Rwampara Engineers, technocrats warned over embezzlement as District receives Road Equipment Unit

Amos Tayebwa

Mbarara

Rwampara District is among the 17 Districts in Uganda that were created recently that have received a set of road equipment units from the Central Government for the purpose of road maintenance services.

However, Engineers and technocrats have been cautioned against embezzlement of road funds in Rwampara.

This caution was made by heads of political Leadership and the representative of the President from Rwampara District when the same district was receiving part of the road equipment unit sent by the central government to the newly created districts in Uganda, Rwampara inclusive.

On Tuesday 22 May 2024, after receiving the road equipment unit, district leadership launched a 20km road from Nyakaguruka-Ihunga- Kigari- Kabutare-Karangara.

It also links Mwizi in Rwampara East County. About Shs120m has been allocated on this road that will take only two weeks according to the District Engineer.

Among the road machines that were received as Rwampara District include a motor Grader and a wheel loader.

Following the recent scenarios that were experienced in Rwampara District where some of the Engineers and Technocrats were interdicted from their offices for allegedly stealing the road funds which were put to construct roads like Nyamukana -Kibare road, Katereza -Kinoni road and Bituntu road, Leaders want the money refunded.

Sources reveal that money was allocated on those roads but according to the allegations the money was eaten by some of the Engineers and those roads were left unfinished and shoddy work was also observed.

The State House Anti corruption intervened and the investigations are underway.

Jane Asiimwe Muhindo, the Rwampara Resident District Commissioner has said that moving forward this time as the leaders of Rwampara are on CAO’s and the Engineers’ watch about every activity that will be done on the roads.

“We are going to follow up events in order to ensure proper accountability, we shall be tight on the CAO’s move so that he does not release money anyhowly. We agreed that people have to be given money of a certain kilometer and after they are done with that then they take on another road. We have had mistakes in the past where the CAO would requisition much money at ago for the roads and practically you cannot implement many roads when there was even no road equipment and that’s why some Engineers took the advantage of embezzling our money. But we are avoiding those mistakes moving forward so that we should not have a repeat of the same mistakes. Investigations are going on. We wrote to the Statehouse Anti Corruption to help the police in the technical investigations in the matters concerning the corruption that was suspected in some of the roads in Rwampara District” said Jane Muhindo, the RDC Rwampara

Julius Tusiime Karuhanga, the Rwampara East County Member of Parliament said that the current Engineers should learn from other group of staff who were interdicted on allegations of corruption related issues.

That they should not repeat the same mistakes.

MP Tusiime asked the current CAO, Engineers and other Technocrats responsible for road funds to do things that are in a proper way and visible. That they should do what they call legacy projects.

“The other group of people who were in your positions now, it’s true they liked corruption and that’s why we sat as MPs and other Leaders and said no let the security team help us and follow up the matter. We do not want that kind of corruption in Rwampara, whoever that will be found embezzling the government funds the law will work on them. We shall actually ensure that the money that was eaten must be refunded so that our people can get the services they expect from us as leaders, we cannot leave a road like Byanamira to Nyamukana unworked on on reasons that people stole the money, we are not seated we shall keep engaging security to ensure our money is safe.

She appealed to the public to stop cheap politics and politicking against the services and the projects that have been put in place.

“Stop looking at things the way you want sometimes in a negative way, look at the things the way they are, Let’s always appreciate and give credit where it is deserved. Let us be monitors when our roads are being worked on by these Engineers. I want maximum corporation between the community and the Engineers” said MP Asiimwe