MBARARA– Mbarara City Resident Commissioner [RCC], Lt Col. James Mwesigye has ordered for the arrest of the Mbarara City Principal Commercial officer, James Agaba, and his deputy, Donanti Mutaahi over the alleged embezzlement of Shs 30 million meant for supporting carpenters under Emyooga programme.
According to Mwesigye, Agaba and Mutaahi connived with the leaders of Mbarara City South Carpenters Association to swindle the funds released by the government to support artisans in the fight against poverty.
During a press conference, Mwesigye revealed that in 2021, the association’s Chairperson Boaz Byamugisha, alongside his treasurer Medard Ngabirano and secretary John Bosco Mwiine connived with the officers to steal the association’s Shs 30mln.
“After loan repayment, none of the members have ever received money during the second phase,” Mwesigye said.
It is from this background that members petitioned the RCC on Monday after their Emyooga projects stalled for a year.
Mwesigye, who is in charge of supervision and monitoring government programs, immediately ordered the arrest of the association leaders.
“After finding out it is the reason we have arrested them and even the commercial officers should be arrested,” RCC directed.
The arrested include; Boaz Byamugisha, John Bosco Mwine and Medard Ngabirano.They are charged with misappropriation of Emyooga funds under Vide Mbarara Gef:09/20222 and Mbarara CPS SDREF:60/09/05/2022.
The RCC has appealed to other Emyooga SACCO beneficiaries in Mbarara City facing similar challenges to report to his office such that culprits can be brought to book.
“We now appeal to other groups who have suffered the same to report either to my office or to my deputies so that we can arrest these thugs,” he said.
Mwesigye said that Emyooga money was given to poor Ugandans to work and embrace the money economy but that not to be eaten by government workers paid to oversee government projects.
Daniel Okyenga, one of the members confirmed that only Shs 12 mln was handed to the association as Agaba and Mutahi pocketed Shs 8mln while the remaining balance was stolen by the association chairman, treasurer and the secretary, all signatories to the association’s account.
“We’ve never seen the people claiming to have been receiving the money yet members who have been attending meetings we have never received a single shilling,” Okyenga said.
The cheated groups under the carpentry association include; Bugashe, Nyamityoobora, Ryakishakizi, and Kakoba.
Meanwhile, Mutahi counter accused the RCC of allegedly tarnishing his image in the media.
“Why always rush to the media before investigating the matter. He started with the market but he found we were all innocent yet we all know his dirty actions,” Mutaahi said.
This is the third time that Agaba and Mutaahi have been pinned for being involved in money scandals.
In March 2022, James Agaba was named by State Minister for Cooperatives, Fredrick Ngobi Gume, to be part of the leaders benefiting from Banyankore Kweterana Union property located in Mbarara City.
The local government minister, Raphael Magyezi while in Mbarara City in April 2022 directed the interdiction of Agaba and Mutaahi after their names appeared among the city leaders receiving bribes to allocate stalls to the vendors in the redeveloped central market.
Mbarara City received Shs 1bln where Shs 500mln went to Mbarara City North Division while other 500mln disbursed to Mbarara City South Division.
Emyooga is a presidential initiative that was launched in August 2019 targeting 18 specialized enterprises to transform 68 percent of Ugandan homesteads from substance to market-oriented production.
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