Kyotera police station over alleged corruption and abuse of office.

He was arrested on Thursday by plain-cloth detectives from his school (MK Nursery and Primary School) in Kyakonda village, in Kasaali Town Council, where he was hiding.

Kayinga is being accused by a group of more than 10 people of reportedly using the May 2019 recruitment exercise to deliberately obtain money from them.

A top district executive told New Vision that the entire exercise was marred by corruption and extortion.

Kyotera district local government had advertised at least 86 jobs including 29 education assistants, parish chiefs (20), porters (20), medical officers (2), public health nurse (1), assistant inventory officer (4), theatre assistant (1), health assistant (1), dispenser (1), and accountant assistant (1).

Others were procurement officer (1), records officer (1), environmental officer (1), assistant agricultural officer (1), assistant animal husbandry officer (1) and driver (1).

Subsequently, different applicants were shortlisted for interviews which were conducted from May 9 to 30. On July 5, successful candidates were shortlisted.

Led by Jimmy Ssemanda, the enraged group claims to have paid between sh700,000 and sh3.2m to be preferred for the jobs only to be rejected with their inducement cash gone.

Ssemanda said that before the interviews, Kayinga approached them one by one and persuaded them to pay the inducement amount claiming it was to influence other DSC members to consider their names for the posts.

"Teachers paid sh1.2m, medical officers (sh2m), porters (sh700,000) and parish chief (sh3m), we paid the money rest assured we will get the job," Ssemanda recounted.

The agitated group stormed Kayinga's office demanding their money. Several activities were paralysed the whole day as a result of the protest.

On July 7, Ssemanda and his group reported the matter to the Police for redress purporting to be threatened by the official (Kayinga) and his supporters.

However, Kayinga denied the allegations saying they do not have proof.

Rosette Sikahwa, the acting Kyotera district Police commander, confirmed the arrest saying Kayinga was eluding them instead of responding to the summons.

According to Paul Kangave the Masaka Regional Police spokesperson, the official is being detained under file number SD REF 51/17/07/2019.

He added that they are investigating extortion/corruption and alleged abuse of office. 

Kangave explained that extortion is a criminal offence and entails obtaining of money or property from an individual or institution, through means of coercion.

Kayinga is the former human resource officer for Rakai and before moving to Kyotera, he was accused of entering ghost workers on the payroll but the matter stalled at the investigative stage.

Further still, he was accused of conniving with Jamir Kabiito, the principal human resource officer and other officials to divert teachers' salaries.

In 2016, Kabiito was arrested for diverting shs40m which was Justine Chemutai a teacher at Kalisizo Primary School's salary.

Police detectives established that the accused diverted Chemutai's salary to the account of Maria Nakito, his colleague.

However, they pledged to pay the said amount which was a ground for their release.