CDO’s, SACCO Leaders Arrested for Corruption & PDM Violations in Kabale

KABALE – The Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Godfrey Nyakahuma, has arrested two Community Development Officers (CDOs) and six Parish Development Model SACCO leaders on charges of corruption and violation of PDM guidelines.

The suspects were arrested yesterday evening following the RDC’s immediate arrest order and are being held at Kabale Central Police station pending the completion of thorough investigations by the police and they will be brought before the courts of law to answer for the charges brought against them.

The suspects  facing these allegations include Sonia Ahimbisibwe, the Nyakagyera Parish Chief, Gill Andinda, the CDO of Kyanamira Sub County, Macklean Nyesimire, Chairperson of Nyakagyera PDM SACCO Johnson Baguma, former Buhara District Councilor and Treasurer of Buhara Parish SACCO, Scora Tumwegyese, CDO of Buhara Sub County, Innocent Twinomugisha, Secretary of Buhara Parish SACCO, Scovia Kwarikunda, Chairperson of Buhara PDM SACCO, and Silver Besigye, a member of the Buhara PDM SACCO committee.

In an investigative report presented by Kabale Deputy Resident District Commissioner Ronald Bakak, it was revealed that in Nyakagyera Parish, approximately 70% of the beneficiaries had obtained the Parish Model Funds through illegitimate means. One significant revelation was the involvement of Mackline Kyosimire, the chairperson of the Nyakagyera Parish SACCO Committee. She had taken on the responsibilities of the parish chiefs, who were originally tasked with supervising the program but ended up being overseen themselves.

Bakak continued to detail the findings of the investigation, pointing out that Kyosimire had obtained the funds illegally due to her husband, Alex Mucunguzi, being a civil servant and a UPDF officer. Other individuals found in violation included Evelyn Tushemereirwe, who was the daughter of Lydia Kyampaire, and both lived in the same household. Rugambwa Annah, the wife of Johnbosco Rugambwa, the Parish Chief, was also implicated, along with Provia Kyomukama, the wife of Daniel Bagarukayo. Both of these women had received funds improperly.

The list of offenders extended to include Loy Grace Tushabe, who was married to Arthur Kyomukama, a pensioner who operated a hardware shop. Rosemary Bamwangyirakyi, the wife of the Nyakagyera LC II Chairperson, and Costance Besigye, a female councilor for Nyakagyera Parish, were also among those who had wrongly benefited from the Emwooga and Youth Livelihood programs.

CUE IN BAKAK….ON REPORT….ENG//

During a session addressing the district council on Wednesday, Nyakahuma revealed that his office had initiated an investigation into allegations of corruption and misconduct among certain Parish Development Model SACCO leaders. He further disclosed that individuals from Buhara Sub County stand accused of intentionally neglecting legitimate and registered PDM fund beneficiaries, instead, substituting them with their own relatives and friends an action in direct violation of the prescribed guidelines governing the PDM implementation.

Nyakahuma says that the Suspects from Kyanamira Sub County are alleged to have improperly disbursed PDM funds to civil servants, retired civil servants, and affluent individuals who do not fall within the intended 39 percent of Ugandans living below the poverty line and dependent on subsistence economies.

CUE IN NYAKAHUMA ON ARRESTS……..RR/ENG//