{UAH} “Save us from Nakalema” — Local Gov’t chiefs cry to Museveni

Local Government Officials under their umbrella body Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA) are considering seeking audience with President Museveni over the manner in which the State House Anti-corruption team headed by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema is treating their members.

A number of accounting officers have since the commissioning of Nakalema's team been rounded up, detained and arrested on allegations of corruption which has left the  officers questioning the process used.

ULGA Secretary General, Getrude Rose Gamwera told the media at the Ministry of Local Government offices in Kampalatoday that there is a growing concern amongst the local government technical officers especially those who are in the offices of the Chief Accounting Officers and the Town Clerk over the manner in which they are being handled in regards to corruption investigations by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema's team.

Gamwera says that the officers don't receive prior notification and at the time they are picked, they are not aware of what the problem is but only get to find out while in police custody yet they have valid information which they would have shared and this wouldn't have necessitated them to go into police custody.

"Local Government officials are not against the investigations but they want the way the things to be handled in a more mature manner. Also, some of the cases they are being held for are already before the IGG instead of one being arrested, detained and spending weeks in custody", she stated.

Edith Nakalema netted Mbarara LG bosses including CAO. FILE PHOTO.

However, in the meantime, the undersecretary ministry of Local government James Kintu advised the local government leaders to always follow policies and seek for clarification on what they are not sure about before they take decisions.

"You at the Local Government level and answerable to Central Government can only not be picked when we embrace governance. We simply need to follow the policies, structures and processes in decision making so that we do not by pass any. I think when we do that; these things (arrests and detention) will be reduced or even stopped. Otherwise we can't sit down in our offices and do things our own way and complain that we are being picked", he stated.

The Anticorruption Unit- State House was officially launched on December  10, 2018 by President Yoweri Museveni to effectively work and assist the already existing anti corruption agencies namely the IGG, Office of the Auditor General, Anti corruption Court, PPDA, Uganda Police among others.

Tightening noose on Local Government officials

Local government bosses in Tororo, Arua, Wakiso and most recently Mbarara, have been arrested by the Edith Nakalema led team on charges including grabbing land, fraud, receiving bribes, among others.

On December 20, the Anticorruption Unit State House made an impromptu visit to the Wakiso land offices over allegations of corruption and five officials for asking for bribes from citizens.

On January 17, the unit visited Tororo Municipality after a number of whistleblowers reported incidences of misappropriation of public funds and three officials were arrested. These were; Mr. Akuma Muzamil (town clerk), Denis Oketch (Municipal Engineer),  Mr. Etuku Ejolu Shadrack (Roads Inspector).

READ: Nakalema Nets Tororo Municipal bosses in Shs115.9m scandal

Head teacher and bursar of Arua public Secondary school were held over mismanagement of over 436 Million meant for the construction of Mango road and Afra lane in Arua Municipality. Those arrested in Mr. Erejo Kamil Rajab (Municipality treasurer), Mr. Kasajja Kayiru(former town clerk) were charged in the Anti Corruption court with Abuse of office and conspiracy to defraud.

More recent, the unit visited Mbarara Municipality headquarters after receiving reports of district leaders allocating public land and houses to themselves, misappropriation of over 360m meant for Koranorya road, abuse of office and attempted sell of Kakyeka stadium among others.  Mr. Cuthbert Esoku (Chief Administrative Officer), Mr. Godlive Nayebare (Senior land Management officer), Karuhanga Rosalia (The Human Resource officer) and Mr. Himbisa Emmanuel (Senior Land Management officer) were arrested and tried.

READ: Nakalema sued for usurping powers of IGG

The Mbarara bosses have dragged the Anticorruption unit to the High Court in Kampala for usurping the powers of the Inspector General of Government (IGG).

https://www.vanguardnews.ug/save-us-from-nakalema-local-govt-chiefs-cry-to-museveni/

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H.OGWAPITI
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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that  we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic  and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt

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