Africa-Press – Uganda. Kamdini Sub-County in Oyam District is under intense scrutiny following allegations of mismanaging more than Shs100 million received from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) under the revenue-sharing programme meant to support communities impacted by wildlife.
The funds, disbursed in April 2022, are said to have been misappropriated by sub-county officials, including former Sub-County Chief Geoffrey Okech.
The allegations came to light during a high-level consultative meeting convened by UWA at Oyam District Headquarters, where senior district leaders and community stakeholders gathered to address growing concerns over transparency and accountability.
Wilson Kagoro, Warden in charge of Community Conservation at Murchison Falls National Park, accused Kamdini officials of failing to provide a clear account of how the funds were used.
“We gave them the money in good faith to benefit the people living near the park. Unfortunately, there has been no proper accountability. This is not acceptable,” Kagoro said.
He revealed that UWA had issued a formal demand letter to Kamdini leadership, copied to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the District Chairperson, seeking a detailed explanation.
As a result of the unresolved discrepancies, UWA withheld Kamdini’s 2024/2025 share and redirected it to the Oyam District account pending further investigation.
Kagoro urged disciplinary action against implicated officials and insisted that Kamdini “clean their house.”
A follow-up meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday to assess whether the sub-county can provide a credible account of the expenditure.
CAO Frederick Hebat Kitutu confirmed that a report was submitted but rejected by UWA due to unauthorised budget alterations and vague justification of expenditures.
He added that former Sub-County Chief Geoffrey Okech had refused to appear before the District Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when summoned.
“His non-compliance left us with no choice but to forward the matter to the Inspector General of Government (IGG), who has since opened a formal investigation,” Kitutu said.
Oyam District Chairperson Benson Dila said PAC was instructed to carry out a thorough inquiry and make recommendations.
“Accountability must prevail. The funds were meant to improve people’s lives, not to disappear without a trace,” he said.
Kamdini LC3 Chairperson Terrence Omwonya blamed the controversy on poor financial management during Okech’s administration.
“The accountability for the 2022 funds was poorly done. Unfortunately, this happened under Mr Okech’s watch before he was transferred to Loro and later retired—some say out of fear of facing the consequences,” Omwonya noted.
LC5 Councillor Nommy Otyeno echoed these concerns, saying the people of Kamdini have seen no benefit from the funds.
“We’ve raised these complaints for a long time. There’s no visible impact of UWA funds in Kamdini. Yet people here are constantly affected by wildlife, sometimes fatally,” he said.
In contrast, Myene Sub-County LC3 Chairperson James Ogwal praised UWA for acknowledging their proper use of the funds.
“We drilled over ten boreholes and have fully accounted for the money. Our team worked diligently, and the community has seen the benefits,” Ogwal said.
Efforts to reach Geoffrey Okech for comment were unsuccessful. His known number was unreachable by press time.
A letter dated 23 June 2023 from UWA to the Oyam CAO demanded a clear breakdown of how the funds were spent.
Kamdini’s report had listed expenses on scout training (not covered in UWA guidelines), project commissioning events (to which UWA was never invited), and community sensitisation—all of which UWA rejected as unauthorised.
The funds were intended for tangible community development projects, especially in areas frequently affected by wildlife conflict.
The case remains under active investigation by the IGG, with the possibility of future funding to Kamdini being frozen until full accountability is secured.
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