Africa-Press – Uganda. During the annual parents’ meeting at the weekend, the PTA chairperson-elect, Mr Moses Oguttu, said the withdrawal of the money was irregular because the parents were never consulted
Authorities of Lumino High School in Busia District, who have been grilled by parents over missing Shs24m from the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) account, said they paid State House officials to expedite the acquisition of a bus that was promised by President Museveni in 2013.
An April 24, 2020, letter from Dr Kenneth Omona, the principal private Secretary to the President, to the school indicated that Mr Museveni had honoured a request made by the institution and would give it a bus.
The same letter also directed Ms Lucy Nakyobe, the State House comptroller, to ensure the presidential pledge was fulfilled.
However, despite the development, the school authorities, led by the head teacher, Mr Peter Ogoro, and the outgoing PTA chairperson, Mr Godfrey Ojambo Adeya, reportedly withdrew Shs24m from the parents’ account in Stanbic Bank allegedly to bribe State House officials to expedite the process.
The money is said to have been withdrawn in two batches, with the first being made on December 3, 2020 and another instalment on December 30, 2020 by the school bursar, Mr Hassan Wafula, on the directives of Mr Ogoro and Mr Adeya.
During the annual parents’ meeting at the weekend, the PTA chairperson-elect, Mr Moses Oguttu, said the withdrawal of the money was irregular because the parents were never consulted.
“When you critically look at the dates the money was withdrawn, I highly suspect the headmaster and these officials withdrew the money to buy meat and beer for Christmas festivities and the New Year celebrations and not to facilitate State House officials as they were telling us,” Mr Oguttu said.
Mr Ogoro said they had used the money to follow-up on the presidential pledge at State House, adding that whereas the President had promised to fulfill the pledge, there were no timeline as to when the bus would be delivered to the school.
Mr Adeya, however, declined to explain how the money was used to expedite the process of acquiring the bus. He also denied that the expenditure had been done without the knowledge of the parents, saying the school board and the PTA representatives were aware.
Petition
Mr Markland Egessa, a parent and Old Boy of the school, said they have petitioned the head of State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Lt Col Edith Nakalema, to investigate the school authorities and establish whether State House officials pocketed the money.
Mr Raymond Ouma, one of the parents, said the school had also donated desks to a private nursery school in Lumino. He wondered whether the nursery school had become an annex of Lumino High School.
“We are wondering how the authorities at this school gave away desks to a nursery school when our own students lack where to sit,” Mr Ouma said, adding that initially, three students would share one desk but with the outbreak of Covid-19, the available desks aren’t enough.
Mr Don Wanyama, the outgoing presidential press secretary, said: “State House does not take money to process presidential pledges. The school authorities should table evidence of those claims, the full force of the law will be brought unto those found culpable.”
