Minister Magyezi interdicts Bukwo CAO, four district officials over shoddy projects

BUKWO, UGANDA: The Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi, relieved the Bukwo Chief Administrative Officer Mr. Swaib Balaba of his duties and asked him to report to the ministry for further instructions over alleged abuse of office, corruption, and overseeing shoddy projects in the district.

The minister while issuing the directive on Tuesday during the monitoring visit and inspection of government projects noted that Balaba has fallen short of his responsibilities as Chief Administrative Officer.

The minister also interdicted four district officials namely Catherine Cheptainui, an assistant CAO, Martine Chemaswat, an attendant in the CAO’s office, Richard Mudima, the Secretary District service commission, and Jonah Chewere, NUSAF desk officer on similar grounds.

Bukwo district has been in the limelight over the past week over the misuse of public funds, shoddy works, and ghost projects.

Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, the Bukwo Resident District Commissioner said that his predecessor Esther Cherop told him that the biggest challenges in Bukwo are corruption, ghost projects and abandoned works.

He said that for the two months he has been in office, he has discovered at least eight ghost projects and that there is rampant theft of drugs in the hospital.

Julius Chelimo Moses, the Bukwo District LC V Chairperson said that he has never received fuel from the CAO since he assumed office, which has made his work tiresome.

He noted that whenever they would report any corruption case to the police, the file would disappear which demoralized him. He appreciated the Minister’s intervention.

Reuben Paul Chelimo, the Kongasis County Member Of Parliament said that the problem of corruption in the district is alarming. He said this has affected projects in the district.

He said that as area members of parliament, they will seat and see how much money was allocated to each project because there is a lot of miss management of funds.