Three Primary School head teachers in Luuka District have been arrested for alleged misappropriation of covid-19 recovery funds.
In 2021, the funds were disbursed to refurbish different government primary schools that had been closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The suspects who are currently detained at Luuka Central Police Station are Juma Balikudembe, the head teacher of Nakabugu Primary School, Sarah Kadondo, the head teacher of Buyunze Primary School and Zekiyo Akewa, the head teacher of Namumela primary school.
According to a copy of a letter from the whistleblower, Balikudembe, reported that the primary seven classroom block had been de-roofed following heavy rains and was given 5.7 Million Shillings to finance repairs. However, on inspecting the premises, it was established that the building was never destroyed.
Another whistleblower implicated Kadondo for exaggerating figures while making the requisition for paint required in refurbishing the school’s classroom blocks. He says that the paint worth 3.9 Million Shillings was meant to refurbish four classroom blocks and a two-roomed staff quarter house, but only the kitchen and staffroom were painted.
The same whistleblower further implicated Akewa, for misappropriation of 3.3 Million Shillings for the construction of a four-stanza pit latrine. He states that Akewa instead repaired the already existing four-stanza pit latrine and never constructed a new pit latrine.
Samuel Musiho, the Luuka District Resident Commissioner, says that the head teachers failed to provide accountability for the funds disbursed to their schools, prompting police to effect their arrests.
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