Members of Parliament on the Public Accounts Committee have raised serious allegations against Auditor General John Muwanga, accusing him of exacerbating corruption within the country.
The committee, led by Muwanga Kivumbi, has openly criticized Muwanga for his failure to release a crucial audit report detailing the misappropriation of Shs39 billion intended for vulnerable communities in Karamoja.
The accusations originate from revelations that top government officials orchestrated the theft of iron sheets and goats meant for disadvantaged communities, as disclosed in a preliminary December 2023 report by the Auditor General.
During a meeting between the committee and officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), it was divulged that out of the allocated funds, a significant portion of Shs6.8 billion was shockingly spent on travel allowances, fuel, and vehicle maintenance. Moreover, despite promises to distribute 16 goats per beneficiary, only one goat was provided, further heightening concerns about the mismanagement of public funds.
Muwanga Kivumbi, Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, expressed profound frustration over the delay in releasing the audit report, which could potentially expose the misuse of public funds.
“You know we are almost completing another year without you giving the country the report, tell my namesake that this is extremely unfair to the country. Tell the Auditor General that he is also becoming part of the corruption in this country because that breeds impunity,” said Kivumbi
The findings of the preliminary report reveal alarming levels of fund mismanagement, highlighting misuse in critical aid projects. Excessive spending on workshops, seminars, and travel expenses reflects a glaring lack of accountability and transparency within government agencies.
In the preliminary December 2023 report by the Auditor General, it was reported that out of the Shs39Bn meant for the procurement and distribution of goats & iron sheets in Karamoja, Shs1.78Bn was spent on travel in land, while fuel, oil and lubricants cost Shs700m, while OPM also spent Shs300M on vehicle maintenance.
The Office of Prime Minister also allocated another Shs2.2Bn on travel in land for monitoring, while civil works for maintenance of Moroto regional office cost Shs500M, and procurement of iron sheets cost Shs8.8Bn.
Kivumbi stated that Muwanga’s actions in withholding the report are not only detrimental to the fight against corruption but also perpetuate a culture of impunity within the government.
“What concerns me is that workshops and seminars took Shs1.8 billion, Travel in-land Shs1.8 billion, another travel in-land Shs2.5 billion. A total of Shs6.8 billion of the Shs39 billion – that’s how you spent it, and this was money originally intended for the distribution of goats. The urgency with which this money was expended is alarming. It’s as if Uganda would come to a standstill if we didn’t allocate this money,” remarked Kivumbi.
The committee’s accusations bring to light urgent concerns regarding corruption and the need for heightened accountability in public spending.
The Auditor General is yet to formally respond to these allegations.
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