KAMPALA-Some of the retired staff of Kampala Capital City Authority [KCCA] are on the spot for illegally running offices to handle cooperative sector-related work, ending up extorting large amounts of money from unsuspecting members of the public.
In a letter dated January 2, 2023, and addressed to the Director Directorate of Gender, Community Services and Production in KCCA, Robert Bariyo Barigye, the Registrar of Cooperative Societies in the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives [MITC] hinted that some of the current staff of KCCA could as well be involved in the scandal that is likely to taint the good image of KCCA.
“It is alleged that ever since some of the said persons retired, they are still claiming, and holding out as officials of KCCA. In so doing, they have established parallel but illegal offices to purposely handle cooperative sector related work; from which they extort large sums amounts of money from the unsuspecting members of the public,” Barigye wrote.
According to Barigye, the impersonation and fraudulent acts are traced from KCCA Commercial Services Section’s Cooperative Sector where the impersonators are involved in pre-registration training of prospective cooperative groups and processing and appraising documents for registration.
The KCCA fraudsters, according to Barigye, are also involved in issuing recommendation letters on KCCA letterheads, to applicants, conducting annual audits, and presiding over annual general meetings [AGMs] as well as conducting inspections, monitoring, and routine supervision, among others.
Barigye in the letter says his office is concerned about these illegal and fraudulent activities. “This office is grossly concerned about these illegal activities,” he said, urging concerned KCCA officials to pick interest and follow up the matter, especially to rule out any connivance with some of the staff.
“The purpose of this letter is to request you to follow up this matter with a view of ensuring that these wrong elements stop impersonating your designated officers and…the Registrar of Cooperative Societies,” he wrote, reminding KCCA officials that MITC’s Permanent Secretary Geraldine Ssali on December 6, 2022, issued a notice about the same matter.
A top official who preferred to remain anonymous for he is not allowed to speak to the press said KCCA faces the challenge of impersonators due to the many activities it does. “Many people, especially mid-aged men and youth have been arrested masquerading as KCCA staff to defraud the public,” he said.
He added: If some of our former staff have set up illegal offices to defraud the public, then we must condemn them and their crimes and I urge them to stop because it gives us [KCCA] a bad image.”
The Directorate of Gender, Community Services and Production among other responsibilities is mandated to: Design and monitor the implementation of sustainable socio-economic programs for the youth focusing creating opportunities of entrepreneurship, financial management, livelihood, partnerships and culture.
The directorate is also tasked to develop, design, and evaluate the effectiveness of programs for raising awareness and empowerment of People-with-disabilities and the elderly.
It is also responsible for developing and monitor the implementation of Poverty Eradication / Alleviation Programmes including the functional adult literacy, income-generating projects / gainful employment opportunities, and diversification and marketing of agriculture and fisheries.
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