By Moses Agaba
Kisoro
The State House Anti Corruption Unit has commenced a probe into the alleged corruption activities against the Kisoro District Service Commission and stakeholders in the Parish Development Model (PDM) program.
The team, led by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit’s Senior Legal Advisor, Kevin Kayaga Mutamba, says among other things, seek to establish compliance with the PDM guidelines as set out.
Six Parish Chiefs and Town Agents reportedly solicited for bribes from individuals and groups seeking to receive project funds.
The investigating team met top district leaders with the Parish Chiefs at the District Council Hall. Some of the implicated officials were asked to hand in their transaction records for examination.
Mutamba said numerous complaints have landed at the Unit’s headquarters. Such complaints have been received through phone calls and WhatsApp messages. A few disgruntled ones are also said to have filed complaint forms.
She noted that asking for bribes from beneficiaries by parish chiefs and PDM SACCO chairpersons is the commonly reported vice.
Complaints were registered against Parish Chiefs and PDM Sacco Chairpersons of Kagunga in Bukimbiri Sub County, Nombe and Kashija Wards in Rubuguri Town Council and Gasovu in Nyarusiza Sub County.
“Even if its Ugx 10,000, you may look at it as a small amount, but it means a lot to these people. This is a service you’re extending to your people. Why then do you have to put restrictions?” Mutamba asked.
According to the Unit, the implicated individuals extorted money ranging between Ugx 5,000 and Ugx 50,000 as appreciation fees, registration fees, after getting assistance.
“Parish Chief Kagunga and PDM Chairperson Kunga-Bukimbiri PDM Sacco, 43 beneficiaries have reported that you are charging Ugx 50,000!” she added.
“Arinaitwe Denis, Town Agent for Kashija parish in Rubuguri Town Council, you have been charging 50,000 from each member as appreciation…Niyimbabazi Isabella, Town Agent Nombe Parish, you are charging 30,000 as appreciation fees and 3,000 from each PDM Sacco…”
Mutamba also regretted that some other beneficiaries received less than Ugx 1 million , especially in Murora Sub County.
In response, some of the implicated officials blamed the situation on less facilitation for the project and ‘frustrated Ugandans.’
“Someone can fail to get the money and when that happens, he or she might go around saying this person is extorting while not true. Ugandans have gone far…although you call them very vulnerable, I don’t defy that, but you will think about their psychology, they are very far,” One of them said.
Another one weighed in, “You find you are working from morning to evening, you benefit nothing.”
As if to justify the extortion, another Parish Chief said, “When we were processing their payments we faced challenges. You need data, you need lunch, you need some transport because we come from rural areas deep in rural areas to the headquarters.”
Those in question recorded statements with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit CID Office.
They tagged such complaints to frustrated individuals who have failed to receive the funds in the first phase of the project.
At the outset of the PDM project, a dozen Local Governments refunded funds after misappropriating them for administration costs.
According to the Kisoro Municipality Commercial Officer, Aaron Mfitumukiza, some political leaders have also sought to influence the project.
“I am a Ward Agent, but the LC3 Chairman is calling me to ask, why haven’t you given that so and so! Because of the two MPs who went on the radio and alleged that, that is where all the reports are coming from,” said Mfitumukiza.
Relatedly, the Kisoro District Service Commission and District top administration officials are also under probe over scandalous job allocations.
Corruption allegations in the Commission have raised concerns among the public about the transparency and fairness of recruitment processes within the government.
Recently, frustrated social media users alleged circumstances where jobseekers could be asked to ‘buy jobs’ for as much as Ugx 8million.
The Commission also faces accusations of awarding jobs to relatives and friends of District officials and political leaders.
Recently, Bukimbiri County MP, Kwizera Eddie Wagahungu vowed to fight corruption in the Kisoro DSC after the concerns of transparency and fairness about the recruitment process were raised.
Kwizera also wondered how the Kisoro DSC advertised for two positions but ended up appointing ten people, calling it an “odd irregularity.”
The Commission Chairperson, Nshaka Erastus has not yet commented on the probe. DEAR READER, DO YOU HAVE A HOT STORY YOU WOULD LIKE US TO PUBLISH…FRAUD IN BANKS, BETTING FIRMS, CHEATERS, DIVORCE FILES, SEX NETWORKS, SEX FOR MARKS, HARASSMENT OF ALL NATURE AT OFFICE BY YOUR BOSS, CHILD NEGLECT, WETLAND OCCUPATION, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, VIDEOS, IMPUNITY or CORRUPTION (in government agencies/ MDA’s, NGOs, Ministries, Private sector), FIGHTS IN OFFICES, JOB WARS/ WITCH HUNT, URA TAX FRAUD/NON-COMPLIANCE, CHEATING MONEY LENDERS, BUSINESS WRANGLES, SUBSTANDARD PRODUCTS, GOLD SCAMS, NSSF REMITTANCES NON COMPLIANCE, LAND ISSUES, INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS EXPOSES, POLITICAL WRANGLES…ETAL.CALL/TEXT/WHATSAPP 0777959024 OR EMAIL: [email protected] WITH AS MUCH EVIDENCE AS POSSIBLE. SOURCE PROTECTION/CONFIDENTIALITY IS OUR NO.1 PRIORITY.
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