Government warns districts on COVID-19 donation accountability

District teams receiving donations on behalf of the national taskforce have been reminded to stick to the existing guidance on accountability and transparency. This follows complainants that some district officials are mismanaging food and other donations.

Ms Judith Nabakooba, the Minister for Information, ICT and Communications, said all donations in kind or cash must be properly registered in special COVID-19 register book at the district.

“All cash donations received at the district must not be spent by the district. They should be deposited on the special COVID-19 collection account and the deposit slip kept for accountability,” she said.

However, she said non-cash items such as food can be distributed but guidance by the existing national guidance on accountability and transparency must be followed.

“The criteria for selection of beneficiaries and distribution of all items received must be well documented and carried out on the presence of stakeholders. The responsible district teams must exercise full transparency in the distribution of these items,” Ms Nabakooba added.

All cash donations will go towards the purchase of vehicles for the district health teams as directed by the president.

Government’s main target is to raise vehicle fleet for district health teams to 10 new four wheel cars per district translating into 1035 new vehicles in total.

The Chief Administrative Officers have been asked to ensure that faulty boreholes in communities are repaired using the district water fund as water is an important necessity in this period.

The minister’s statement comes two days after Roke Telkom, a Uganda-based telecommunications company and a public service provider of internet for voice and data communications contributed Shs20 million to the National COVID-19 Taskforce team to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda.
The contribution was delivered by the company’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Michael Mukasa and Brand Manager (BM), Michelle Baine to Ms Mary Karooro Okurut, the Minister in Charge of General Duties, Office of the Prime Minister and head of the COVID-19 response fund.
Mr Mukasa said the telcom company is a Home-Grown Ugandan brand which stands together with citizens and those affected by the ongoing pandemic and continues to aim to reach out and extend support to fellow countrymen as part of the greater call to unite in fighting the pandemic in Uganda.