In what can be seen as a strong rebuttal to retrogressive and negative forces who are using the media to hide their concealed political vendetta, Jinja City Council (JCC) has clarified the circumstances surrounding the return of Ug.shs.4.2 billion to the Consolidated Account.
This is contained in a one-page strong response referenced CR 206 dated 8th July,2025 in reference to disturbing news article with an alarming headline “Concerns As Jinja City Returns 4.2Bn/= to Treasury” carried out by the Daily Monitor newspaper on 7th July,2025.
Jinja City Council dismisses claims of financial mismanagement, clarifying that the funds were returned in the 2023/24 fiscal year due to a recruitment halt and a countrywide payroll audit conducted by the Ministry of Public Service and Office of the Auditor General.
Ms. Ndahura Isabella, Deputy Town Clerk, who signed on behalf of Town Clerk Edward Lwanga, explains that the money was allocated for recruiting new staff, but the Public Service Ministry had not given the green light for the recruitment process.
“…it is not prudent to keep funds for wages of yet to be recruited staff idle in the city’s account when the fiscal year is closing by, we had to return the funds to the Consolidated Account to avoid any irregularities…”she explains.
She says the return of funds was in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act 2015, which requires public funds to be utilized transparently and accountably.
“…we had to return the funds to ensure compliance with the law and avoid potential audit queries,” Ndahura added.
The Deputy Town Clerk also debunks the wrong narrative which stated that the Council received a whooping 11Bn but used only a fraction of it when the potholed-city faces a number of challenges especially on its roads.
“it is also not true that Jinja City received a Supplementary Budget of 11.7Bn and only utilized 7. 4Bn.The 7.4Bn was anticipated Local Revenue to be collected in that financial year of 2023/24 and out of this Council managed to collect 8.2Bn out of which Council was able to procure a motor grader and a Roller and provisions of other sections…” she elaborates.
The Council assured the public that the return of funds was a routine procedure and did not indicate financial mismanagement, we are committed to transparency and accountability in our financial dealings,” Ndahura emphasized, adding Town Hall will continue ensuring public funds are utilized responsibly and efficiently.
The Council alleges that the recent news article surrounding the return of funds is a result of misinformation and disinformation, potentially spread by individuals with ulterior motives.
“…it’s unfortunate that some individuals are using misinformation to tarnish the reputation of our leaders and manipulate public opinion…,” sources said.
This scenario shows a common practice in Ugandan politics, where misinformation and disinformation are often used around campaign periods to tarnish the images of rival politicians or pursue personal vendettas.
Some civil servants have also been known to engage in such tactics, often motivated by perceived grievances against politicians. In Uganda, civil servants are expected to maintain political neutrality and impartiality in their official duties.
This means they should avoid engaging in partisan politics or activities that could compromise their impartiality or the integrity of the civil service. Even engaging in underground methods that promote partisan interests can be considered unethical and potentially violate the code of conduct for civil servants.
According to some analysts, the actions seem aimed at campaigning against Mayor Rio Alton Peter Kasolo and the speaker Bernard Mbayo the two politicians, who subscribe to opposition parties NUP and FDC, respectively.
It is apparent that some individuals are attempting to exploit this issue for political gain bringing up the 2023/24 report at this time to tarnish the reputations of Kasolo who is seeking re-election and Mbayo who has shifted his focus to the Jinja South West Constituency MP race.
By doing so, according to some sources, they aim to portray Kasolo and Mbayo as ineffective leaders who are out to touch with the city’s challenges.
The two have different roles and responsibilities because the Town Clerk, Edward Lwanga who is the legally recognized accounting officer.
Background
The Daily Monitor recently reported that Jinja City Council returned Shs4.2 billion to the Treasury due to bureaucratic delays and poor planning by city technical officials, citing unutilized funds meant for vital services.
However, the Council has now clarified that the information was inaccurate funds in question were from local revenues allocated for staff recruitment, which couldn’t be utilized due to the recruitment halt and payroll audit.
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