The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Mbarara is holding two city officials on allegations of embezzlement of the Discretionary Development Equalization Grant-DDEG funds.
The funds were released in September 2020 during the 2020/21 financial year.
The two officials were arrested on Wednesday on the orders of the Mbarara City Resident Commissioner James Mwesigye.
They are Henry Mushabe who was the senior assistant town clerk of Nyakayojo division, and at the time of arrest was acting as the senior Community Development Officer-CDO Mbarara city, and Winfred Komuhangi, who was the Community Development officer and is now the CDO Mbarara City South division.
James Mwesigye, the Resident City Commissioner says the then Nyakayonjo division was given 26 million shillings to benefit 22 groups under the Discretionary Development Equalization Grant-DDEG.
He however says the money was not given to the 22 groups that were documented and presented for accountability, noting that during the investigations, it was discovered that out of the 22 groups registered, only 4 groups were in existence and the others were faked.
He says the 18 others groups were registered by the then division workers like the front desk secretaries, cleaners among others.
When contacted, deputy town clerk Mbarara city Richard Mugisha, said his office has not been notified about the development noting that they are just getting the information as a rumour.
Samson Kasasira, Rwizi region police spokesperson confirmed the arrest of the two and other officials whose details are still concealed so as not to jeopardize investigations.
“Yes, we have some former Nyakayojo division workers but I cannot give you details now as we are still investigating some of them”.
The groups that RDC Mwesigye says were faked include Rukindo Youth Goat Rearing Group, Katojo Women Association, Rukindo tweyombekye, Kibaya United for development, which received 1.5 Million shillings among others.
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