Sub-county chiefs asked to account for Shs90m

Ministry of Water officials tour the treatment plant of Bududa-Nabweya Gravity Water Scheme in Bushiyi Sub-county, Bududa District. PHOTO BY LEONARD MUKOOLI

Bududa- Leaders in Bududa District have given six sub-county chiefs five days to account for Shs80 million collected from water users connected to the Bududa-Nabweya gravity flow scheme or be prosecuted.

The chiefs include Mr Patrick Kibeti of Bulucheke Sub-county, Mr Paul Muboki of Bududa Town Council and Mr Abu Kitongo Samali of Nabweya Sub-county. Others are Mr Paul Kusolo of Bushiyi, Mr Geoffrey Musabi of Bushiribo and Mr Benard Wabuna of Bukigai.

The officials were assigned with the responsibility of collecting the water dues after the completion of the first phase of the scheme last year.

The Resident District Commissioner, Mr Imran Muluga, told Daily Monitor on Wednesday that the accused collected more than Shs150m but only remitted Shs53 million to the account of the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Queries
“Of the Shs150 million collected as per the receipts, only Shs53 million has been paid to the general account of the ministry yet more than 2,000 people paid,” Mr Muluga, said.

He added that his office has instructed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to further investigate the officials and if found guilty, be prosecuted.

“This is unacceptable and unethical. Instead of them working to improve service delivery, they are fighting the government,” he said.

The district chairperson, Mr Wilson Watila, said the implicated officials must pay back the money or face the wrath of the law.

“The district security meeting unanimously agreed and gave the chiefs a five-day ultimatum to pay back the misappropriated money,” Mr Watila said.

The project manager from the Ministry of Water and Environment, Mr Stanley Watenga, said they had authorised the district through the sub-county chiefs to collect and bank the money on the general account provided by the ministry but up to date, three quarters of the money has not been realised.

“The connections are ongoing and so far, we have 986 effective connections where people are receiving clean and treated tap water but the chiefs need to account for the missing money for the proper implementation of the project,” Mr Watenga said.

Lutsehe County MP Godfrey Watenga said it is unethical for the officials to steal tax payers’ money.

“Why should they pocket tax payers’ money yet they are paid salary every month?” he said.

However, Mr Kibeti, one of the accused, denied the allegations.
“I paid all the money I collected. So, I totally do not understand the motive behind the allegations levelled against me,” he said.
Mr Wabuna on his part said some water users in his sub-county have not paid up.

“I failed to raise the amount of money required because some of the water users have never completed their payments as they claim,” he said, adding that they should be given more time to collect the money.