Residents of Kamwenge District have questioned the accountability of public funds, management of government property and fairness in the distribution of agricultural inputs, raising concerns over the implementation of government programmes.
The concerns were raised during a district Baraza held on Monday at Caltex in Kamwenge Town Council, where residents accused some officials and political leaders of failing to ensure transparency in the management of public resources.
NRM Publicity Secretary for Kamwenge representing veterans, Retired Corporal Kassim Katongole, questioned the cost of a recently constructed road at Kamwenge Health Centre III, wondering how more than Shs9 million was spent on a 0.33-kilometre stretch.
He also questioned the reported reduction in the health facility’s land, which he said originally measured 10 acres.
CUE IN KATONGOLE…ON ROAD COST… RR//
However, District Engineer Annet Kobusingye Birungi dismissed Katongole’s claims, saying he had presented misleading information regarding the road project at the health facility.
CUE IN KOBUSINGYE…ON CLAIMS…RR//
On the concerns about government land, Kamwenge District LCV Chairperson Joseph Karungi said the district was following up on all its documented land to safeguard public property.
CUE IN KARUNGI… ON DISTRICT LAND… RR//
The Baraza also exposed concerns over the distribution of agricultural inputs, particularly fertilisers and coffee cuttings, with residents alleging that political interference was denying some farmers access to the government support.
Kaburisoke LCI NRM Chairperson Augustin Biramahiire accused some leaders of favoring politically connected individuals in the distribution of fertilizers and coffee cuttings. He said his attempts to access the inputs had been frustrated by what he described as political bureaucracy.
CUE IN BIRAMAHIIRE…ON FERTILIZER…RR//
Former Kamwenge Town Council Youth Councilor Scovia Kyarimpa questioned the involvement of politicians in the distribution of coffee seedlings, warning that their participation could create conflicts of interest and undermine fairness in the exercise.
CUE IN KYARIMPA…ON COFFEE…RR//
Godfrey Kiijabwangu, another resident also questioned why members of the district executive committee shared fertilizers among themselves instead of ensuring that the inputs reached the intended beneficiaries.
CUE IN KIIJABWANGU…ON THE MATTER…RR//
In response, Karungi dismissed the allegations of irregularities, saying the district was addressing concerns surrounding the fertiliser distribution process to ensure that the inputs reach the rightful beneficiaries.
He, however, acknowledged that the coffee cuttings supplied to the district were insufficient to meet the needs of all farmers, making it difficult to cover the entire district.
CUE IN KARUNGI… ON AGRICULTURAL INPUTS… RR//
