The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of Parliament on the Public Accounts and the Local Government committee have raised concerns over the criteria that was used by Mbale city authorities to select beneficiaries of the Covid-19 relief cash.
The city authorities led by the City Town Clerk David Kyasanku, the Resident City Commissioner Pamela Watuwa and the City Mayor Kassim Namugali failed to explain to the MPs why the names on the list were not in the categories of beneficiaries prioritized by the government.
Among the people who benefited from the money were the village health team members and the support staff of Mbale City Council among others.
The MPs also questioned the age group and gender of some people who were categorized as food vendors and boda boda riders.
They cited one Debora Nandunga aged 85, Dickson Mushika 85, and Rose Nabutiti aged 86 categorized as boda boda riders and Abasi Mafabi aged 75, who was categorized as a food vendor in Mbale city.
Kumi Municipality MP Silas Aogon said that some people received the relief cash because they are related to the officials who were collecting data.
He also says that there was no coordination between the office of the town clerk and that of the Resident City Commissioner.
Ahmed Wandera, the City Intelligence Officer said that his office only verified less than 1,500 names out of the over 9,000 beneficiaries who received the money.
The Deputy Town Clerk of Mbale City, Kenneth Khatuli Woniaye, said that the list of the beneficiaries was compiled in a rush due to time constraints.
Pamela Watuwa, the RCC admitted anomalies but noted that her office will continue to probe the beneficiaries of the money.
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