Summary:
- The individuals who have since returned the money include SACCO Chairperson Justus Kwesiga, Treasurer, and Secretary, as well as Alex Turyatunga, Godwin Kakuru, Anthony Orikiriza, Doreen Katusiime, Kenneth Karimunda, Ronald Atuheire, Wilberforce Nahabwe, Arthur Owamani, Anthony Banyenzaki, and Medard Kobusheeshe.
RUBANDA: The Rubanda District Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Eric Ssewandingi, has ordered the arrest of 14 individuals for illegally withdrawing UGX 33 million from the Rubanda East Boda Boda Emyooga SACCO and distributing the funds among themselves.
The individuals who have since returned the money include SACCO Chairperson Justus Kwesiga, Treasurer, and Secretary, as well as Alex Turyatunga, Godwin Kakuru, Anthony Orikiriza, Doreen Katusiime, Kenneth Karimunda, Ronald Atuheire, Wilberforce Nahabwe, Arthur Owamani, Anthony Banyenzaki, and Medard Kobusheeshe.
RDC Ssewandingi stated that he ordered the arrests following complaints from SACCO members about the mismanagement of their funds. It is alleged that the SACCO Chairman, Mr. Kwesiga, conspired with others to forge minutes of a purported general assembly, establishing Alex Turyagumanawe as the third signatory on the SACCO bank account, replacing the first treasurer who had previously embezzled UGX 5 million.
On September 1, 2024, after withdrawing UGX 33 million from Post Bank, the new signatory, Alex Turyagumanawe, took UGX 10 million, while Chairperson Kwesiga received UGX 3 million. The remaining amount was divided among the group members, who each received between UGX 1.5 to 3 million.
Following their arrest, UGX 31 million was recovered in cash and handed over to the Microfinance Support Centre officials, who then deposited the money back into the Rubanda East Boda Boda Emyooga SACCO account.
CUE IN SSEWANDIGI…..ON EMYOOGA……RR1//
RDC Ssewandigi also directed the SACCO management to call a general meeting so members could vote for new leadership, as the current officials had misused their offices.
CUE IN SSEWANDIGI……ON EMYOOGA…..RR2//
Kigezi Sub-region Emyooga Program Coordinator, Mr. Humphrey Makomba, confirmed that the recovered funds had been deposited back into the SACCO’s Post Bank account. He cautioned leaders against treating SACCO accounts as personal bank accounts and urged them to involve all member associations in decision-making.
CUE IN MAKOMBA….ON EMYOOGA……ENG//
Makomba noted that the government had disbursed UGX 8.1 billion to 270 Emyooga SACCOs in the Kigezi sub-region alone, excluding additional funding for 149 well-performing groups. He explained that each SACCO received UGX 30 million as startup capital, with further appraisals conducted to allocate additional funds based on performance.
