State House Anti-Corruption Unit Head, Lt. Col Edith Nakalema has promised to intensify efforts that will ensure that the high incidences of corruption in most local Governments are curbed.
While speaking to EABW Digital News, Nakalema said many Ugandans are not accessing social services yet government releases funds to all local governments to implement its programs.
She said that the money is diverted by different technical officers for their personal gains.
“As a unit, we are going to focus more on these local governments. The more we manage corruption in the local governments, then as a country we shall have value for taxpayers money,” explained Nakalema.
She said the Unit receives hundreds of corruption-related cases from concerned Ugandans. The majority are mismanagement of government resources or taxpayers money.
Recently, the State House Anti-corruption Unit in conjunction with the Ministry of Local Government held a meeting at the Nansana Municipal Council after they were called in by the Political Leadership of the Municipality to investigate corruption allegations that resulted into Nansana Municipality losing billions of government money through corruption.
During a meeting that was attended by Political Leadership of Nansana Municipality and Security Heads among other stakeholders, it was discovered that the Municipality had lost about Ugx 1.5billion due to corruption.
Among the funds that the Municipality lost is the UGx250million from donors meant to finance HIV and AIDS-related activities in the Municipality, Ugx120million for the Nansana Green Project and delayed plan approvals which have led the municipal to lose UGX.1.7b among others.
As the meeting concluded, Nakalema ordered for the arrest of all the Technical Staff in the Municipality and the Ministry of Local Government relieved them from duties until the Criminal Investigations Department has carried out a thorough investigation on them.
According to Nakalema all the technical staff were arrested and taken to Nansana Police Station. She said the daily running of the Municipality work had been taken over by the Ministry of Local Government.
Ben Kokumumanya the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Local Governments told our reporter that the decision to take over the management of the Municipality activities was taken to clean up all the mess that has been going on at the Municipality.
“It’s true all the technical staff were taken to Police to record statements over the allegations of swindling government resources. Those that will be found innocent will be allowed to report on duty but those found guilty will face the law,” said Kokumumanya.
BY SAMUEL NABWIISO
