Senior Mbarara officials held by CID over corruption

By Wilson Kakuru Last updated Feb 23, 2019 1,444 0

Lt. Col Edith Nakalema (L) goes through som of the receipts and paper work concerning one of the roads in Mbarara municipality under investigation over alleged corruption by municipality leaders. PPU PHOTO

The Head of the Anti–Corruption Unit in State House, Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema has strongly appealed to all Ugandans to help the Unit in the fight against corruption by exposing those engaged in the vice.

“I appeal to all Ugandans to help us in the fight against corruption. We also look forward to having the media as our partners in exposing corrupt officials in government,” she stressed.

Lt. Col. Nakalema made the appeal yesterday when she stormed Mbarara Municipal Council Offices on Kamukuzi Hill following reports by numerous whistle blowers that Mbarara government officials as well as politicians were engaged in massive corrupt actions of unprecedented magnitude.

Addressing Mbarara leaders in the Council Chambers, Lt. Col. Nakalema said she was on an investigative visit to the district to verify reports by whistle blowers of the alleged corruption.

On probing further the accusations that some political leaders and technocrats were initiating plans to parcel out plots and houses on Kamukuzi Kill to themselves, and that the allocation of plots was done without the approval of the Council and that the act was being done under the guise of developing the Satellite City, the Mbarara District officials failed to provide satisfactory explanations for their actions prompting their prompt hand over to the CID team for further investigation. Other accusations include the plan to sell illegally the District Works Yard and Kakyeeka Stadium.

Another case in point is the misappropriation of over Shs.360 million by Mbarara District officials. The funds were meant for the construction of Koranorya Road in Kakiika Division.

The seven Senior Government officials include the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Mbarara District, Felix Cuthbert Esoku, the District Staff Surveyor, Gerald Murinda and the Satellite Project Manager, Johnson Musimireyo. Others include the District Planner, Lucky Julius, the District Senior Lands Management Officer, Godrive Nayebare and Mbarara Municipal Council Assistant Engineer, Engineer Aggrey Atukwatsa.

The MP Rwampara Constituency, Hon. Charles Ngabirano was asked to report to the CID Headquarters next week with all the relevant documents related to his acquisition of the District Veterinary plot in Mbarara Municipality.

Lt. Col. Nakalema was particularly irked to learn from her visit that the piece of land bordering the State Lodge in Kamukuzi, had also been grabbed and fenced off by unknown persons.

“This is compromising the security of the President. How can this piece of land be fenced off without your knowledge; you the district leaders?” she asked.