Bugweri overpays 197 teachers, DEO
The Bugweri Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Mr Nelson Kirenda (C), seeks to recover Shs150m which was erroneously overpaid to teachers and the DEO among other senior District staff. PHOTO | DENIS EDEMA
Bugweri District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Mr Nelson Kirenda, has written to the District Education Officer (DEO), Mr George Tigawalana, seeking to recover about Shs150m, which was reportedly overpaid to 197 teachers and staff. Mr Kirenda said the money will be recovered over a two-year period, adding that he is acting on the Auditor General’s report.
“This serves to inform you that the Auditor General, in his report for 2021-2022, indicated that there were a number of staff in your department who were overpaid salaries. Upon verification, it was discovered that the automation of salary arrears for these staff was done by the Ministry of Public Service,” Mr Kirenda’s letter dated February 14, reads in part.
Recovery plan
He said the money should be recovered based on an agreed schedule.
Mr Samuel Tenywa, tops the recovery amortisation schedule with arrears amounting to Shs10m, while Mr Chrisostom Mukama, a laboratory attendant at Nkuutu Memorial Secondary School, has the least recovery of Shs1.
However, Mr Allan Muhereza, the commissioner of human resource management systems at the Ministry of Public Service, disputed the statement.
“That statement can’t be correct because effective 2014, we decentralised processing and payment of salaries and pension. The CAO is fully in charge of the payroll of that district with a mandate to review the payroll and take an executive decision to pay the right amount,” Mr Muhereza said in an interview at the weekend. He added: “There is no salary payment that the Ministry of Public Service automates. If there was an error in the system, the CAO still has powers in law and in the system to cause any change so that he makes the correct payment.”
Nevertheless, Mr Kirenda has instructed the human resource officer to immediately institute a salary recovery code against each of the staff and inform them accordingly.
Police probe
In October last year, Mr Kirenda directed the Bugweri District Police Commander (DPC) to investigate 13 arts secondary school teachers over suspected irregularities in the enhanced salaries.
They included Mr James Ayembe from Naigombwa Seed Secondary School, Ms Janipher Mamayi Musoba and Mr Ahmed Isabirye from Nkuutu Memorial Secondary School, Mr Hakim Isabirye, Ms Elizabeth Hope Alupo and Aramanzani Magoola from Makuutu Seed Secondary School.
Others were Mr Nelson Musenge, Mr Eria Mudhungu, and Mr Augustine Waiswa from Busembatia Secondary School, Mr Martin Kate and Mr Charles Bituge of Bishop Willigers Secondary School, Mr Derrick Alifuna of Bubinga High School, and Mr Kusain Mugabi from Bulunguli Secondary School. The anomalies reportedly saw some teachers’ pay slips altered to match salaries of their science counterparts, which were recently enhanced to Shs4m. Arts teachers earn about Shs800,000 per month.
