Balaam interdicts 29 Kisoro officials over Shs 900m theft, ghost schools

Local Government minister Balaam Barugahara has ordered the interdiction of at least 29 officials from Kisoro District Local Government and Kisoro Municipality over allegations of corruption, abuse of office and causing financial loss to the government.

Barugahara issued the directive on Sunday during an anti-corruption campaign in the district. He also ordered the arrest of Kisoro chief administrative officer (CAO) John Nyakahuma, accusing him of colluding with other officials to facilitate corruption.

The minister directed principal assistant chief administrative officer Manase Rukundo to take over as acting CAO.

Among the district officials targeted for interdiction are Nyakahuma, district engineer James Karamira, district production and marketing officer Richard Habomugisha, district education officer Emmanuel Mwunvaneza, principal internal auditor Gabriel Sebuso Nkurunziza and district agricultural officer Harriet Mutuuzo.

Others are district inspector of schools Emmanuel Nbonyimbombi, principal human resource officer Beatrice Komugisha, senior human resource officer Allan Patience, principal veterinary officer and Parish Development Model (PDM) focal person Dr Herbert Ngabo, senior procurement officer Margaret Nyiramutuzo, district staff surveyor Joseph Tumusiime and District Service Commission human resource secretary Francesca Rwakahe.

The list also includes Nyakinama Seed Secondary School head teacher Shaffat Gatanga, Chahi Seed Secondary School teacher Alex Matata, Kagunga parish chief Godfrey Twinomuhangi, Murora sub-county chief Gerald Ngabirano, district physical planner Winfred Nyirakubanza, district chief finance officer Benon Rutundana, Kanaba sub-county parish chief Doreen Dusabe Kagezi, Rwingwe parish chief Dan Muftimukiza, Chibumba parish chief Jonas Kajungu, district communications officer Imerida Mukeshimana, Bukimbiri sub-county chief Gorrette Amanya and acting finance office secretary Annet Ninsiima.

At Kisoro Municipality, the officials targeted are town clerk Richard Mugisha, municipal physical planner Kenneth Mbabazi, municipal engineer Aloysious Semahoro and municipal education officer Emmanuel Sadick Mugema.

Barugahara accused Nyakahuma and Mwunvaneza of allegedly receiving government funds to support schools that he said did not exist, citing Nyakinama Primary School and Buhumbu Primary School.

A resident also told the minister that Kanaba Primary School did not exist despite allegedly receiving government funding and teachers’ salaries.

The minister further accused Nyakahuma, Mwunvaneza and Karamira of falsely claiming that the district had fully funded the construction of a two-classroom block at Gifumba Primary School in Kanaba Sub-county.

According to Barugahara, the district contributed only 17 iron sheets and a door, while parents provided the remaining construction materials and labour.

He also accused Nyakahuma and Mwunvaneza of inflating enrolment figures in Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools to obtain higher government capitation grants.

Habomugisha was accused of misappropriating Shs 600 million allocated under the Capital Development Fund (CDF) for agricultural extension workers, while Mutuuzo was accused of misappropriating Shs 285 million under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Project.

More than 50 job seekers reportedly told the minister that they had been compelled to pay bribes ranging from Shs 4 million to Shs 10 million to members of the District Service Commission to secure government employment.

During the meeting, district councillor for Nyarusiza Sub-county John Muftimukiza, who was recently arrested over allegations of conspiring with commission members to solicit bribes, was reportedly arrested again after residents raised fresh accusations against him.

Barugahara also accused Patience of serving without the required academic qualifications, allegedly soliciting bribes from job seekers and withholding pensioners’ files until they paid him.

Nyakahuma was further accused of advertising non-existent jobs and promoting a woman whom the minister described as his girlfriend from an internship position to deputy CAO.

The minister also accused Mukeshimana of simultaneously serving as district communications officer and Chahi Sub-county chief. He ordered the immediate removal of district speaker Amos Hakizimana, accusing him of allegedly receiving bribes from job seekers.

At Kisoro Municipality, Barugahara accused Mugisha and Mbabazi of allegedly selling public land belonging to Kisoro Government Hospital and land formerly occupied by Kisoro Primary Teachers’ College.

Mugisha was also accused of authorising the establishment of a private Health Centre III in the municipality, where, according to the minister, salaries had been paid to non-existent staff for several years.

Barugahara directed that the salaries of interdicted officials be withheld and that they report to police to record statements as investigations continue.

He also ordered the disbandment of the district land board, accusing it of failing to intervene as government land was allegedly sold off.

The minister further directed that an interim District Service Commission be constituted to facilitate the advertisement of positions that may fall vacant following the investigations and any subsequent dismissals.

He also ordered the re-arrest of Alex Matata, identified in the statement as chairperson of the District Service Commission, and directed that he face fresh charges.

The latest directive follows similar actions by Barugahara in the Kigezi sub-region. On Saturday, he ordered the interdiction of 16 civil servants in Rubanda district, while on Friday, he ordered the interdiction of 41 officials attached to Kabale District Local Government over similar allegations of corruption, abuse of office and causing financial loss to the government.

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