Prime
Residents decry corruption, poor service delivery
What you need to know:
- The IGG Tororo Office oversees six districts of Tororo, Manafa, Namisindwa, Butaleja, Busia, and Bududa.
Locals and councillors in Namisindwa District have attributed poor service delivery in education, health, and road infrastructure to the misuse of public funds by civil servants.
Mr Geoffrey Sakari, the councillor representing Wambewo Ward, stated that several roads, approved and funded by the council, have not been properly worked on due to alleged fund mismanagement.
“We allocated over Shs10 million for each of these roads, but we are surprised to see people being given just Shs5,000 to work on them using hoes. Consequently, the roads lack proper trenches and culverts,” he said.
Mr Patrick Semu Wamukota, a resident of Magale, reported the high cost of obtaining police bonds to the Inspector General of Government (IGG) but has yet to receive any assistance.
“We pay between Shs100,000 and Shs200,000 for a police bond, depending on the arrest location. Most people cannot afford this amount to get justice,” he said.
Ms Sarah Nekesa, a councillor and resident, highlighted the high cost of accessing clean water from the Lirima gravity flow scheme, constructed by the government.
“We face water scarcity due to the high prices. A unit of water costs Shs6,000, forcing people to use stream water,” she said.
Councillors noted that civil servants often ignore council resolutions, leading to poor project implementation. The concerns were raised during an open barraza organised by the IGG’s office at Magala Town Council headquarters at the weekend.
The Namisindwa District Chairperson, Mr Jackson Wakweika, pointed out that some workers have not been paid for eight months.
“We have inadequate wages for extension workers, especially in the production, environmental, and health departments,” he said.
Mr Imran Muluga, the Resident District Commissioner, warned technocrats against commissioning projects without the RDC’s supervision.
“Several projects have been poorly implemented and fraudulently commissioned without informing my office,” he said.
Mr Muluga expressed shock at the level of corruption he encountered upon his deployment to Namisindwa.
“I wanted to leave when I saw the rampant corruption and lack of accountability here,” he said.
Ms Dinah Nabirye, the head of the IGG Tororo office, explained that the meeting was organised in response to numerous complaints from whistleblowers.
“Issues raised include service delivery, maladministration, contractor incompetence, and corruption in job placements,” she said.
Ms Nabirye emphasised that such engagements are held across all districts under their jurisdiction to educate people on fighting corruption.
The IGG Tororo Office oversees six districts of Tororo, Manafa, Namisindwa, Butaleja, Busia, and Bududa.
