By Sekaggya Seka Moses
Mubende, Uganda – Locals and leaders of Kigando sub-county, Kasambya county, are demanding answers regarding the alleged misappropriation of UGX 28,970,298 intended for the rehabilitation of Mawujjo Primary School.
The funds, allocated for the 2023/2024 financial year, were meant to renovate school buildings damaged by torrential rains in 2021.
However, despite assurances from district leaders, no renovation work has been undertaken.
The controversy deepened after District Chairperson Michael Ntambi’s state of affairs presentation on July 18, 2024, where he highlighted Mawujjo Primary School’s renovation as one of the projects included in the 2023/2024 budget.
Ntambi urged district councillors and citizens to verify the implementation of these projects.
However, Rev Felix Tumanyane, chairperson of the school management committee, confirmed that despite discussions about the funds, no renovation work has been done.
He called for an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Unit.
Local leaders, including Mawujjo Tumanyane Yowasi, Kisanja Vincent, and Aisha Ayebale, expressed confusion and frustration, stating that district officials claimed the funds were used for renovation, yet the school remains unchanged.
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In 2021, the school was affected by a storm that unroofed one of the blocks, and the district budgeted 44 million shillings for repairs, planning to renovate the building in phases.
Mubende District Education Officer Asapha Kabunga confirmed that insufficient funds were initially budgeted, leading to an additional Shs28.9M being allocated in 2023/2024 to complete the work.
Kabunga dismissed allegations that three additional classrooms were supposed to be renovated in the second phase and stated that a meeting with local leaders and the Chief Administrative Officer will present a detailed report on the matter.
Residents have repeatedly complained about district officials’ handling of public resources, leading to recent arrests and court cases of district engineers related to misappropriation of funds.
As of now, the community is seeking transparency and accountability, urging authorities to investigate and recover the missing funds.
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