By John Kabagambe
Brig. Gen Henry Isoke (head of the State House Anti-corruption Unit) true to his word of involving citizen participation (at all levels) in tackling and confronting the cancer of corruption in the country, addressed 370 Head teachers of Senior Secondary Schools from Eastern Uganda (during their retreat at NALI-kyankwanzi) and sensitized them on transparency and fighting corruption.
Brig. Gen Isoke centred his sensitisation lecture on embezzlement of UPE/USE government funds, creation of ghost teachers, absenteeism and diversion of capitation grants, all of which is widespread and endemic.
Brig. Gen Isoke, while calling upon teachers to educate the youths about corruption and its negative consequences to the country, noted that decentralization was meant to promote transparency by bringing service delivery near to the people, but there has to be citizen participation to guard against corrupt practices, and that, government has in place laws to protect whistle blowers who play a crucial role in the fight against corruption.
Meanwhile SH-ACU in conjunction with police, swung into action and arrested 4 (four) Fort Portal City officials who (in July 2023) forged and illegally issued appointment letters to 23 applicants. This was done to defeat a circular dated 30th June which had put a freeze on all recruitment.
The accused Fort Portal City officials who were arrested, arraigned and charged before the Fort Portal Magistrates’ court include; Richard Ndora (the acting deputy town clerk) Kyomuhendo Susan (Senior Assistant Secretary) Kihunde Sylvia (Internal Auditor) and Ben Mutooro Musinguzi (Office Assistant/Assistant Records)
We conclude this anti-corruption news round-up with a report of SH-ACU investigating capitation grant fraud within education institutions in Mbale district, a case in point being Mbale School for the deaf. Reports indicate that school administrators at Mbale School for the deaf inflated student enrollment figures to secure increased funding. Details of the findings of this investigation loading shortly. Watch this space.
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