Africa-Press – Uganda. Anti-corruption monitors in Kween District have asked the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) “to take keen interest in investigating the stalled construction of town council administrative offices.”
The chairman Kween anti-corruption monitors Mr Jorem Cherotic claimed to this publication that “the structure supposed to house key district offices has remained incomplete after over Shs20million meant for its completion was diverted to facilitate the councillors travel to Kenya for a retreat.”
According to Mr Cherotic, part of the money earmarked for the project was used to pay allowances for councillors and some technical officers to go for a retreat in Kenya.
“There was nothing more important in that retreat than completing the construction of the town council structure,” he argued.
Betty Cherop another anti-corruption group member said she had evidence that “each councillor was paid Shs800,000 to cross to Kenya to dance and drink yet they always hold council sessions under a tree.”
This website on February 18 ran a story of a town clerk, Mr Edward Sikoria, who is on the run after he allegedly failed to account for over Shs200million that was acquired after he illegally sold some district properties.
“The corruption in Kween District needs special attention from government if the locals are to benefit from the government programs,” opined Comos Yeko, another concerned resident.
Mr Stephen Cheromit, the mayor of Binyiny Town Council told this reporter that the existing mess in the district was occasioned by previous leaders.
“My leadership is faced with a big challenge of sourcing the money to complete that stalled administrative block,” he said adding that “Mr Edward Sikoria is the main problem.”
Town Council authorities highlighted that the structure whose construction started in the Financial Year 2018/2019 was budgeted for Shs90million and completion projected to be by 2020.
“It has failed because the money was used in other non-prioritized activities,” the mayor reasoned.
The town clerk accused of graft, Mr Sikoria declined to answer this reporter’s repeated calls and also had not replied to message texts on his known numbers.
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