Sembabule District Leadership in Bitter Dispute over Local Revenue

The leadership of Sembabule district is locked up in a bitter dispute over the management of local revenue collection processes and the awarding of tenders in the area.

The current disagreement which resulted in verbal altercations is between the District Chairperson Patrick Nkalubo, a section of councillors, and members of the District Executive Committee, over counter accusations of corruption and selfishness in the process of awarding contracts in the district.

It stems from a report of the District Finance Committee chaired by Robert Bamutoreine, the Workers' Representative; which unveiled corruption and bribery from the different contractors applying to execute works in the district.

The report alleges that the District Executive Committee led by Nkalubo had solicited a bribe of over 35 million Shillings from a contractor who bid to manage a livestock market in Rugushulu Sub County. The committee also accuses Nkalubo of conniving to sell part of the livestock market land and failing to declare the funds to the treasurer. He, however, denies the allegations.

During the end-of-year council setting held late last month, Robert Bamutoreine said that they had obtained evidence concerning the irregular transactions and recommended that all the persons named in the fraud be compelled to return the money and be subjected to investigations by the anti-corruption agencies.

The accusations of corruption have drowned the entire district into a sharp controversy that is tearing the district apart and threatening service delivery in that area.  Meanwhile, Uganda Radio Network has learnt that Nkalubo has initiated the process of dissolving the Statutory Committee of Finance, with intention of replacing his detractors.

In the turnout of events on Wednesday, the Clerk to Council issued a notice inviting councillors for an emergency council session on Friday, to deliberate on the conduct of some representatives and consider a report by the district executive committee.

Nkalubo confirms that he wants to use the council to clear his name which had been tainted by the false allegations labelled against her by the selfish councillors.  “I have waited for the evidence of corruption in vain. I still demand that they present it or I also appeal to the council to reprimand them after withdrawing their report,” he said.

Asked about the consequences of the growing misunderstandings in the district, Nkalubo noted that he will build a new team of people that will serve the district better. But Wahab Kabaliisa, the Councilor for Mateete Sub County who is also a member of the district Finance Committee says that the executive committee intends to use its influence to stifle voices that demand accountability.

“The report was based on evidence and instead of acting on the findings that the executive is resorting to witch-hunting a section of councillors with intentions of stifling voices that demand accountability," he claims.

Robert Bamutoreine says he cannot be cowed by the district executive, arguing that his efforts to expose corruption tendencies serve the general good of the district.,