Three Kabale District Officials Pledge to Repay Misappropriated Funds of Shs 42.94 MillionIn a recent development, three officials from the Kabale district local government have agreed to return a misused amount of 42.94 million Shillings.
The individuals identified as Vianney Besigomwe, the Chief of Maziba sub-county, James Magezi, the sub-county cashier, and Loyce Asiimwe, the District Clerk to Council, have committed to reimbursing the funds which were allocated for road rehabilitation projects under the District Development Equalization Grant (DDEG) for the fiscal years 2020/2021 to 2023/2024.
Despite the allocation, investigations revealed that the intended road repair works in Maziba Sub County were never carried out, and the funds were missing from the sub-county’s bank account.
The affected roads included the Nyanja Trading Centre to Kiziba A-Kiziba B-Kabimbi-Bweyo Road, Ikona-Munkirp primary school road, Nyakasa-Kagona Road, Kaburasi-Rwemihanga-Kanoni road, and Eiziniro-Mukashenyi-Birambo-Karweru road.In a commitment letter dated February 8, 2024, Besigomwe, Magezi, and Asiimwe vowed to refund the total sum within two months. Additionally, they pledged to ensure the funds are correctly utilized for the intended road rehabilitation projects within the same timeframe.
Godfrey Nyakahuma, the Kabale Resident District Commissioner, emphasized that failure to comply with the refund agreement would result in legal action against the three officials.
This incident is not the trio’s first involvement in financial misconduct. In a preceding case, Besigomwe and Magezi were implicated in misappropriating 17.18 million Shillings designated for road maintenance in Maziba Sub County, alongside an accusation of diverting 8.95 million Shillings intended for the renovation of the Kyanamira sub-county council hall. The series of events highlight ongoing concerns over financial management and accountability within the district’s local government entities.
